Clothes Will Be an Investment in the Future

Nanso and Emmy make it possible.

It was only a few decades ago that clothes were still listed in estate inventories. Nowadays, only cars, homes, or perhaps more valuable art with a clear resale price are recorded there. This development partly reflects the fact that clothes are too often seen as consumer goods rather than as investment assets that retain their resale value.

We want to change the way people think about clothing consumption, because it truly is possible. We are on a journey toward ever more durable products, and it is increasingly important for us to make it as easy as possible to resell Nanso products, so that each garment can have several lives.

"When we look to the future, it’s clear that circular economy models will evolve. We have now integrated the sale of used clothing into Nanso’s service: selling second-hand clothes is part of our service path, and behind the service is our partner, Emmy, Finland’s largest online store for second-hand clothing, which handles the sale of Nanso customers’ clothes. The proceeds from the sale of clothes go directly to Nanso customers, either as a gift card or cash, and in addition, we reward customers for every batch of second-hand items sold," explains director Jenni Homer from Nanso.

"With these kinds of models, we are in fact moving toward a world where quality second-hand clothing becomes a means of payment. This development enables the purchase of ever higher-quality clothes, which is a prerequisite for sustainable change. This is exactly the kind of direction the world needs. But a functioning market and easy models for consumers are essential, because selling used goods shouldn’t become a full-time job for busy people," says Emmy’s CEO Timo Huhtamäki.

In the picture, our group is taking a closer look at perhaps one of the most circular economy-friendly products on the second-hand market, the iconic Nanso dress.

We would have nothing to worry about if every brand’s circular economy ambition reached this level. From the very beginning, we were remarkably unanimous that we must inspire people to awaken the dormant capital in their closets and create a clothing market where every clothing purchase is seen as an investment, not consumption, continues Huhtamäki.