A group of five young Portuguese entrepreneurs aims to change the paradigm of the textile industry in Portugal, where more than 200 tons of clothing are currently thrown away each year. To this end, they have just launched MyCloma, an online platform whose main objective is to promote the circular economy by extending the lifespan of clothing, thus reducing its environmental impact.
Anyone can request a collection of clothing or accessories they wish to sell without leaving the comfort of their home. These items will then be validated, photographed, and put up for sale on the platform. If the submitted products do not meet the stipulated quality requirements, the customer has the option to request a return or choose to have MyCloma deliver them directly to a partner non-profit organization (NGO).
After the sale, the customer can reinvest the sales profit in other items or, if they prefer, request a transfer to their bank account.
During the first phase of the project, which took place last month, MyCloma received over 250 collection requests, totaling approximately five thousand items, of which it has already donated over two thousand to associations and NGOs. The platform, launched with over 400 items, is updated with new items daily.
A market that could be worth 57 billion.
The online market for second-hand clothing could reach €57 billion globally within five years, according to a study by ThredUp in collaboration with GlobalData. Currently, it is worth €24.940 billion.
The study predicts that, by 2029, second-hand clothing could occupy 19% of consumers' wardrobes, compared to 3% in 2009.
According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's study "A New Textiles Economy," the number of times a garment is worn has decreased by 36% since 2004, meaning that more and more waste is being generated.
