Fighting Fast Fashion with Second-Hand: How Ricardo is Promoting the Circular Economy

06.05.2025

New estimates from the European Environment Agency (EEA) suggest that fast fashion consumption in Europe has reached record levels. On average, 19 kg of textiles are consumed per person each year. Meanwhile, Swiss online marketplace Ricardo is seeing a strong counter-trend towards sustainability, with second-hand fashion on the rise: in 2024, around 610,000 second-hand items in the “Clothing & Accessories” category were sold via Ricardo – a 31% increase over two years, underlining the growing importance of circular economy practices and conscious consumption through second-hand goods.

The EEA’s latest report, “Circularity of the EU textiles value chain in numbers”, shows that in 2022, the average per capita textile consumption in Europe reached 19 kg – 2 kg more than in 2019. Most textiles consumed end up in the bin: only 22% of used textiles are collected or reused, according to the study.

While the global fast fashion industry continues to grow, Ricardo is seeing a positive shift towards circularity: the trade in pre-owned fashion has steadily increased over recent years. In 2024, approximately 1.21 million second-hand items were listed on Ricardo in the “Clothing & Accessories” category – 14% more than in 2023 and 33% more than in 2022. Of these, 610,067 items were successfully sold – a 13% increase from the previous year and 31% more than in 2022. The average price of a sold women’s fashion item was around CHF 27, while men’s items fetched an average of CHF 41. Second-hand consumption is therefore not only environmentally sound, but also budget-friendly.

Giving Fast Fashion a Second Life on Ricardo
The global boom in fast fashion has not spared Switzerland. However, instead of simply discarding unused clothing, Swiss consumers often turn to Ricardo to sell their unwanted fashion items. At present, around 24,062 H&M items and 17,478 Zara items are listed on the platform – up to a third of which are in like-new condition. These two brands exemplify the global fast fashion trend, yet their lifecycle can be significantly extended through resale on Ricardo – helping to preserve valuable resources and reduce textile waste.

“The global trends in fast fashion are alarming. That’s why we’re especially pleased to see such positive growth in second-hand fashion. At Ricardo, we aim to make buying and selling unused items as simple and secure as possible – because we want to keep promoting the circular economy in Switzerland,” says Francesco Vass, Managing Director of Ricardo at SMG Swiss Marketplace Group.

Mojca Fuks
Senior Corporate Communications Manager &
Media Spokesperson

[email protected]
+41 76 220 59 89


About Ricardo
Founded in late 1999 in Baar (ZG), Ricardo has grown over the past 25 years to become one of the most popular online marketplaces for secondhand goods in the Swiss e-commerce market. Ricardo is part of SMG Swiss Marketplace Group AG.
www.ricardo.ch

Marta Andreoni

Head of Design for Automotive

Introduce yourself and your role at SMG

I’m Marta Andreoni, Head of Design at SMG Automotive. I lead the design and UX writing team shaping AutoScout24 user experience. 

In my role, I wear many hats. My main focus is ensuring we stay true to our vision “simplifying people’s lives and connecting humans through innovative digital platforms” and our brand promise, “make it happen”. I challenge my team to think user-first, push for innovation, ease of use for our customers and make forward-thinking decisions, even within business and technological constraints.

 A big part of my role is supporting each designer’s growth, motivation, and career development. Through one-on-one coaching, mentoring, group work, and projects, I help my colleagues set and achieve their goals while fostering new learning opportunities.

What helps you feel empowered and confident in your role?

If I had to mention one thing I would say “being proactive” has been key to feeling more empowered. I enjoy solving problems, so when issues or opportunities arise, be it in the product, market or the team, I get curious and I proactively investigate the reasons and try to bring inputs to be discussed with others, this makes me feel I can be part of the process or solution and my point of view is going to be taken seriously. My optimism also plays a role, giving me confidence that even the most complex challenges can be solved. 

Besides, having trust from other managers and colleagues makes me feel in a safe environment where I can take ownership on topics I’m passionate about. 

What’s one thing SMG does well in fostering an inclusive workplace? What more can be done to amplify and support different perspectives in the workplace?

In my experience, we strive for balancing top-down and bottom-up inputs, ensuring employees can influence product directions, processes, and culture. People are approachable, and our strong feedback culture helps voices be heard. Across SMG, initiatives like regular People & Culture Surveys, topic guilds, and events in our locations across the world foster open exchange and mutual learning.

That said, I’ve noticed that quieter voices sometimes get less space, or interacting with top management can feel intimidating, especially when giving critical feedback. To make participation more inclusive, we could apply more facilitation and group work techniques like structured turn-taking, written input, and smaller group discussions – ensuring everyone, regardless of confidence level, seniority or personality, feels comfortable contributing. 

Design is often about seeing the world differently. How do unique perspectives contribute to more innovative, inclusive, or impactful design?

Design is about understanding diverse user personas and perspectives to create solutions that truly meet their needs or create new opportunities. I believe in the power of collaboration to shape user experiences – bringing together different disciplines, backgrounds, and lived experiences helps challenge assumptions, uncover blind spots, and drive more inclusive, innovative, and impactful solutions.

Looking back on your career, what’s one lesson or piece of advice you wish you had known earlier as a leader in design?

There are three things no one really prepares you for as a design leader: dealing with constant change, facing failure and handling emotions at work. These topics aren’t talked about much until you face them. I was lucky to learn from others’ experiences, but much of it came through my own.

One thing I wish I had understood earlier is the power of emotional intelligence, my job is no longer about the content and the design, it is about people. Self-awareness, not just of your own emotions, but also how others feel and react, can be the difference between conflict and harmony, frustration and clarity. The more I grow as a leader and designer, the more I realise that design isn’t just about doing the design job, delivering solutions on the market: it’s about navigating people, their emotions, and making change more acceptable and transforming issues into opportunities, both within the organisation and through great products.

 

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