When COVID grounded flights around the world, travel industry veterans Satu Raunola-Spencer and Minna Monaghan saw their AirHelp APAC work almost stop overnight. So the pair tested a secondhand fashion concept, starting with 10 racks of clothes from friends and an idea inspired by their Finnish roots. Five years later, VENLA resell+relove has grown into three Sydney stores and resold more than 210,000 items.
Every jacket that finds a second owner, every suitcase packed with something already in circulation, turns the idea of lighter travel into something practical. And with today marking World Environment Day, it is a timely reminder that small choices can help reduce waste and make travel more sustainable.
VENLA became proof that meaningful change can start with a simple idea and a willingness to act. For travel professionals, it is also a reminder that the same skills that help businesses navigate disruption, from adaptability and resourcefulness to a strong focus on customer needs, can open unexpected opportunities.
What began as a response to a crisis created positive impact, helping people earn money from wardrobes they no longer wear, making quality fashion more accessible, and giving clothing a longer life instead of sending it to landfill.
What sparked VENLA during COVID?
When AirHelp went quiet during COVID, there were no flights and no claims data to process, so we knew we had to create something new for this very different business environment.
Both being originally from Finland, we wanted to build something with Nordic roots and a genuine sense of purpose. The idea for VENLA came from a boutique secondhand fashion concept that was hugely popular back home in Finland.
We decided to test it: we rented a space in Mosman for four months, started with 10 racks of clothes from friends, and it took off from there.
It was exciting and challenging in equal measure. AirHelp was in the background, waiting for COVID to finish.
How have you managed running both businesses?
When you’ve spent most of your career in travel, walking away simply isn’t an option!
AirHelp recovered slowly as airlines resumed flights. We got back on the phones, reconnected with our network, and rebuilt relationships across APAC.
Businesses had closed, contacts had moved on and the landscape had changed dramatically. But we got there.
Now, with VENLA more established, we can work on the business rather than in it every day. It helps that all our AirHelp meetings with Europe happen after Australian business hours, so we can hold client meetings during the day and then switch modes in the evening.
Both businesses are genuinely interesting and fun. That energy makes it sustainable.
What has travel taught you about business?
It’s really about mindset and about solving a problem people actually have.
In travel, that means helping passengers get compensation when flights go wrong and helping travel businesses create a new revenue stream and deeper customer loyalty through AirHelp.
At VENLA, it means helping customers declutter their wardrobes and make some money in the process.
The through-line is the same: listen, understand what someone needs, and deliver on it with trust.
Customer service isn’t a department. It’s the whole business. That belief travels with us everywhere.
How has travel shaped your view of sustainability?
Travel keeps you sharp and humble.
There’s always excitement heading to the airport, but also a low-level awareness that things don’t always go to plan.
Over time, that breeds genuine adaptability. You learn to have a Plan B, to stay calm when things shift, to stay curious rather than anxious.
Making change an opportunity.
We think that shapes how we approach VENLA too. Sustainability isn’t a trend for us; it’s a practical mindset.
You learn not to waste things: not time, not experiences, not clothes.
Are travellers becoming more conscious consumers?
Absolutely.
COVID was a turning point for many people. It prompted a real reckoning about what matters and how our everyday choices affect the world around us.
We see it clearly now: travellers are much more intentional. They want experiences that reflect their values, and the options to do that are genuinely endless.
AI is accelerating this. The idea of a personalised travel agent that understands your ethics, your interests and your budget is becoming a reality.
And it’s the same story in fashion. Many of our VENLA customers buy exclusively secondhand, including us.
When you consider that producing a single T-shirt uses roughly 1,000 litres of water and Australia is leading the world in textile waste, the case for rethinking how we shop becomes very clear.
What does sustainable fashion mean to you?
For us, it means action over language.
In five years, VENLA has resold over 210,000 items across our stores. That’s the measure we care about.
We don’t push people to buy. Customers are welcome to browse, try things on, and take their time.
We’ll ask questions like, “Have you tried that on? How are you going to wear it?” because we’d rather someone leave empty-handed than regret a purchase.
We educate our community about sustainable fabrics and garment care through our communication.
We accept everything from Zara to Prada, as long as it’s clean and in excellent condition.
Our VENLA Luxe accessories are all authenticated. Our mission is simple: encourage reuse, reduce waste, choose quality and make it easy.
Where do travel and fashion connect?
Travel and fashion are more connected than people think.
Shopping is a genuine part of how people experience a destination. It’s cultural, it’s fun, it’s memorable.
We see it directly at VENLA: customers regularly come in to buy an outfit for an upcoming trip rather than buying something new at retail.
And when they’ve picked something up on a journey and come home with buyer’s remorse? They sell it with us.
Travel creates the desire for things. We give those things a second life.
What keeps you grounded?
Most days are genuinely great, but of course there are days when you feel stretched.
What anchors us is our team: 15 people who are real contributors, not just employees.
Our processes are systematic across all stores, which means the day-to-day runs smoothly even when we’re across both businesses.
And then there’s the customer feedback.
Meeting regulars in store, hearing their stories, getting messages about the impact VENLA has had, those moments hit differently on a hard day.
Satu’s husband calls it the “happiness business”, and honestly, that’s not far off.
What is your World Environment Day message?
Pause before you choose.
Just for a moment, consider how your decision, what you buy, where you travel, how you treat the people around you, ripples outward.
It doesn’t have to be dramatic or perfect.
Treat people with kindness, tread a little more lightly, and make choices that reflect the world you actually want to live in.
That’s it.
Start there.
