A CELEBRATION OF 10 YEARS IN CIRCULAR FASHION

In 2016, two friends named Sarah each launched a resale business in Hong Kong, one dedicated to designer fashion and the other to children’s clothing. Ten years later, HULA and Retykle are celebrating a shared milestone: a decade of giving beautiful pieces a second life.

A decade ago HULA soft-launched in a small 300 sq ft office in Sheung Wan as an online business. Unknown to them Retykle (secondhand kids platform) was launched at the same time. 

Both founders met whilst working at Lane Crawford years prior and both funnily enough are called Sarah! We caught up with both founders to hear their shared experiences.

To mark the occasion, our founder and CEO Sarah Fung sat down with Retykle founder Sarah Garner to look back at where they met, how their businesses began, and the unexpected stories behind their brand names.

Drop an "Anniversary" on this Instagram reel, and a special treat for shopping at HULA or Retykle will be coming your way.

Before launching their own businesses, the two Sarahs first crossed paths at Lane Crawford.

Their shared experience in fashion would eventually lead them in different, but closely connected directions. Both founders recognised how many quality pieces were being left unworn and saw an opportunity to make resale easier, more trusted and more desirable.

In 2016, they each turned that idea into a business.

Retykle is a platform for buying and selling secondhand children’s clothing, helping parents extend the life of quality kidswear while making more conscious choices for their families.

But before the business could begin, it needed a name. Sarah recalls feeling completely stuck until she went for a walk with her husband. Within seconds, he suggested Retykle a combination of “recycle” and “tyke”, an affectionate word for a mischievous child.

The name immediately captured the playful and circular spirit of the platform.

HULA began as a consignment platform created to make the resale of designer fashion feel modern, curated and accessible.

The brand was initially called HULA Lux, inspired by the circular movement of a hula hoop. However, after repeatedly being asked what the name meant, Sarah decided to simplify it to HULA.

The new name proved to be an especially fitting choice in Asia. Broken into two sounds, 互 (hù) and 樂 (lè) can evoke ideas of happiness, sharing and community in Chinese, values that naturally connect with HULA’s mission.

Although the name has occasionally caused some confusion.

Sarah recalls discovering a negative Google review from someone complaining that “Hulu” was not working and they could not access their streaming service. Wrong company, unfortunately.

Thankfully, the review was eventually removed.

While HULA and Retykle focus on different wardrobes, both businesses were founded around the same belief: beautiful, well-made pieces should remain in circulation for as long as possible.

Over the past ten years, the resale landscape has transformed. What was once viewed as an alternative way to shop has become an important part of the modern fashion industry.

For HULA, this milestone represents a decade of connecting designer pieces with new owners, building a community around conscious luxury and proving that pre-owned fashion can feel just as exciting as buying new.

For Retykle, it marks ten years of helping families pass quality children’s clothing from one little wardrobe to the next.

In the second episode of their anniversary conversation, Sarah Fung and Sarah Garner discuss why an appreciation for well-made things sits at the heart of the pre-loved community.

“Only well-made things can stand the test of time, and only well-made things can pass from one owner to the next.”

While buying pre-owned fashion may sometimes require a little more investment than choosing fast fashion, both founders believe it offers greater value in the long run. A quality piece can be worn again and again, reducing its cost per wear, while also retaining the potential to be resold when its owner is ready to pass it on.

By contrast, inexpensive impulse purchases are often difficult to resell and less likely to remain in use for years to come. Choosing fewer, better-made pieces can therefore benefit not only the planet, but your wardrobe and wallet too.

Through HULA and Retykle, both Sarahs are opening the door for more people to experience pre-loved shopping and discover the lasting value of pieces made to be enjoyed by more than one owner.

Drop an "Anniversary" on this Instagram reel, and a special treat for shopping at HULA or Retykle will be coming your way.

OVERCOMING THE STIGMA & BUILDING A COMMUNITY

Reflecting on the early days, both founders recall that launching a secondhand platform ten years ago was a very different challenge than it is today.

When HULA and Retykle first launched, their early adopters were predominantly people who were already comfortable with resale. While these early supporters validated the business model, they represented a relatively small community. Expanding beyond that niche meant tackling a deeply ingrained stigma around buying pre-owned clothing in Hong Kong.

“We had to do so much re-education around that,” Sarah Fung.

It took over four years of persistent education to build widespread consumer trust, but the shift in shopper mindset has been transformative. Today, customers are moving past pure logo-chasing and are instead learning to appreciate the cut, craftsmanship, and fabrication of a garment.

For both Sarahs, pre-owned fashion acts as an entry point to higher quality. Shopping pre-loved allows buyers who might typically purchase fast fashion to experience superior fabrics that look better, feel better against the skin, and stand the test of time—ultimately saving money and reducing waste.

Drop an "Anniversary" on this Instagram reel, and a special treat for shopping at HULA or Retykle will be coming your way.

TWO FOUNDERS, ONE SHARED MILESTONE

From meeting at Lane Crawford to building two of Hong Kong’s pioneering resale platforms, the two Sarahs have spent the past decade helping shape a more circular future for fashion.

Different businesses. Different wardrobes. The same launch year and the same belief in giving great pieces another chapter.

Here’s to ten years of HULA and Retykle, and many more years of fashion worth passing on.