Innovation

In the fast-paced world of fashion retail, T2 is making waves with its innovative approach to sustainability and social impact. As mentioned earlier, T2 is all about reusing and recycling. Instead of producing new outfits, they repurpose donated and used clothing. This not only decreases the fashion industry's negative environmental effects but also provides unusual and economical fashion clothing. They are showing this sustainability not only in their product but with part of their cleaning method. As the interviewee said, they use an ecological soap brand to clean all the clothes before selling them, which is kind of innovative and is an initiative that all the stores of the brand are part of.

T2 has entered a digital era by opening an online store. This move makes it easier to shop for pre-loved apparel by allowing more individuals to access their one-of-a-kind, sustainable fashion choices. T2 is a driving force in the sustainable fashion movement. They specialize in vintage and used apparel, raising awareness about the environmental impact of the fashion industry and promoting ethical purchasing. The main brand's activity is the "T2 days", where the store sells its products with various discounts announced all around the city (where it is going to be held).

However, T2's innovation does not end with commerce. T2 is a part of the Humana LT network and does more than simply sell garments. They also spread the love by donating portions of their revenue to charity organizations. This pledge is consistent with global goals for sustainability and social impact.

T2 dispels the myth that secondhand stores are outmoded or filthy. Their stores offer a youthful, modern, and neat appearance that appeals to a wide demographic, breaking old conceptions about thrift shopping.

T2's creativity, however, does not stop with its products; it also extends to its employees. The organization places a high value on the well-being of its employees. They foster a sense of community and provide opportunities, making work at T2 a positive experience. This not only benefits staff but also contributes to their broader positive impact. We discovered an employee with a burning love for the secondhand clothes sector in the heart of T2. This person is not just clocking in and out; they know the ins and outs of the firm. Their adventure with secondhand fashion began when they were just 13 years old. They are living proof that vintage and used clothing can be a lifetime passion.

T2's mission is to reduce the carbon footprint on clothes by selling second-hand clothes and old collections. A portion of the profits they earn from this are given to charities with the same cause. But if T2 wants to leave an impact then they will need to expand their stores in Europe and into other continents. Ways that they can achieve this are: raising funds from the public, going into a joint venture with another company, or by strategic alliance. There are of course more ways that one can use to expand their operations. But if T2 wants to make a great impact on the carbon emissions of clothes, then they will need to look outwards.

Inspiration

The first Humana second-hand shop and sorting center was opened in Lithuania, in 1998. The main idea Humana had was to create a fundraising model based on re-using second-hand clothes, helping people buy clothes with excellent quality and at a reasonable price. They would use the surplus to support some foundation projects. Their popularity and success have motivated them to open more stores in other countries.

Furthermore, the main reason why the employee we interviewed was working in the shop Think Twice was, as we mentioned before, because they have always worn this type of unique clothes, and, like many other youngsters, buying second-hand, vintage, or off-collection clothes are more original rather than wear the same jacket everybody has bought in the same store. Moreover, today's people are more conscious about the issues Earth has, so they try to find diverse ways to be sustainable in their daily lives.

Overall impact

Think Twice aims to raise awareness of the environmental impact of these industries, as it is constantly striving for more sustainable development in the present and the future. That is why T2 is not only contributing to the environment and a cleaner world but also helping to give a second life to its clothes and contributing to countries facing difficulties.

As previously mentioned, T2 does not create new clothing items, as this generates a lot of pollution; instead, they recycle. Activities related to prevention, reduction, and reutilization are conducted. The only negative aspect that can be analyzed is that they do pollute a bit when having to transport the products.

Another reason that this company uses for being sustainable, (apart from selling these types of products), is that they must use the same soap in every shop, which is from an ecological brand.

In T2 the following sustainable objectives are considered important: First," No poverty", since T2 contributes to help with Humana's benefit, and then with that, they can distribute between the poorest people. "Good health and well-being," to promote a healthy life and well-being for all inhabitants with different age ranges.

As well as the goal; "Sustainable cities and communities;" to achieve more sustainable communities and at the same time make a better use of resources and reduce pollution and poverty. Finally, the employee said, the two main goals seem to be "Responsible consumption and production" to achieve a better quality of life and ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Furthermore, "Climate action" is trying to prevent future consequences from being worse.

