Using Sales Strategies to Reduce Textile Surplus and Waste at Stockholms Stadsmission
Retail Management students in Circular Impact Retail Club were given a first-hand look at the sorting and pricing logistics behind the entire assortment of Stockholms Stadsmission, learning how an independent non-profit second-hand retailer operates and exploring how to minimize its waste and surplus.
Staffan Arvas, Head of Communications and Marketing/Deputy Director, and Ann-Sofie Kahl, Head of Reuse and Production, introduced the group to Stockholms Stadsmission and their various operations, all guided by their vision of “A more humane society for all". After the introduction, Ann-Sofie led a tour of the entire process at the logistics facility, following items from when they arrive, through pricing and sorting, until they are sent off to other locations.
With a thorough understanding of the operations, students were then challenged to
explore how Stockholms Stadsmission second-hand stores can sell more of the textile items otherwise classified as surplus or waste.
After discussing in groups, students proposed a range of solutions: making outlet
locations more accessible, expanding the per-kilo price system for textile items,
reaching new customer groups through pop-up stores and expanding collaborations with hospitals, schools or private companies to offer cheap alternatives and bulk sales in cases where identical products are in abundance.
Seeing operations up close showed how a company at the heart of a circular
economy differs from traditional linear retailers. By making the most of donated items and circling them back to customers through cost-efficient and waste-minimizing logistics, Stockholms Stadsmission offered an important perspective on the future of the retail industry.
Rasmus Swensson, Key Account Manager, Circular Impact Retail Club 2026/27
