“A few small grease stains from the sewing machine. The corner of the brand tag has been cut. A small faded spot on the front. Some unevenness in the stitching. A few small stains, likely to come out in the wash. A small print stain visible in the photo.”
Emmy now sells Papu’s sample pieces, fitting and photoshoot items, as well as usable second-quality products. Second-quality clothes have small flaws that do not, however, reduce the quality of the garment or affect its usability. Sample pieces and clothes used in photoshoots have no defects, but still cannot be sold as first-quality.
The Papu team says it’s important to them that every usable garment gets used and doesn’t end up forgotten in storage. The fact that Emmy handles the sale of these clothes on behalf of Papu is a happy thing for everyone involved.
Flawed but not unusable
For the consumer, second-quality is an affordable option. A product classified as second-quality does not meet the manufacturer’s quality standards, but the flaw is often unnoticeable to the user. Of course, the buyer should carefully check the product and consider whether the small flaw will bother them in use.
Ecological considerations are also important: selling seconds reduces waste and, in turn, trash.
Selling second-quality items is not always seen as good business, especially if there are fears that selling seconds will hurt first-quality sales. This is often the reason why a garment goes straight from the factory to the landfill.
Surplus and seconds from clothing companies are often extra and invisible waste to the consumer. For the sake of the environment, it’s important to get these products and materials into circulation instead of letting them become waste that burdens nature.
In recent years, “ugly” vegetables have started to appear in grocery stores, and have become popular due to their imperfect shapes and lower prices. Selling ugly vegetables and fruits to reduce waste works on the same principle as selling second-quality clothes – who cares about small flaws!
We hope you’ll find new, long-lasting favorite clothes in Emmy’s Papu selection, where even a small flaw can be a beautiful detail!
Summer greetings,
Elina & the Emmy team