Bella thrift store in Tampere bans fast fashion amid environmental concerns

In Tampere’s Lielahti, customers occasionally bring clothing to the self-service thrift store Bella even if they intend not to purchase it. Store manager Miisa Mattsson noted that many customers have reported finding fast fashion items at the store. This trend of customer oversight began after Bella banned the sale of cheap clothing from Chinese brands in June. The sale of garments from brands like Temu, Shein, and Wish should no longer be available.

Although the presence of these items has decreased, they still occasionally appear. If items make it to the checkout, Bella keeps track and checks the table to ensure compliance. Mattsson mentioned that if a customer wants to buy such an item, it will be sold, but any prohibited items will be removed and the seller contacted to retrieve them. There have been a few cases of this type.

Mattsson explained that tags are sometimes removed from clothes if staff suspect they belong to the fast fashion category. Using Google Lens, they can verify the origin of the clothing. The restriction on fast fashion products stemmed from the discovery of harmful chemicals in these items, prompting Bella to prioritize consumer safety and environmental responsibility.

Bella is not the only thrift store in Finland to ban fast fashion. Other secondhand shops like Flea and Relove in Helsinki have implemented similar policies, while many other locations still allow such sales. The challenge remains in regulating fast fashion sales and determining what qualifies as such. Many hope for solutions from authorities rather than placing the burden solely on individual businesses.

Ultimately, the environmental impact and safety concerns surrounding fast fashion underscore the need for broader regulatory action at European Union levels.