Second-hand fashion

Start spring with vintage vibes

There is an outfit for almost every taste in the "carla" stores.

(Bild: Maurice Shourot)

When the temperatures rise, you need a breath of fresh air in your wardrobe. The "Krone" took a look around the "carla" stores for second-hand fashion.

Fashion should be fun and, ideally, inspire creativity. With second-hand goods, you have the chance to get hold of special one-off items that you can't find everywhere. "More and more young people appreciate this individualism," reports department head Karoline Mätzler. The "carla" stores can be found at several locations. Their assortment ranges from household goods and clothing to furniture. The rise in prices ensures that the stores are very popular.

Anita Lorenz, "carla" store manager in Bludenz Miriam Auer, Head of Work & Qualification Karoline Mätzler, Manuela Cecco and Elke Kocevar (Public Relations).

(Bild: Maurice Shourot)

Many want to shop more consciously
But it's not just rising prices that are attracting customers; many people also want to shop more consciously. "The topic of the circular economy is moving into focus. People want to know how and where things are produced and how fairly this is done," continues Mätzler. At the same time, cheap "fast fashion" from China is flooding the market and clothing is becoming a disposable product. "Compared to the past, the quantities sold have increased, but the quality of the textiles has decreased."

Over 3,000 tons of textiles are handed in to "carla" every year. The discarded clothes can be taken directly to the stores or placed in the orange bags in the containers. At the clothes sorting plant in Hohenems - the only one of its kind in Austria - everything is categorized. Only two percent of the collected clothing ends up in the "carla" stores. But what happens to the rest? "We have customers abroad, for example in Eastern Europe, who buy the goods from us," says Karoline Mätzler.

Casual accessories at a low price.

(Bild: Maurice Shourot)

(Bild: Maurice Shourot)

Making a positive contribution with your purchase
Before the second-hand fashion finally ends up in the stores, it still has to pass through a number of hands. Only the best of the best - often as good as new - is offered for sale at "carla". More and more businesses are also bringing their overproduced items to the charitable organization instead of disposing of them. "A very smart decision," emphasizes Karoline Mätzler.

In vintage stores, you can find extraordinary bargains that complete any outfit. With a little creativity and openness, you can develop new styling ideas.

Daniela Erath-Mohr, Stilsicher Farb- und Stilberaterin

Incidentally, disadvantaged people are employed and supported in the stores - with the aim of integrating them into the primary labor market. Anyone who shops in the "carla" stores makes a positive contribution to society on several levels - and can also make some real lucky finds to give their own wardrobe a new lease of life.

+2

Fotos

Style and color consultant Daniela Erath-Mohr knows what's on trend and has put together some casual spring outfits for model Julia. "Sometimes it takes a second glance to see what a piece of clothing has to offer. But it's worth investing time in possible combinations."