Vintage Vera has opened up an old school clothing store at the University of Sunderland for one day only, showcasing a variety of pre-owned fashion choices.
The clothes sale offers university students the chance to add to their wardrobe with outfits and designer attires that would otherwise go to waste.
Gordon Martin, owner of Vintage Vera, stated that he set up the company to: “offer great value to students and also do our bit for the environment”.
His company offers both buyers and sellers a chance to recycle their clothes, rather than throw them away:
“Eleven million tonnes of clothes get put in the bin every week, an astonishing amount of clothes.”
He said: “With recycling, you’re being part of the circular business environment.”
With a growing focus on the sustainability of pre-owned clothes and a lucrative push to be more environmentally friendly, shops like Vintage Vera are becoming much more frequent.
Jay Sykes, a customer of Vintage Vera, said that shops like this were incredibly important now that we’re: “living in a culture of environmental awareness, the responsibility of not buying new things and repurposing old things is going to become more popular as we become conscious as a society in not destroying the planet.”
At £15 per kilo of clothing, the pop-up shop is no stranger to Sunderland, appearing last year on the City Campus.
The appeal of vintage clothing for Jay comes from “stupid patterns and ugly jumpers”, an endearing appeal that seemingly stretched through the business model of Vintage Vera. They offer a wide variety of out of style, yet perfectly fashionable alternatives to the high street. From denim jackets to old school, pre-worn t-shirts, knitted jumpers and a nice variety of flamboyant shirts and accessories.
Vintage Vera work in partnership with over 20 universities, stretching from: “as far north as Newcastle to as far south as Portsmouth”.
With an active social media presence, Martin and his team at Vintage Vera look to put sustainability back onto the fashion market.
For more information, visit their Facebook page.
