Finland’s Marimekko to launch marketplace for second-hand goods

Finnish lifestyle design company Marimekko is planning to launch a community-driven marketplace for Marimekko vintage and second-hand goods, Marimekko Pre-loved, on August 25. In celebration of the launch, the company will release a special selection of vintage dresses spanning the 1960s to the 2000s from the brand’s archive to be sold on the platform.

In addition to peer-to-peer sales, Marimekko Pre-loved will enable independent B2C-vendors to sell their Marimekko second-hand goods in one concise marketplace. With the launch of the marketplace, it seeks to further increase the lifespan of its products.

Marimekko Pre-loved follows a pilot concept launched in August 2021, during which it sold 60 unique vintage pieces online in celebration of the brand’s 70th anniversary. At first, Pre-loved will only be available in the brand’s home market Finland, but the service is planned to be extended to other markets in the future, the company said in a media release.

“Marimekko’s design philosophy and operations have always been based on a sustainable approach – we want to provide our customers with timeless, functional and durable products that bring them long-lasting joy and that they will not want to throw away. Pre-loved is a concrete example of our timeless design as it will enable our community to find pre-owned treasures, offering a new conscious and convenient alternative to bring joy to people’s everyday life through colours and prints,” said Suvi-Elina Enqvist, head of innovation works at the firm.