Weddings are beautiful occasions to celebrate a couple's love and devotion to one another, yet these one-off events produce excessive waste. One time use of decorations, ribbons and plastics, excessive food, and the wardrobe make weddings very non-eco-friendly and unsustainable. A wedding dress might be the most unsustainable purchase in the bride's closet. A lot of brides spend enormous amounts of money on well-made designer bridal gowns that, after the bells have rung, usually end up in storage. Unless they pass down the dress to their daughters when the time comes, these lovely white dresses often never see the light of day again.
Realising how much wastage is generated from weddings after her own nuptials, Juliana Lo founded Circular Collective to help brides make more environmentally friendly choices for their special day. Launched in November 2021, Circular Collective is one of the latest second-hand fashion platforms to join Hong Kong's ever-growing industry that helps close the circularity gap in retail. The shop sells preloved luxury wear, wedding gowns, evening wear, as well as accessories like shoes and bags, some used and some never worn still with a tag on. Gowns and dresses start from $1,000 and above depending on the item.
"When we launched the platform, we also thought of how the pandemic affected customers' buying decisions," shares Lo. "People are a bit choosy when buying. Yes, online shopping is easy, but people are a bit more reserved. They do not want to splurge, and most would make sensible purchases," she adds. Aside from selling preloved items, the platform takes on consignments, and sellers can take their items back should they wish to at any time without penalty. "With the city restrictions, we really don't have weddings and formal events to go to, so Circular Collective also calls on people to clear their closet," Lo shares. "We rely solely on individuals who wish to sell their pieces on a consignment basis, as we don't purchase any stock to avoid more wastage and add to dead stock," she adds.
Aiming to help the fashion and wedding industry lessen their carbon footprint and encourage others to do so as well, the company also provides event planning services to help brides and grooms make sustainable options for their celebrations. The company is made up of creative talents focused on design, technology, F&B services, and event management.
For events, to minimise wastage, they source F&B providers with sustainable plans in terms of food preparation, decors are rented instead of building from scratch, and wedding preps use as little fresh flowers as possible. Customers who wish to enquire about their services and check existing stocks of preloved items can schedule an appointment to visit the showroom.
"We need to look at ways to make the industry more sustainable. We can do so by feeding the circular system," Lo enthuses. "We need buyers and sellers to keep it going and every consumer to do a small part in lessening the carbon footprint and encouraging others to do so as well," she ends.
Circular Collective is located at Unit 810, 8/F, Block B, Sea View Estate, 4-6 Watson Road, North Point. Access their collection online at ccollectives.com. If you wish to visit the showroom, book your appointment by emailing cs@ccollectives.com or reach them through 6083 9993.