Gustav Broström - Sweden's Second Hand Profile 2023

- Gustav Broström is a role model and a source of inspiration that opens more eyes to second hand and shows that it is for everyone! With our award, we want to show appreciation for the work he does and send encouragement for the future, says Anette Alm Gustafsson, Executive Director of Erikshjälpen Second Hand.

Gustav is 32 years old, born and raised in Stockholm. He has a background in journalism, fashion, skincare, design and advertising. He lives in Kungsholmen with his partner Hugo.

Gustav runs the Instagram account "Gustavsrum". It brings together both those who already love second hand and those who are new to the second hand market. Gustav has made a name for himself for his inspiring second-hand finds and appears both on TV and writes for the magazine Antik och Auktion.

The Instagram account became its own community

"Gustavsrum" is Gustav's social media space. There he shares his expertise in design and interior design and creates content with a strong focus on sustainable finds and reuse. He shows off his home, where he mixes objects from Svenskt Tenn and other design classics in beautiful still lifes, but also different types of reuse projects, tips on table settings and simple everyday objects that can easily be found second hand.

- I think there is as much joy in reading and gaining knowledge as there is in inspiring and sharing it. I want to inspire people to make something big out of something small.

Through his community, Gustav has made contact with many other creators who are also inspired to give things new uses and run various projects that create commitment to second hand and reuse.

- There is so much more to second-hand than just expensive teacups. You can buy bedding, plant dye and sew a new sofa cover. You can repaint lampshades and rebuild things," says Gustav.

How he became Sweden's Second Hand profile

Gustav Broström was one of three finalists nominated for the award Sweden's Second Hand Profile 2023. Next to him were the profiles Sara Wimmercranz and Emelie Norberg. Winning the award was something that made Gustav both proud and moved.

- It feels very unreal, but I was very happy and touched when I got the news. Especially when I heard that there were so many nominations and votes. It's great that you manage to reach out to people. I am moved and filled with joy and gratitude," he says.

Erikshjälpen's motivation for the win

He is a collector of beautiful things who has inspired thousands through his dedication. In his home, he mixes Swedish pewter with recycled and unusual ceramics. In a playful way, he shows that home-made decorations and design classics can go hand in hand and that everything from candles to furniture can be found on the second-hand market.

On his Instagram account "Gustavsrum", Gustav Broström shows how enjoyable it is to consume sustainably. By being a never-ending source of inspiration and knowledge, he opens more eyes to second hand and reuse. Gustav proves that second hand is for everyone, and thanks to him more stuff gets loved again.

Childhood home is a great inspiration

When Gustav was growing up, his mother bought a lot of second-hand clothes for her children. For them, visiting flea markets and second-hand shops was a way to socialize. Gustav is still inspired by his childhood home.

- We had a fairly ordinary but very cozy home, filled with textiles from Svenskt Tenn, which my mother sewed pillows, coasters and bedspreads from. That's where my love for Svenskt Tenn comes from, but also for crafts and the "Do it yourself" spirit.

Gustav's mother taught him that a home doesn't have to be perfect, as long as it brings joy. To have a pleasant home, you have to dare to try.

- Buy that weird vase in the shape of a pineapple, that giant painting or that really weird mirror and try it. I challenge myself with that all the time. A home is never finished. There is a joy in trying new things, changing and learning more," says Gustav.

How to switch to shopping more second-hand

Gustav's best advice for switching to second-hand shopping is to plan your visits and visit second-hand shops frequently.

- It is difficult to make a financial profit on the second-hand market today. But there are other values - a slower pace, the everyday joy the object brings, the journey of the object and what the object symbolizes, for example," says Gustav and continues.

- I might buy a saucer in January but not find the matching cup until December. That wait gives the object a different value.

The profit is donated to Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad

As the winner, Gustav will receive Swedish kronor (SEK) 25,000 to donate to one of Erikshjälpen's projects for children's rights. The choice fell on Erikshjälpen's work with equal growing conditions, with a focus on Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad. Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad creates participation among children and young people in Sweden, through safe and creative meeting places around the country, run in collaboration with local actors.

- Growing up, I had the privilege of playing soccer, going to scouts, and acting. I want to believe that these contexts helped shape me as a person, and for that I am incredibly grateful. Therefore, I choose to support Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad because I believe in the power of creativity, having somewhere to be and that everyone should have equal conditions in society.

- By providing a physical space and activities, Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad creates meaningful contexts. It is invaluable, says Gustav.