LoopLab: A Tool to Mitigate Resale Friction and Promote Circular Fashion

Abstract

Excessive clothing consumption significantly contributes to waste and environmental degradation, exacerbating climate change. The Circular Economy (CE), particularly through Circular Fashion (CF), offers a solution by promoting the reuse and recycling of unwanted clothing. However, cumbersome and unrewarding resale processes limit the supply of used clothes, hindering widespread adoption. This thesis presents LoopLab, a white-label resale platform that enables fashion brands to establish their own resale services, increasing the supply of pre-worn garments. LoopLab simplifies the listing process by integrating with a brand’s existing e-commerce database, allowing customers to easily resell previous purchases via Digital IDs that access original product information. By reducing resale friction for consumers and increasing pre-worn inventory for brands, LoopLab aims to make circular practices more accessible and encourage a mindset shift towards longer-term garment use. Research shows that extending the usage period of clothing by nine months can reduce waste and carbon emissions by 20-30%, indicating LoopLab’s potential to lessen the fashion industry’s environmental impact.