Boom in preloved fashion sees Isla Markets expand as shoppers avoid fast fashion

With demand growing  for affordable fashionable in a cost-of-living crisis, pre-loved clothing stores are seeing a spike in popularity.

According to an Auckland Council report, the city consumes “over 24,000 tonnes of fashion textiles” every year, most of which are fast-fashion items.

While services like Shein and Temu have made fashion and new clothing more accessible, they have also increased fashion waste, with the industry dumping more than 180,000 tonnes of textile waste every year in New Zealand.

While fast fashion has been on the rise, so have initiatives to combat the cycle of environmental damage.

Pre-loved clothing and op shops have seen a large increase in patronage.

In 2023, 60 per cent of New Zealand shoppers were recorded as using second-hand clothing services.

These services break the fashion cycle by bringing new life to old clothes.

Preloved-fashion market Isla Markets is breaking the loop in a youth-centric way.

The pop up market appears regularly in halls across Auckland, including recently at the Ellen Melville Centre and Freeman’s Bay Community Hall.

Founder Bethany Pettengell credits the market’s success to its niche focus.

The market’s rise in popularity was down to interest in sought-after brands like Brie Leon, Mr Winston, and Lioness at affordable prices, said Pettengell.

Beyond affordability and style, Isla Markets contributes to sustainable fashion by encouraging the reuse of clothing.

“It teaches young girls how to shop sustainably and keeps clothing out of landfills,” Pettengell said.

The demand is clear on market days - more than 50 stall applications come in every week and eager shoppers arrive early to get the best deals.

While early markets saw occasional quiet patches, Bethany says there is now a steady flow of shoppers throughout the events.

An Isla Markets shopper, Tia Holster, said: "There were young girls lined up as early as 7.30am in the morning when the market didn’t even start till 9."

For those wanting to skip the line, a $25 VIP ticket offers queue-jumping privileges and early access.

Across New Zealand, pre-loved stores are seeing similar trends as Isla Markets, with initiatives also expanding into the online space.

Depop is an online marketplace, similar to Trade Me, where users can sell preloved “vintage” and “trendy” clothing items.

The platform has more than 43 million registered users globally, with “Depop” quickly becoming a household name.

Pettengell is excited for Isla Market’s future, with second-hand shopping quickly becoming popular NZ wide.

“There’s nothing like it in New Zealand.

“I’d love to see it grow even further.”