The planet should not fall victim to fashion. We know that fast fashion is probably the worst thing for the environment. Consumption of water, energy and waste to no longer knowing what to do with it. So, vintage, second-hand, recycling and even upcycling are put forward to try to lower the environmental bill of clothing. And if the concept works rather well for all-comers, tops, bottoms, coats, what about underwear. For the bras, two Lille women said to themselves that it could do it. And it did. So much so that RougeGorge, the lingerie brand of the Mulliez group, decided to follow AbracadaBra’s Adventure.
“We all have bras lying around in our closets that are no longer used. With my friend Marie, we thought it was a shame because it could still be used,” explains Margaux Plus, co-founder of AbracadaBra.
The second-hand bra seduces
And, according to our readers, the idea is not so absurd, the majority of those who answered our call being ready to take the plunge. “If I have proof that it’s done in optimal conditions, I could accept it as far as bras are concerned,” says Emma. “Buying second-hand lingerie is no more a problem for me than buying a coat or a sweater,” adds Marie. “I already consume upcycled bras, for economic reasons,” recognizes Anaelle.
“The psychological barrier is quickly passed when certain arguments are put forward, such as cleaning, repair, after-sales service and above all the price”, estimates Margaux Plus. And it is this last argument that is decisive, the second hand allowing AbracadaBra’s customers to afford bras from top-of-the-range brands for a lower price. “We can be up to sixty euros cheaper than new, with the same quality,” adds the co-founder.
Less expensive, without consequences for the environment, an almost infinite choice. So many arguments that have seduced AbracadaBra customers since the launch last January, and more recently the RougeGorge brand in its CSR approach. But there is something else, the size: “In stores, we go from 85A to 110G. The partnership with AbracadaBra allows us to offer our customers sizes up to 135H, which is almost impossible to find”, confides to 20 minutes Amélie, the manager of the RougeGorge store in Lille. Moreover, according to her, there is little reluctance to buy second-hand bras: “It can be because you can’t find your size or for women who only buy sets”, she believes.
For panties, “it’s more complicated”
But, for this last problem, AbracadaBra may have the solution. “We do not plan to recycle panties, slice Margaux Plus. For this underwear, it’s more complicated to get people to accept. » Our readers are of this opinion, except for those who have not been worn. On the other hand, AbracadaBra is considering making its own panties from recycled fabrics. “The idea is not to redo sets, but rather stockings that can be matched with several tops”, specifies the co-founder.
The partnership with RougeGorge runs for a period of six months in two stores in the Lille metropolitan area, in Lille and Roncq. A test phase that can be extended over time and to other stores if the results prove convincing. This also allows the start-up to add two bra collection points to an already extensive list. In ten months, the two friends managed to collect between 10 and 15,000 pieces of lingerie. A drop of water compared to what’s lying around in cupboards, but a feat if you consider that no bra recycling sector existed before AbracadaBra.