Sara Olsson is Sweden’s Second Hand Profile 2025

Sara Olsson is agrew up and lives in Luleå. She has a background has a background as a waste engineer but chose to change career to inspire sustainable lifestyle choices. During her parental leave in 2020, Sara started the Instagram account @HallbaraSara (now more @sara.ohlsons) to share her knowledge of circular economy and recycling, combined with her interest in fashion. The account grew quickly and became a platform where she shows her followers how to make conscious and sustainable choices in everyday life.

- I want to be the inspiration that I was missing i my flow; to highlight the benefits of transition and everything we have to gain from living sustainably," says Sara.

Prize money for portable schools in Bangladesh

As part of the award, Sara will receive the right to allocate 25,000 Swedish kronor (SEK) to one of Erikshjälpen's projects. Sara has chosen to donate the prize money to Erikshjälpens project for portable schools in Bangladesh. For the children living on the sand islands in the Jamuna River delta in northern Bangladesh, the effects of the climate crisis are tangible. The incidence of extreme weather has increased and is changing the landscape around the islands flooding and erosion more frequently.No schools have been built here before - who wants to build a school on land that may not exist tomorrow? Therefore, Erikshjälpen supports a project where children on the islands can attend portable schools.

- Bangladesh is one of the countries that contributes the least to climate change while being hit hardest by floods. Every sixth garment on the Swedish market is produced in Bangladesh and textile workers cannot cannot live on their salary," says Sara when asked why she chose this particular project.

Jerker Sandell is the Executive Director of Erikshjälpen Second Hand and he is proud to appoint Sara as this year's second hand profile.

- Sustainability is not just about what we buy, but how we take responsibility for the world around us. Sara connects these issues in an inspiring way, and her choice to support schools in Bangladesh shows her holistic approach. With passion and knowledge, she gets more people to discover second hand, and we hope that the award will inspire even more people to follow her example," says Jerker.

Second Hand Profile of the Year Award

Erikshjälpen Second Hand draws attention to every year a person or organization that through their commitment contributes to an increased interest in second hand and its possibilities. It can be about innovative ideas, creative solutions or smart environmental work through reuse. The winner receives a diploma and a statuette, as well as the right to award one of Erikshjälpen's projects for children's rights equivalent to 25,000 Swedish kronor (SEK).

The award has been presented every year since 2012 and previous winners include Sara Wimmercranz, Gustav Broström and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation.