Watch: Trongate sneaker shop launch vintage clothing outlet selling brands such as Supreme and Stone Island

The toll our overconsumption of material items has taken on the planet has become gravely evident in recent years with rising sea levels, increasing temperatures and more sporadic weather patterns aligned to scientists’ warnings coming into fruition. One such damaging indulgence we have accustomed as a society is that of fast fashion - ultra cheap, disposable clothing - most of which becomes unworn, prematurely broken or ends up in landfill which has ultimately decreased the value and attitude we take to garments. Human beings currently consume 8 billion items of clothing per year and according to Patrick Grant from the Great British Sewing Bee there is enough in existence to clothe the next six generations. 

Clothes are much more affordable and accessible than they were in previous decades and it has proven difficult to collectively shake our cyclical relationship with fashion, despite the ambition to reduce carbon footprint. This is why vintage and second hand clothing retailers have experienced a surge in popularity. Customers can update their wardrobes without contributing as much to the fuel heavy production process of new clothing. 

And with this, a new generation of collectors has been shaped, an interest generally assigned to the past. These people become interested in certain brands and items, usually upscale. They’re inclined to invest in style and quality. Clothes that help shape them as people and the image of themselves they want to project onto the world. 

The team behind Sneaker Laundry in Glasgow’s Trongate area have built the brand and business on a model of sustainability  - ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’. Starting with trainers they offered a cleaning service which prolonged wearability of the shoes. Then they found a space for customers to trade and sell shoes, launching Glasgow Restore. This has since been extended to clothing with the store now selling a variety of curated items from popular and niche brands. 

We spoke to Sneaker Laundry co-founder Robert on the growing demand for vintage clothing:

“We’re at Sneaker Laundry, that’s our main business. Glasgow Restore came about because we realised there was an appetite for customers to sell us some shoes that they were no longer wearing. We came up with the idea of selling preloved sneakers originally and it grew arms and legs. We now have hundreds of different items of clothing. Caps, accessories, collectibles. We source from all across the globe. 

“Some of the brands we have in store typically, Stone Island, EP Company, Supreme, Palace. We also have a good selection of Levis, EDWIN: Japanese Denim, it really ranges. At the moment we’ve got some nice stuff in from Nike, Balenciaga, some Prada, Gucci. It varies so much from affordable £20/30 Adidas and Nike tops right up to CP Company and Stone Island jackets at £1800. There’s a bit in there for everyone. We do like to keep it fresh and we have stuff arriving on a daily basis so it’s definitely worth checking out regularly. 

“Myself and Alan were from a sneaker background. The whole recycling thing appealed to us, keeping shoes out of landfill. I think the idea with the clothes, it comes down to that there’s no need for them to be sitting in people’s wardrobes, other people can get use for them. Rather than throwing them away I think we all have an eye on sustainability now. And quite rightly so. Keeping things out of landfill and trying to look after the world a bit better than we have done previously. 

“A lot of us have been focused on fast fashion for a while but there has been a shift recently where people are looking more to buy less of, but spend money on quality driven items. That fits in perfectly with what we’re trying to do with the Glasgow Restore brand.”