Gifting Second Hand

With Christmas just around the corner, many of us are looking for the perfect gift to give to our kids, nieces, nephews or the newborn of a dear friend or colleague. But Christmas shopping can be difficult to match with the wish that many of us have to live more sustainably. This year, maybe more than ever, we are therefore increasingly looking for conscious, planet-friendly options to put under the Christmas tree.

[...] consumers are increasingly acting on environmental concerns [...] there’s a particular eco-anxiety around children’s clothes because kids grow out of them so fast - The Financial Times

 

Gifting second hand or pre-loved items has been on the rise for several years now. In Sweden, a pre-loved item was the “gift of the year” already in 2018, and reports show that the stigma around wrapping pre-loved items and putting them under the Christmas tree is slowly fading (NY Times, Guardian etc). One recent (US based) study showed that about half of those asked would consider giving secondhand clothes and would also welcome such gifts.

The whole stigma of secondhand is waning or really vaporising. Accenture



The shift towards second hand or pre-loved/resale has taken off even stronger than expected, much due to the corona crisis that faced us this year (ThredUp report). Conscious consumerism has along with minimalism and a trend towards shopping local and small brought us to a moment where gifting second hand feels very much not just appropriate, but
right.

Benefits of shopping second hand

  • It’s a sustainable option that saves significant planetary resources
(Did you know that choosing to buy a pre-loved pair of jeans instead of a new pair can save the equivalent of all the water you would drink in the next 13 years(!) source)
  • It comes at a better price tag (up to 80% off original price), and therefore allows you to opt for a higher quality
  • It is an opportunity to find unique and rare pieces that are difficult or impossible to find in store
  • If you choose to buy from a small and/or local business, you are also supporting the local, circular economy

But let’s face it - no one wants to give or get a tired pair of mittens or a cardigan full of pilling. Therefore, we have put together some tips for how to gift second hand in a way that will make the recipient, you and the planet happy (win win win!).

Our pro tips for gifting second hand

  • Choose items that are in “Excellent” or “Unused” condition. This is clearly marked in the description for all our pieces.
  • The category Past season / Second season only includes items that have not been worn before and often still have the tag and/or boxes. Shop Second Season here
  • Ask the parent what size their child wears now to avoid buying something that is too small.
  • An Ingrid & Emil gift card allows the parent or child to choose their favourite pieces from our curated collection.
Find the Ingrid & Emil gift shop here.

    Ingrid Emil Gift Card


    We are confident that gifting second hand will soon be a natural option for all kinds of shoppers. When you have the opportunity to buy quality controlled, premium second hand pieces, that above all leaves such a good feeling for everyone involved, why hesitate? 

    “Wir wollen, dass Secondhand etwas Selbstverständliches wird, das man auch verschenken kann.”   - Ingrid & Emil co-founder Laura Maquignon, Tagesanzeiger May 2020


    We wish you a peaceful Christmas time and a happy New Year,

    your Ingrid & Emil team

    Shop the Ingrid & Emil gifting collection here or gift an Ingrid & Emil gift card here