FOLLOWERS of fashion will be able to bag a bargain as a hospice strengthens its retail base by going online.
St Teresa’s Hospice has launched Depop and Vinted platforms to complement its shops and eBay operations.
The hospice needs to raise around £3.5m a year to provide free in-patient and community care for people living with life-limiting illnesses and their families in Darlington, South Durham and North Yorkshire.
By adding fashion social media sites Depop and Vinted the retail business will extend the reach worldwide of the high quality, often designer label, clothing donated by supporters.
One person recently donated a £6,000 Chloe dress to the hospice which was sold for £1,200 in a ‘20 per cent of new’ sale at one of its pop-up stores.
The Depop and Vinted operations will be headed by newly appointed assistant retail manager Charlie Baker, who will be based at St Teresa’s new designer clothing store on High Row Darlington.
She is already busy scrutinising the donations of clothing that come into the hospice’s chain of stores and its central warehouse and supermarket on McMullen Road, so she can decide the best platform on which to sell the stock to maximise its value.
“I am really excited about this latest venture,” said Charlie, of Newton Aycliffe. “You just never know what you are going to find.
“We have donations ranging from Chloe and Vivienne Westwood to Barbour and Christian Louboutin and it is only right that we try and get as much for these items as we possibly can for the people who donate them and to raise as much as we are able for the hospice.
“I also believe very strongly in sustainability. The fashion industry is one of the worst contributors to global decline and I believe we should be reusing as much as we possible can. It is a win-win. Selling preloved clothing extends its lifespan, the hospice raises much-needed funds and the customers still manage to bag a bargain.”
She said moving online would increase the reach of the retail arm globally and the initiative was making the most of the fast changing nature of the fashion world.
“People are much more conscious of their spending because of the cost of living crisis,” she said. “Others are increasingly aware of the environment. So recycling the clothes is the perfect way to stretch their money and boost sustainability.
“I will be researching the clothing in order to come up with the best price, examining the cost of shipping and hopefully opening up our stock to a global market. I’ll also make sure the stock is posted online with a view to the changing seasons so people can find the right clothes for every occasion.”
Buyers will be able to leave reviews of their online shopping experience on both sites. The hospice’s online shops can be found at:
https://www.depop.com/stteresashospice/