Tejori aims to support a circular fashion economy.
British-Pakistani entrepreneur Saika Waheed is preparing to launch Tejori, a dedicated online marketplace for pre-loved South Asian fashion aimed at UK and global diaspora shoppers.
The platform focuses on occasionwear that often sits unworn after a single event, including bridal outfits, wedding guest looks, partywear and formal ethnic clothing.
Waheed hopes Tejori will challenge long-standing cultural attitudes that associate secondhand fashion with embarrassment rather than smart, conscious consumption.
She positions the venture at the intersection of sustainability and affordability, particularly for younger British Asians navigating rising living costs alongside expectations to appear in new outfits at major celebrations.
Tejori’s origins stretch back to 2017, when Waheed first created it as a blog and community space exploring slow fashion and mindful consumption within South Asian wardrobes.
Drawing from personal experience, she noticed wardrobes filled with expensive garments worn once, driven by social pressure and the fear of being seen twice in the same outfit.
A turning point came when she sold lightly worn wedding outfits to a friend facing a last-minute wardrobe emergency, revealing how easily occasionwear could circulate within the community.
The new marketplace model allows users to list and sell high-quality garments directly to other buyers, keeping intricate lehengas, saris, anarkalis and menswear in use for longer.
Unlike general resale platforms, Tejori centres South Asian cultural realities, recognising the emotional and social expectations tied to weddings, Eid, Diwali and other milestone gatherings.
In many households, visibly new clothing remains linked to izzat, prosperity and family reputation, making secondhand fashion a sensitive topic despite changing generational attitudes.
Waheed believes Gen Z and younger millennials are more open to resale culture, influenced by sustainability conversations and platforms normalising thrifting across mainstream fashion.
The environmental stakes are significant, with around 350,000 tonnes of clothing sent to UK landfill annually, much of it still wearable and valued at millions of pounds.
South Asian occasionwear contributes uniquely to waste because garments are costly, heavily embellished and rarely reworn.
By extending garment lifecycles, Tejori aims to support a circular fashion economy while offering buyers more accessible price points during increasingly expensive wedding seasons.
The concept emerges alongside niche resale initiatives such as Like Brand New and curated projects like Tijori, signalling growing demand for sustainable Desi fashion alternatives.
However, Waheed emphasises that Tejori is not only a marketplace but also a cultural conversation designed to reshape how South Asians view pre-loved clothing.
By reframing resale as aspirational rather than shameful, she hopes the platform will ease financial pressure, reduce waste and encourage communities to embrace re-wearing without sacrificing style or pride.
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