Việt Nam News had an interview with Phạm Thị Diễm Thuý, 34, one of the founders of REshare, on their goals, operations, and future plans in minimising fashion waste.
REshare, founded by young individuals, has been recognised as a "national clothing exchange" where it connects those who wish to donate or receive old clothes.
Established in 2020, the free REshare wardrobe, which was inspired by the Thredup project in the United States, was adapted to suit the Vietnamese market through reshare.vn, an e-commerce platform that serves to bridge the gap between donors and recipients.
Việt Nam News had an interview with Phạm Thị Diễm Thuý, 34, one of the founders of REshare, on their goals, operations, and future plans in minimising fashion waste.
Inner Sanctum: Could you tell us about yourself and the establishment of REshare?
I am Diễm Thuý, a co-founder and deputy director of REshare. Prior to joining REshare in 2024, I had over five years of experience in finance and banking, and another five years in cotton production.
I crossed paths with Nguyễn Trung Nghĩa, another co-founder of REshare, who shared similar aspirations of reducing fashion waste. While at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nghĩa purged his belongings and, upon looking at his clothes, wished they could benefit someone else. This vision led Nghĩa and a group of friends to establish the company, with its first headquarters set in a small rented warehouse in the then Bình Thạnh District, Hồ Chí Minh City. REshare officially launched in 2020.
Like many Vietnamese citizens, we harbour ambitions and steadfast determination. We constantly challenge ourselves to surmount daily obstacles and remain optimistic about the future of REshare.
Inner Sanctum: Could you elaborate on how REshare operates and its clothing sorting and recycling processes?
REshare's operations encompass collecting, sorting, circulating, recycling, and processing. Clothes can be donated online through the www.reshare.vn website, accessible nationwide, or offline at green stations in HCM City.
Based on their condition, items are categorised as reusable or non-reusable.
Non-reusable items are further sorted for recycling. Reusable clothes are redistributed through various channels such as zero-đồng online cabinets, donations to charitable organisations or hospitals, and sponsorships for community education workshops.
Moreover, these items can be accessed through a network of 10,000 đồng per item stores (or "10k" stores) and the REshare website. Clothes deemed non-reusable are sent to recycling partners, who transform them into handmade items like backpacks, wallets, and hats.
Additionally, they serve as input materials for ongoing recycling projects managed by REshare. Items with minimal value in your wardrobe are given a fresh start at REshare, breathing new life into their usage cycle.
Inner Sanctum: What are the goals and missions of REshare, and what strategies are in place to achieve them?
Our primary objective is to diminish fashion waste's impact on the environment and position ourselves as a leading company in Việt Nam concerning the collection, sorting, circulation, recycling, and processing of fashion waste.
To realise these goals, we've established an offline collection station network for customers in HCM City, alongside an online collection solution on our website serving customers nationwide.
Furthermore, we developed a shopping point application for customers utilising collection stations (or used clothing collecting points).
Currently, we operate a 600sq.m sorting centre in Hiệp Bình Ward with plans to establish an additional 1,000sq.m centre in HCM City.
By year's end, we aim to expand our reach to Hà Nội.
Introducing a chain of "10k" stores accessible to different consumer groups for quality, budget-friendly items is also in our pipeline. We are actively investigating and developing two recycling projects to harness non-reusable resources effectively.
Inner Sanctum: How does clothing sorting and recycling differ from and pose challenges compared to plastic and other waste recycling?
Sorting and recycling clothes present unique challenges, including low recycling value, complex technology requirements, and specialised solutions within the textile recycling industry.
Clothing, made from diverse fibres such as cotton, polyester, wool, nylon, or blends, necessitates advanced technology for material separation during recycling, making it more intricate than the typical separation processes for plastics.
Unlike plastic waste, which is sorted at the source, old clothes are often discarded together, increasing processing costs and time.
The presence of blended fabrics, linings, buttons, zippers, and various components compounds the sorting complexities.
Clothing recycling yields lower value output materials compared to plastics or metals, making it a less lucrative investment target for companies.
While reusing clothes is more effective than recycling, plastics or metals are typically prioritised for recycling.
Inner Sanctum: In REshare's operational journey, how do you assess the Vietnamese community's awareness of fashion waste, and how can this awareness be heightened?
Observing REshare's trajectory, I've noted a positive shift in the Vietnamese community's perception of fashion waste.
Encouragingly, the younger generation, particularly Gen Z, is increasingly gravitating towards sustainable fashion practices, embracing second-hand items, promoting reuse, and expressing interest in understanding the fashion industry's environmental footprint.
Beyond raising awareness, it is imperative to transform "knowledge" into "experience".
Encouraging consumer participation in activities like item exchanges, recycling, and reuse can demonstrate that old clothes can embark on new journeys. While transforming awareness is a gradual process, REshare stands firm in its belief that each salvaged garment represents a story told, awareness instilled, and positive actions propagated.
Inner Sanctum: What achievements has REshare attained to date, and what ventures lie on the horizon?
From 2021 to 2024, we collected approximately 400 tonnes of clothes, translating to a reduction of 88 tonnes of CO2 emissions. We collaborated with around 60 universities, organisations, and businesses to host events and programmes aimed at curbing fashion waste.
In the first half of this year, we collected 150 tonnes and partnered with roughly 20 universities, organisations and businesses. During this period, we installed 40 "green stations" to collect used clothing in HCM City. Moving forward, our vision encompasses establishing a chain of "10k" stores and elevating the value of non-reusable items.
Our plans encompass expanding our reach to Hà Nội and developing initiatives to efficiently repurpose non-reusable resources under REshare's recycling projects. Through strategic collaborations and sustained efforts, we aim to leave a lasting environmental impact while fostering a culture of sustainability. VNS