The Preloved Co. is a store in Bengaluru where you can thrift for a cause
'All the proceeds from our sales, after covering our expenses, go to different NGOs working for social causes such as WeLive, Ulsoor Canine Squad, Home of Hope and other organisations that support the slums, transgenders and sex workers,' says Meghna.
The store which opened in December 2023 has a varied collection ranging from Indian and Western wear, as well as casuals and formals from brands such as Christian Dior, Zara, H&M as well as home grown labels and local brands such as Nicobar, The Summer House and FabIndia.
The clothing store also collaborates regularly with exhibitions in the city — Sunday Soul Sante, Namu Recommends Vegan Market, Hundred Hands, apart from partnering with corporates, apartment complexes and spaces like GoodEarth Malar, the Brigade Group, the Bangalore International Centre and the Bangalore Creative Circus.
'Luckily, we have many volunteers who come in to help us at the store as well during such exhibitions. We also offer them an opportunity to intern with us,' says Meghna.
Vanshika Singh, a college student who regularly volunteers at the Preloved Co, recently completed an internship there and says, 'There are a lot of ways in which a volunteer can help. I aided with sales and marketing which included interacting with the customers, sorting clothes before the event and billing during different exhibitions.'
Thirft culture still new to the city
Meghana mentions that people sometimes misinterpret the term 'preloved' to mean a donations store. 'Most of the time people reach out to us with used clothes which we don't accept. We don't donate our clothes directly to charity — we sell them and it is the amount we raise through their sales that is donated to charity. That is why we only accept garments that are saleable, and not worn out clothing.'
Vanshika says, 'Thrift culture is still new to Bengaluru. Not a lot of people are open to wearing used clothes but thrifting is slowly getting a lot of attention because it is also directly linked with sustainability.'
Meghana explains, 'If people were aware of how many thousands of litres of water are required to make one t-shirt or a pair of jeans, perhaps they would want to try reusing clothes. But now since fast fashion is the trend, a garment which was earlier worn 20 to 30 times, is either thrown away or never worn after four or five outings.'
'When you donate your clothes, someone else gets to wear them and when you buy from a store, you are contributing to a social cause. This is how we want to function, where people can consider thrifting as a way of life.'
'In the future, we would like to expand, reach out to more people, and even collaborate with more colleges,' says Meghna.
Prices start at ₹100. The Preloved Co is at Halasuru, and also provides online shopping options via their Instagram handle. For pick up or drops, call 916361866517.
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