High-End Style with a Circular Soul
The "Premium" Path: Parels Breda
During our tour, we visited a high-end second-hand shop in Breda that perfectly illustrates how to maximise the value of donations. This isn't your typical "dig through the bins" experience; it’s a curated, boutique space where premium items are sent to find their next home.
The Win-Win-Win Model:
For the Buyer: They get access to high-quality, durable goods at a price that is fair and accessible.
For the Organisation: By selling "A-grade" items in a dedicated boutique, they generate the vital funds needed to keep their social and environmental missions running.
For the Planet: It gives luxury and high-quality items a second life, preventing them from ever touching a waste pile.
Workshops & Community What really got me excited—especially after our own Re-Imagine Upcycling event—was their commitment to education. They don’t just sell; they teach. They host upcycling and crafting workshops right in the store and across the city as well as repair cafes, giving people the skills to repair and reinvent their own belongings.
Seeing a city-wide movement for upcycling in action was incredibly inspiring. It proves that "second-hand" doesn't have to mean "second best"—it can be the most stylish and skilled choice you make!
For more information on our trip to the Netherlands, read our blog series or watch our v-log series and check out our social media. If you’d like to read our report on our trip you can view this here, and if you’d like to help us level up the support from the Government for change in the waste and recycling industry, please do pass our High-level report to your local MP and ask them to push the movement forward.
For more information on our Shop for the Future project, read our news article or take a look at our page here.