Photo: Second hand 1981, with permission /Barbora Vilišová and David Homola
INTERVIEW: Do you shop at second-hand and sustainable fashion stores, or do you prefer Fast Fashion and price is the main thing for you? In an interview with Barbora Vilišová, co-founder of one of the most famous thrift stores in Prague (Second hand 1981), you will learn how to think ecologically when buying fashion accessories and clothes. Also, how big of an impact the fashion industry has on the environment. And what can you change as a customer? There are also a few tips on how to organize your sustainable wardrobe.
What was the impetus for opening your second hand store?
One spontaneous sales event six years ago, during which we found out how hungry there is for second-hand clothes in Prague. Back then, it was a clear signal for us to establish the 1981 brand.
What are the main priorities for you when selling clothes? Is it sustainability?
Our main motivation is to put clothes back into circulation, extend their life cycle and thus reduce the demand for new things. At the same time, we enjoy fashion itself. The clothes we sell. So it’s a combination of both.
Which clothes are sold the most in second hand stores?
It depends on the season, but for example trenches, Leviskys, viscose floral dresses or silk blouses are the best sellers.
How big do you think the Fast fashion problem is?
The fashion industry is the second biggest polluter on the planet. Changing it for the better is not easy and it certainly won’t happen overnight. However, we as customers can contribute to this. It just depends on our approach to buying clothes. We can perceive each purchase as our vote, which determines the environment in which we will live in the future.
Do you think thrift stores can help in this regard?
Yes, thrift stores are definitely one of the many ways to shop more environmentally friendly.
What percentage of Czechs shop at thrift stores? Do you have any insight? What kind of people buy from you and to what extent?
Our customers are mainly women, who are primarily interested in clothes as such. They are interested in how the piece will look and the fact that it is an original, more than that it is sustainable.
Do you think it is necessary to switch to so-called minimalist fashion for the sake of the environment?
I think there is no need to go anywhere, but to slow down. Set a small goal for the year 23. To buy less, but quality things that not only look better, but also last us for many years.
How exactly should people shop for clothes? Should we avoid classic chain stores such as ZARA, H&M, Reserved if we want to think ecologically?
I don’t have a problem with someone liking something from Fast fashion. But it’s important to think about whether I really wear the given piece and don’t buy it just because of the price, so that I can throw it away next season and look for a new one. It is important to start perceiving the quality of clothes. In Fast fashion we buy clothes at low prices, but together with that we also buy low quality. If we think about it, we will find that it is not economically advantageous, because the things are not well made and will not last very long with us.
Source: Second hand 1981, with permission
It is best to use your own experience. My tip is to buy one quality piece. It can be from a thrift store or maybe from a sustainable brand and see how it makes us feel. If we buy a silk blouse, I’m sure we’ll start preferring it over the polyester ones, and over time we’ll find that we don’t want to wear the synthetic ones at all, because we’ll try it on our own skin, literally.
Some well-known Fast fashion chains claim that they are trying to go in a sustainable direction, do you think this is true?
A green tag on a t-shirt from a Fast fashion chain sometimes makes us feel better and justify the purchase, but let’s try to be interested and see if it is rightfully hanging there. In 99 percent of cases, it will be so-called green washing. Try to favor a truly sustainable brand that doesn’t need green labels because it has sustainability in its DNA.
We wrote
What are the main reasons why people should not buy Fast fashion?
Mainly low quality. It is uneconomical in the long run. These purchases have a negative impact on the environment and at the same time involve poor working conditions.
If I can recommend to the readers, it is a True Cost documentary that is worth watching.
What is sustainable fashion? Does it work at least partially here in the Czech Republic?
We can understand sustainable fashion as the production of clothing that will not only take into account the conditions under which the clothing is created, but also fairly reward all those who participated in its production.
But above all, a production that will take into account the impact of the materials and processes used on the environment and will only produce as much as it can realistically sell.
In the Czech Republic, we can find a lot of sustainable brands and stores that sell clothes. But above all, we live in the age of the Internet, so when it comes to buying sustainable clothes, we have unlimited options.
How many pieces of clothing do you think you should have? Do you have any tips for readers on how to build a sustainable wardrobe? And where to shop?
I vote for a trench coat, a long dress made of silk or viscose, a cashmere jacket, well-fitting jeans, a white shirt and plain organic cotton t-shirts. That will be enough until the beginning for the coming months.
A few tips for thrift stores in Prague: 1981, Textile house vintage, Young Dust and Vintage Avenue Prague.
