28 April 2023

35 euros per kilo of clothing! Second-hand pop-up store Carla opened at the most popular shopping street in Vienna

"Second-hand is not a trend. It is the future," says Oliver Türkoglu, head of the department for donations in kind and logistics at Caritas, the charitable organization of the Austrian Catholic Church, on the occasion of today's opening of Vienna's currently most interesting pop-up store, which can be visited until the end of September at Mariahilferstraße 3 on 400 square meters of the popular shopping street. Retail Operations Manager Oliver Türkoglu worked for international fashion brands (Diesel, Puma) before joining Caritas of the Archdiocese of Vienna. The Carla shops are Caritas' donation centers where people can bring their goods, and as such they offer a wide range of used goods in good condition. The Carla shops can be found in all nine Austrian federal states.

It's announced that the new pop-up store sells goods ranging from clothing - at a price of 35 euros per kilo - to books or furniture. "The most sustainable piece of clothing is one that is not newly produced," Oliver Türkoglu is cited in the media release. Türkoglu is the head behind the concept of the new pop-up store, which is an extension of the already existing 'Carla' shops and donation hubs in the 21st and 5th districts of Vienna. Announcements for the stores' special events such as the upcoming designer fashion sale with pieces by Moschino, Dolce and Gabbana, Cavalli, Kenzo,... on 6 May are published on the website www.carla-wien.at. The pop-up store is Carla's response to the growing trend, especially among younger consumers, of buying used clothing and other well-maintained items that help conserve resources and reduce CO2 emissions by giving these items a longer life.

Images: Insights into the Carla pop-up store at Mariahilferstraße 3 in the 6th district of Vienna. The pop-up store opened today on 28 April and will be open until the end of September 2023. The profits from the pop-up store will go to Caritas projects and institutions, and it also provides meaningful employment opportunities for people affected by long-term unemployment. Photos: © Stefanie J. Steindl.