Mega retailer Target has teamed up with secondhand clothing store ThredUP for a recycled clothing initiative that swaps store credit for donated clothes. To participate in the project, customers can order a 'clean out kit' from ThredUP which they will fill with lightly used clothing. Once the bag is dropped off at a participating Target location or mailed to ThredUP, store credit will be awarded based on certain criteria. Participants will receive store credit based on the price the items were purchased for, the brands and condition.
ThredUP will only accept donated clothes that are in excellent condition and in style, which is typically about half of the clothing they receive. Items deemed no longer wearable are reused and recycled by ThredUP who collaborates with local charities and socially conscious organizations to clothe impoverished families. The service is currently only available in Minneapolis and there is no word yet on whether the recycled clothing project will expand.
Rewarding Recycled Clothing Projects
Target Will Swap Store Credit for Donated Clothes
Trend Themes
1. Recycling Clothing - Consumer behavior towards eco-friendly fashion, sustainability, and second-hand clothes presents opportunities for industries to consider circular economy business models like clothing recycling programs.
2. Collaborative Business Models - Incentives or collaborations between retailers, manufacturers, and second-hand clothing organizations could drive disruptive innovations that shift the current linear clothing production model into a circular one.
3. Sharing and Swapping Economy - The Sharing and Swapping Economy trend, enabled by digital platforms, presents opportunities for clothing retailers to engage customers with new business models, such as exchanging used clothes for store credit, lower pricing or other incentives.
Industry Implications
1. Retail - Retail industry players can leverage new trends towards eco-friendly fashion, sustainability, and second-hand clothes by implementing circular economy models such as clothing recycling programs.
2. Manufacturing - Manufacturing companies could consider disruptive innovations that transition towards circular economy models by collaborating with retailers and second-hand clothing organizations.
3. Charitable Organizations - Charitable organizations can benefit from collaborations with second-hand clothing shops and recycling programs to clothe impoverished families in a more sustainable and ethical way.