New Balance and Anthropologie have both announced new initiatives to enhance ongoing sustainability efforts: New Balance is now accepting and selling secondhand shoes in the U.S., while Anthropologie is bringing denim recycling to its stores year-round.
New Balance Debuts ‘Reconsidered’ Program
To launch its new Reconsidered resale program, New Balance has teamed up with resale tech platform Archive for its branded online experience and Tersus Solutions for the cleaning, fulfillment and warehousing of trade-ins. Tersus operates an innovative waterless cleaning technology and a suite of textile reclamation solutions for apparel and footwear.
Customers can now view and shop for pre-owned shoes on the New Balance website, including a selection of returned items and cosmetically imperfect footwear that cannot be sold as new. Customers can also trade in their gently worn New Balance shoes via mail or store drop-off and receive a voucher to use toward their next New Balance purchase online. Voucher values will vary depending on the seasonality and condition of the product traded in.
Reconsidered is currently available to customers in the U.S. New Balance will pilot the in-store trade-in program at eight retail locations before expanding it to additional U.S. stores later this year.
Advertisement
“We know the footwear industry has a significant environmental impact, including too many products ending up in a landfill,” said John Stokes, Director of Sustainability at New Balance in a statement. “There are many things that have to shift. Launching Reconsidered is one piece of the puzzle, with a program objective to help extend product life for some of our product and get the most from what is already made.”
In addition to focusing on the longevity and circularity of its products, New Balance also has committed to achieving its 1.5°C-aligned emissions reduction goals through the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi); sourcing 100% renewable electricity for its owned operations by 2025; continuing to source lower-impact materials; transitioning to lower carbon transportation; and engaging with governments to help enact better climate policy.
Anthropologie Expands Denim Recycling Season
For the third consecutive year, Anthropologie is participating in Cotton Incorporated’s Blue Jeans Go Green program and will now make denim recycling available to its customers year-round.
Customers can now bring in pre-loved denim of any type and from any brand to Anthropologie’s 200+ U.S. locations throughout the year to be recycled. The only requirement is that the item be made of 90% cotton or greater. The products will then be recycled into insulating material that will be used in various applications of Cotton Incorporated’s consumer sustainability program. As part of the expansion, Anthropologie has set the goal of diverting 10 tons of denim from landfills by the end of 2025.
“At Anthropologie, we are committed to creating a more sustainable future and being mindful of our environmental impact on the planet across our business operations,” said Elizabeth Preis, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Anthropologie Group in a statement. “We are thrilled to be growing our participation with Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green program and to bring our incredibly loyal community along to join in our sustainability efforts.”
Other efforts taking place through Anthropologie’s A Greater Good ESG program include conservation initiatives, partnering with an array of nonprofit partners and working to ensure that products sold are ethically sourced.
