London, October 27, 2025
UK fashion and textile companies must embed repair and resale at the heart of their business strategies to secure resilience, customer loyalty, and net zero alignment, according to a new report, published today.
Customer-Centric Growth: A Playbook for Scaling Repair and Resale in Fashion, by the British Fashion Council’s Institute of Positive Fashion in collaboration with leading business management consultancy Clarasys, warns that while circularity is gaining momentum, the sector faces major barriers, including low customer awareness, convenience gaps, and unclear value propositions.
Globally, the second-hand apparel market is projected to reach $367bn by 20291, growing 2.7 times faster than the overall apparel market. With 80% of retail executives expecting new trade policies to disrupt global supply chains2, it’s easy to see why resale and repair are critical levers for growth and risk mitigation.
The new report sets out a practical roadmap to help executive leaders drive more successful businesses, urging brands to:
- Build tailored services - use repair to deepen loyalty with existing customers and resale to attract new, aspirational ones.
- Focus on customer value - authentically brand circular services around benefits like quality, convenience, and affordability, not just sustainability.
- Design compelling incentives - from free loyalty repairs to strong resale payouts that drive engagement.
- Use data to build the case - leverage customer lifetime value and other key metrics to secure internal buy-in.
- Eliminate friction - simplify repair and resale journeys by integrating them into core customer touchpoints and partnering with specialist providers.
Loic Le Fouest, Sustainability Practice Lead at Clarasys, said: “Fashion brands that make repair and resale easy, visible, and valuable will win loyal customers. By doing this, organizations can unlock new revenue streams and position themselves as leaders in the Net Zero transition.”
The report also highlights the pain points in customer journeys that brands need to address in order to succeed in improving circularity targets. For repairs, these include awareness, cost, and logistics and for resale, low prices for sellers and concerns around authenticity and hygiene for buyers are the main concerns. Best practices range from transparent pricing and convenience for repairs, to trust-building expertise, financial incentives, and simple seller experiences for resale.
Case studies from Selfridges, M&S, ACS, Depop, and Margaret Howell show how different brands and enablers are already experimenting with circularity. These examples demonstrate that while models vary, success consistently depends on customer centricity, operational excellence, and long-term strategic alignment.
The report concludes that achieving this transformation requires cultural change, bold leadership, and pragmatic pilots to build momentum but the rewards are significant: more resilient businesses, more engaged customers, and a more sustainable future for fashion.
[1] ThredUp, Resale Report 2025
[2] ThredUp, Resale Report 2025
