A Circular Wardrobe IS THE NEW FASHION.

Sale Lab is a treasure trove of all things fashion. It’s a boutique where you can find fashion clothing at a fraction of what it costs in the mainstream stores. But Sale Lab isn’t just about designer labels.

Britt Collinson is not only the mastermind behind some of the best dressed women on the Northern Beaches, she’s also on a mission to help stop big brand fashion from making its way to landfill.

Beaches COVERED. dropped by to find out more about her innovative approach to recycling high end fashion.

Meet Britt. Lover of all things fl uffy with a passion for repurposing. The creator of Britt Bears is on a mission; to address the issue of fashion waste in Australia. By launching Sale Lab, a genius solution to lighten landfi ll while helping people to look great and save, she’s defi nitely onto something.

Sale Lab is a pop-up boutique located in Brookvale, and now in Queenscliff, specialising in selling great brands at great prices—up to 80% off normal retail price.

This fashion mecca offers a great selection of elegant and stylish apparel from designers around the world and Australia. It provides not only a great deal for shoppers but also breathes new life into pieces that may have been considered hard to sell.

How do they do it? They fi nd and recapture items that have slipped through retail and warehousing nets, turning this inventory into opportunity. These items could be one-offs, overstock, a sample, tagging issue, missing bead, returned or slightly imperfect. However, 90 percent of Sale Lab treasures in store and online are brand new.

Many of the labels are still on trend or absolutely timeless. You could pick up a Paco Rabanne or Hervé Léger cocktail dress, a Badgley Mischka designer gown, Alexander Wang designer boots or Manolo Blahnik pumps. There are so many brands, even Adidas, Bec & Bridge, Alias Mae, RayBan, Calvin Klein and P.E Nation—the selection is endless with Sale Lab unpacking new items daily.

SUSTAINING CIRCULAR FASHION

A circular fashion industry is one that minimises waste and pollution, keeps materials in use for as long as possible, including through reusing and recycling, and regenerates natural systems. “Many retailers and brands do not have the outlet, time, or sometimes space to move this kind of stock on, while ensuring that they uphold sustainable values,” explained Britt. “That’s where we come in with a solution to facilitate this.”

“It’s all about sustainability and giving fashion pieces a new lease on life.”

Britt is always thinking about ways to help the environment. She goes out of her way to repair rather than waste. “Recycle, repurpose, recreate and recommerce values are at our core,” says Britt. “It’s amazing what two broken pieces of jewellery can create, or two dresses fused together to make one knockout number.”

“It’s like retail therapy meets retail rescue in one shop.”

“Everything gets second chances with us,” says Britt. “We look at any garment and see the potential to create something new. Garments A circ that can’t be mended are passed onto minim customers or students who can use materia the fabric, zippers or embellishments includin for their own creations.”

ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES

A second pop-up shop has just opened in Queenscliff. It’s another mecca for beautiful pieces to suit every occasion at a fraction of their original price. It’s a great location to just drop by in your morning tea or lunch break. Who knows what you’ll fi nd.

“When we found the second location, I wanted the fitout of the new shop to be recycled as well—a bit of a mish-mash of preloved furniture and racks with a twist. The whole reason behind Sale Lab is to reuse, recycle, and revitalise, and that shouldn’t stop at the clothing.

“It was very satisfying to hunt down what we found,” gleams Britt. “I rescued most of the fitout from various online sites on Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace; a quick clean and install. Plus the sellers were happy knowing the fitout wasn’t going to landfill.”

Sale Lab also does its part to lessen the burden on the environment by recycling all of its packaging materials.

“When the shoes arrive, there is a lot of plastic wrapping and paper. We strip everything away and recycle carefully.”

While the Queenscliff store pop-up might be smaller than its Brookvale counterpart, it still offers an amazing opportunity for shoppers to buy a wide range of branded fashion at an absolute bargain. Shoppers can get a designer high-end outfit including shoes, sunglasses, bag, and jewellery for under $200. Or, the latest fashion jeans and activewear for $30.

And with each purchase, And with the customer helps support the custo a better future for our planet a better that would otherwise be that wo destined for landfi lls. destine

Britt and the Sale Lab team Britt and enjoy providing a friendly, enjoy pro approachable service to their approach customers. They enjoy helping customers fi nd the right look or size and often end up styling some customers. Their goal is to bring back a lot of high street shopping experience that has been missed from shopping online.

“We want people to come into the shop, bring their dog, have a chat and leave with something amazing, with a spring in their step knowing they’e also made a sustainable choice,” says Britt. “We also have a little community of returning customers who come in every week and share how their Sale Lab outfi ts looked on their special day.”

The business is growing, and they will soon be able to sell additional product categories besides fashion. “There is a lot of merchandise sitting on warehouse shelves looking for a new home,” says Britt.

The team is also putting together workshops to repair bags, clothes or jewellery. Watch this space for details on upcoming workshops.

Sale Lab posts new looks daily on their Instagram to let customers know about their latest arrivals. “It’s always exciting to see what we have unpacked that day,” says Britt. “I know our customers are going to be messaging us pretty fast to put these items on hold. It’s a lot of fun.”

Keep an eye on Sale Lab’s social media for fresh bargains. Or, pop down to either store and discover a eureka of fashion.

Join us for Green Friday - 18 to 21 November 2022

An exclusive sustainable shopping event that helps people discover incredible deals from reputable designers who are conscious of circular fashion—18th-21st Nov 2022.

690 PITTWATER ROAD, BROOKVALE 2100 // www.salelab.com.au 199 PITTWATER ROAD, QUEENSCLIFF 2095 // FB: @Salelab + INSTA: @salelabstore