M&S launches second hand clothing store on eBay to give items 'another life'

Marks and Spencer is giving old clothes "another life" with the launch of a new dedicated resale service for clothing, footwear and accessories on eBay.

Customers can now trade back M&S items they no longer wear. After that, the clothes will be repaired by secondhand retailers, Reskinned, and relisted on the new official M&S store on eBay. Monique Leewenburgh, director of sourcing and technology in fashion, home and beauty at M&S, said: "We're delighted to be partnering with the pre-loved experts at eBay and Reskinned to launch a dedicated resale platform. This not only offers more ways for customers to give items 'Another Life', but also an opportunity for customers to purchase items they might have missed from previous seasons, which are pre-loved."

To use the service, customers must complete a short form on www.marksandspencer.com or scan QR codes in M&S's Fashion, Home, and Beauty stores. They can then send their pre-loved items to Reskinned using a free local courier service.

For each return that includes at least one M&S-labelled item, customers receive £5 off a £35 or more spend on fashion, home, and beauty products online at M&S. The discount is valid for four weeks from the date of issue. Items that can be worn again are professionally cleaned, repaired and listed by Reskinned on the M&S x eBay store. Items that cannot be resold will be responsibly repurposed or recycled.

The money from sales will be split between M&S, eBay, and Reskinned, with 15% of M&S's profits donated to Oxfam.

Kirsty Keoghan, GM European Fashion at eBay, said: "M&S is a beloved British institution, known for its enduring quality and style, and a staple in wardrobes across the UK. Welcoming M&S to the eBay marketplace represents an exciting milestone in our mission to make circular fashion more accessible, appealing, and scalable."

Matt Hanrahan, co-founder of Reskinned, said: "At Reskinned our mission is to maximise the lifespan of clothing. We're making it easy for brands and their customers to rehome unwanted clothes, whether that's reselling, repairing or recycling them responsibly. We're determined to create a more sustainable clothing future for us all."

Circular economy minister Mary Creagh added: "Our Plan for Change is focused on cleaning up Britain, ending our throwaway culture and ensuring that the 700,000 odd tonnes of clothes we throw away each year are worn more.

"Only Government and businesses working together can stop fashion costing the earth, which is why I welcome this new initiative from M&S - a great way for consumers to be rewarded for providing a new home for old favourites."

The launch is the latest initiative under Another Life, which is M&S's circular sustainability strategy in Fashion, Home and Beauty. Another Life combines the British retailer's approach to circularity with a focus on the four R's: Rewear, Repair, Recycle, and Resale.

After launching its first clothes recycling scheme back in 2008, M&S is now completing the final R for "Resale," with the launch of its new partnership with eBay and Reskinned