Renewed: How we re-use garments to tackle waste
Is there such a thing as sustainable fashion? That’s a question we ask ourselves a lot.
The truth is, the most sustainable jacket is the one that doesn’t get made. So how can we, as a company that makes and sells snow sports gear, stitch that idea into what we do?
The key is pushing for the most durable products possible. Garments that are made to last with timeless design, and that can be repaired or refurbished when needed. For us, “Renewed" means avoiding new clothes getting made unnecessarily.
“Renewed” means collaboration between every team along the supply chain, from product development all the way through to quality control, to make sure that durability and reparability are key.
Taking that a step further, by incorporating recycled materials, we reduce the amount of raw material extracted in the first place.
We’ve all got to act, otherwise the industry’s global emissions are predicted to rise 50% by 2030[1].
We’ve been following these strands to find ways to cut our environmental impact, and our Renewed program is just part of that. Launched in 2021, it cuts waste by giving our products a new life.
Let’s dig in.
Linear vs. circular economies
For too long clothing producers have used a linear “take-make-waste” model where raw materials are extracted and products made with little thought given to what happens after a product is used.
A circular model tries to keep materials in a loop. It focuses on durable products that stay usable for a long time, and made in a way that enables you to give a garment a second life by mending it when it wears, like fixing a broken zipper or broken button.
That’s what Renewed is about. Even though we can’t go all the way back to raw materials with clothes, bringing more circularity into the way we work is the key.
Launching partnerships for reuse
In the US, we found Tersus Solutions as the perfect fit. Already trailblazers of sustainability in the textile world, the company’s waterless cleaning and waterproofing technologies are designed for outdoor apparel.
Here in Europe, we collaborate with Texaid, whose focus is on collecting, sorting and processing used textiles.
Both companies have track records helping businesses set up effective reuse and recycling programs. They handle the washing, waterproofing, repairs and quality checks, making sure that every item is ready to be used again.
And with those partners in place Renewed was born in 2021. We photograph, catalog and analyze product damage, sharing the insights with designers and manufacturers so we can fix common issues and constantly improve durability and reparability.
In the Fall/Winter 22/23 season, we saved more than 20,000 items by renewing them.
Renewed offers three categories of items:
Fully wearable, almost like new, no significant visible flaws – 10% cheaper than new.
Wearable with minor flaws, such as small stains or visible repairs, possibly washed once or twice – 20% cheaper than new.
Well-used, showing more evident wear and tear or visible repairs, still functional and ready for use – 30% cheaper than new.
On top of those discounts, we add a 10% discount for each season the product is old.
Oh… one more thing, alongside Renewed, we also offer options to repair and renew your older gear… check this out:
References
- Reported by Earth.Org
