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The fashion industry is accelerating its push into resale, expanding the number of brands and products it handles. With high inflation nudging shoppers to rethink spending and ESG-driven circular-consumption strategies gaining traction, experts expect the resale market to keep growing.
On the 17th, retail insiders said fashion platforms and brands have been upgrading their resale services. They’ve reworked policies and broadened the item categories to draw in more customers and increase transaction activity.
Musinsa recently revamped the grading system for its used-goods service, “Musinsa Used,” opening the door to a wider range of items. The company removed the old “V” grade and introduced a new “B” grade. B describes pieces that show clear wear—stains, stretching, pilling, or abrasion—but remain fully functional and wearable. Conditions improve progressively from B up through S+.
Previously, the V grade reflected the same signs of wear as B but also captured a vintage item’s unique appeal—its rarity. By changing its grading, Musinsa has expanded the pool of items eligible for resale. The company says the new standards let it offer products in varied conditions at more reasonable prices, giving shoppers more choices.
Other fashion firms are expanding their resale platforms, too. LF’s resale marketplace EllyMarket has dramatically widened its brand lineup. At launch it offered 15 in-house labels, including Hazzys and Daks. It has since added names such as Theory, Maje, Sandro, LeBeige, COS, Beanpole, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Lacoste, bringing the total to roughly 150 brands. Transaction volume on the platform is growing fast.
Kolon FnC also broadened the range of brands it accepts for its OLO Relay Market last month, extending purchases to roughly 160 third-party labels. By bringing in outdoor, emerging, and contemporary brands alongside its own lines, the company aims to boost transaction volume and sharpen the platform’s competitiveness.
Resale activity is already busy, and a healthy buy-sell cycle is taking hold. Earlier this month, Musinsa debuted Musinsa Used offline and sold more than 2,300 preowned items over four days, proving strong demand. EllyMarket reports repeat-purchase rates around 30% for both sellers and buyers—about one in three users come back—and says its transaction volume has grown roughly 40-fold since it first opened in September last year.
An industry official said, “Resale has moved beyond simple secondhand transactions. It’s become a strategic channel that encourages circular consumption of branded items and expands customer touchpoints. In an era of high inflation and softer consumer sentiment, building a virtuous cycle among brands, sellers, and buyers will make the resale market even more active.”
Reporter Da-eun Jeong dandan@etnews.com
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