Gucci Bag at Paris Fashion Week Women’s Spring/Summer 2019 – Paris, France, courtesy of Farfetch

After proving its success internationally, e-commerce retailer Farfetch have announced that they will be launching their ‘Second Life’ initiative to the Middle East, where you can – quite literally – give your luxury handbags a new life and a new home. The new program will allow customers in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to trade in their luxury handbags for credit which can later be reimbursed on Farfetch towards a new purchase.

The aim of the initiative is to help move the industry towards a circular economy, where there is no waste and allowing a more sustainable approach to luxury accessories. The program is one of the instruments under the company’s ‘Positively Farfetch’ initiative, “the company’s mission to become the global platform for good in luxury fashion – empowering everyone they work with to think, act and choose positively!”

Prada Bag at Paris Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2020 – Paris, France – Courtesy of Farfetch

The process is simple – you just visit their dedicated website, submit photos and a description of your bag, and wait for Farfetch to send a price after reviewing your item. If you accept the price, all that’s left is for their team to verify your handbag which is free of charge, and voila! Your account will automatically be credited with the amount accepted and you can use it to make your next purchase.

The retailer is no stranger to sustainability, they’ve launched several other initiatives including a ‘Fashion Footprint’ tool, which helps customers become conscious of the environmental impact of their shopping habits. The retailer have also launched their ‘Climate Conscious Delivery’ objective, which promises to make all deliveries by Farfetch carbon neutral. Farfetch is bringing ‘Second Life’ to the Middle East with the help of their Emirati-based partner, The Luxury Closet, the region’s go-to destination for pre-loved items (whether you’re buying or selling).

You can now try out Farfetch Second Life via their website.