To avoid accidentally buying a fake, Jenny Lei, founder of handbag brand Freja NYC, prefers newer brands like By Far. “I stay away from the higher-end brands—more contemporary brands are less likely to be counterfeit.” For the unfamiliar, Freja NYC designs vegan leather handbags through a manufacturing process that uses 95 percent less water and 55 percent less energy compared to traditional polyurethane leather, so it’s not surprising that Lei takes a mindful approach to shopping even when doing so secondhand. She only logs onto the site when she has a plan in place, as opposed to browsing for fun. “I try to be really specific,” Lei says, “Otherwise, you’re gonna keep looking for what you want.” Lei prefers to buy things off The RealReal that she’s already tried on IRL. “I really like it, I already felt it, I already know what color I want, I know what the fabric is made of, and I know a little bit about the brand,” Lei explains. “Then I go and see if I can find it for a little bit of a discount.”
