Circularity is the proof, never the pitch

Why the most successful circular programs lead with value, not virtue

Vinted did not become one of the world's largest resale platforms because it is sustainable. It became successful because it made second-hand shopping feel exciting.

In 2025, Vinted reported gross merchandise value of €10.8 billion, representing 47% year-on-year growth. The platform now operates across 26 countries and, in 2026, expanded into the United States for the first time.

Those are extraordinary results for a business built on pre-owned clothing. Yet what is perhaps most interesting is how rarely Vinted talks about sustainability. Its marketing does not focus on textile waste, emissions reduction or circular economy outcomes. Instead, it focuses on discovery. Finding something unexpected. Securing a great price. Unearthing a piece no one else has found.

The environmental impact is real. It is measurable. It is significant.

But it is not the pitch.

It is the proof.

The mistake many circular programs make

For much of the past decade, circular businesses have led with impact. The logic seems sound. If a solution delivers environmental benefits, surely those benefits should be the primary message. As a result, countless resale platforms, take-back schemes, clothing swaps and circular initiatives have been promoted through statistics, landfill diversion figures and sustainability claims. The impact is genuine.

The challenge is that impact alone rarely drives participation. People do not typically engage with products, services or experiences because they are environmentally responsible. They engage because they offer value. That value may take many forms: saving money, finding something unique, solving a problem, expressing identity, connecting with others or simply enjoying the experience.

The environmental outcome becomes part of the story people tell themselves afterwards.

It is rarely the reason they arrived in the first place.

What successful platforms understand

The strongest circular businesses understand that participation begins with desire.

Vinted is not competing with sustainability initiatives. It is competing with every other shopping experience available to consumers. The platform succeeds because it delivers something people actively want: discovery, value and the thrill of finding something special.

The sustainability benefit strengthens the experience. It does not replace it.

A similar lesson can be seen across the broader resale market. Many platforms have invested heavily in logistics, infrastructure and operational efficiency. These systems are essential, but they do not automatically create engagement. The organisations seeing sustained growth are increasingly those that focus on the customer experience itself—how products are discovered, presented and valued. In other words, they are designing for participation, not simply for process.

Why this matters beyond resale

The lesson extends far beyond digital marketplaces. It applies equally to council clothing swaps, brand take-back programs, repair initiatives, rental models and community reuse schemes. Too often, these programs are promoted through environmental outcomes alone.

Reduce waste.

Divert textiles from landfill.

Support the circular economy.

These are important outcomes. They are not always compelling invitations. The more effective question is:

Why would someone want to participate?

• Will they discover something valuable?

• Will they save money?

• Will they connect with their community?

• Will they learn something useful?

• Will they enjoy the experience?

When these questions are answered well, participation follows. And when participation grows, so does impact.

The role of circularity

None of this suggests that environmental outcomes are unimportant. Quite the opposite. The environmental outcome is often the reason the program exists. But there is a difference between a reason for creating something and a reason for choosing it.

The most successful circular initiatives understand that distinction.

They lead with value.

They lead with experience.

They lead with something people genuinely want.

Circularity then becomes the proof that participation created something positive. Not just for the individual. But for the wider system.

Designing for participation

If the next decade of circular economy initiatives is to achieve meaningful scale, organisations will need to think beyond infrastructure alone.

Systems matter.

Logistics matter.

Recovery pathways matter.

But participation is what determines whether those systems are used.

The organisations creating lasting impact will be those that recognise a simple truth:

People rarely participate because something is sustainable. They participate because it improves their lives in some way. The sustainability outcome is what makes them feel even better about the decision afterwards.

That is why circularity is the proof.

Not the pitch.

Jo Jaggs is the founder of Sustaining Fashion Co., a consultancy specialising in circular economy strategy, product systems and consumer participation. She works with councils, brands, industry organisations and circular economy providers to design programs that deliver environmental impact, commercial value and meaningful engagement.