T2 is generating a very positive economic and environmental impact. It is experiencing constant growth at the corporate level, (Humana´s economic contribution to charities continues increasing year after year). Moreover, this business solution increases economic prosperity and will improve human well-being in the future, since it is easier to observe how the number of clothes transported to stores and the quantity sold are also on the rise. All of this can be interpreted as a heightened awareness among customers regarding sustainability and climate change. Additionally, there is a shift in the preferences for vintage clothing trends.

The positive part about this innovation is that it can be used in other places and other companies that have the same objective as T2.

Business benefit

The Baltic Textile Trading BV in Belgium was established in 2007 and is part of the Humana Second Hand Fundraising projects (Humana for People), a Lithuanian not-for-profit organization, that controls the activities of secondhand clothing stores and sorting centers in Europe with more than two hundred stores and three thousand employees in total. In 2020, the Lithuanian organization donated € 3.5M to socially, sustainable and environment protection projects implemented especially in Africa, South America, Ukraine (since the start of the war), and with animals.

In Belgium, the company's main brand is Think Twice, which is one of the leading brands in the country that promotes sustainable fashion by selling vintage and secondhand clothing. Moreover, they are in the top touristic Belgian cities with a total of twelve shops. The main strategy they use is to make the stores have a young image and look good and neat, so they fight against the idea and stereotype that second-hand clothes are filthy and ancient. Working with a 5-week cycle (or 2-week cycle in smaller cities), one can find many different, exquisite, fashionable, and unique pieces of clothing, accessories, and more. In addition, the company's mission is to be a chain that promotes sustainability, affordability, and being socially responsible.

The company's contribution to charity (part of their total profit) in 2019 was € 600,000, €289,920 in 2020, and in 2022 was € 1,341,128. They are planning to expand to other European countries.

Furthermore, the workers we interviewed highlighted how high the employee's well-being was, focusing on how the chain gave them many job opportunities and how they felt heard and part of the Think Twice community. They are giving many chances to younger workers. Humana has more than 272 retail shops and four sorting centers, employing 3,400 people.

Social and environmental benefit

The impact of second-hand vintage stores is growing, and Think Twice can reflect this, as there is an increase in the number of people accessing these stores and using these garments. This is incredibly positive from both, business and environmental perspectives, as it shows how generations are becoming more aware of what is happening in their daily lives. They lower carbon emissions by recycling clothes, so they contribute to the fight against global warming (the reuse of clothes helps to mitigate other environmental problems, such as the consumption of clothes, among other harmful activities involving the process). T2 leaves a net positive impact on both, society and environment.

In T2 they are genuinely concerned that giving a second life or using clothing can help the environment. To make this brand awareness unique, they have the "T2 days," which consist of offering their products with various discounts to attract more customers. Also, they use social media (like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok) or posters around the city to promote it.

Moreover, they have a lot of positive reactions due to people being aware of how clothes are made, their selection, and the price. The employee told us people have emotional connections to the clothes: "I have heard some people saying things like: 'Oh, this belongs to my mother' or things like: 'This was my sister's'."

However, even if some of them feel some connection between the clothes, there is not a sense of community itself. The reason behind this is the different types of customers that exist: on the one hand, there is the one who likes the concept of second-hand stores and the fact that they are helping the environment with them. On the other hand, some clients are prejudicial and have a negative bias against the stores.

Lastly, the main idea of secondhand stores is to mitigate the environmental impact and to open minds all over the world. The fact that the planet's resources are limited implies that we need to find alternatives to our production and consumption of clothes. As well as T2 provides as much assistance as possible to all those countries in greater need through the collection of profits. In addition, the employees have an amazing and enriching experience by working for the shop as they feel very appreciated and heard by their superiors.

To sum up, Think Twice supports an ecological culture based on recycling and reusing clothing, which is a very harmful industry that damages our environment. One positive remark is that everyone can be part of this radical innovation, as we can all be part of the T2 community by buying clothes or by donating them. T2 can be considered as a pioneer in sustainable design, as it has introduced a game-changing approach that is about doing good on a global scale as well as looking nice. Consider a future in which your fashion choices not only look good but also help to save the earth and help communities in need.

Think Twice has unlocked the formula, demonstrating that secondhand and antique apparel, when combined with a hefty dose of charity flair, can be a force majeure for positive change (showing that this method is potentially scalable, for others to replicate). This is more than a fashion fad; it is a revolt against the environmental devastation caused by fast fashion behemoths. Also, It is changing the tide on pollution, building community spirit, and giving us all a cause to wear our ideals by spreading this concept around the world. It's not just a brand; it's a movement towards a more responsible and fabulous future. Get ready to rethink your wardrobe and reshape the world!

Interview

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