Start 'em young by making sustainable fashion the norm

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Sarah Garner with her two children (Photo: Courtesy of Michelle Proctor)

What do you do with designer clothing your kids have outgrown—sell them, or give them to charity? What about both? Sarah Garner, founder of online children’s boutique Retykle, has come up with a sustainable solution.

Born in Canada but a Hong Konger at heart, the mother of two comes from a successful career in fashion retail, beginning at Holt Renfrew (Canada’s version of Lane Crawford). Since moving to Hong Kong 10 years ago in search of "more exciting fashion markets,” she's worked at Lane Crawford, DFS and Shanghai Tang before launching Retykle in 2016.

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Cute summer set for girls (Photo: Courtesy of Retykle)

It was during Sarah's first pregnancy that the idea for her company came about. She'd received a bag of hand-me-downs from a friend who had just had her third baby and was ready for a closet clean-out.

"It was a wonderful treasure trove that had all the best brands, and we didn't have to buy clothes for the first year of my son’s life."

It was then that she had an epiphany: to create a more eco-conscious community through children’s clothing. She founded Retykle to provide a quick and easy way for parents to resell outfits their kids have outgrown, while helping others.

The concept is simple, and according to Sarah, “so easy that you essentially can't avoid getting involved." Once you’ve got a good number of clothes that are still in great condition but too small for your kids to wear, you can either book a free pick up or drop them off at Retykle’s studio in Wong Chuk Hang.

The Retykle team will assess the quality of the clothing, and resell all those that meet their criteria at up to 90 percent off their original prices. The rest are donated to Retykle's partner charity, Hands On Hong Kong. Of the items sold, you have a choice to recieve 50 per cent of the selling price in cash or 55 per cent in Retykle credit.

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A boys look from head to toe (Photo: Courtesy of Retykle)

With more than 300 brands to choose from, the store has quickly become a go-to for many Hong Kong parents who are looking to dress their wee ones in stylish outfits.

Retykle offers closet clean-out services, as well as tailored shopping experiences, where the team preselects items according to your specific tastes and child’s size, giving parents the opportunity to make eco-conscious decisions in aid of the sustainable fashion movement.

Like the idea? You won’t want to miss Retykle’s pop-up store at Maggie and Rose on September 1 & 2, 2017. The sale will feature some of the best brands in children’s retail such as Bonpoint, Burberry, and Dior, while benefitting two charities: Hands On Hong Kong and Redress.

For more information on the Retykle pop-up, visit Maggie & Rose.


See also: Johanna Ho On The Evolution Of Eco-Fashion