Patagonia recommerce and upcycling strategies are so far ahead of the rest of the market; it is easy for them to get overlooked. As a company, their commitment and dedication to sustainability, and the execution should be a real inspiration for other brands.
Patagonia has just announced the release of their ‘ReCrafted’ range as part of their Worn Wear initiative. Used garments are diverted from landfill to become the raw material for new items.
The Patagonia Worn Wear scheme is a blueprint for recommerce execution. Worn Wear provides a platform for Patagonia to sell products with imperfections, due to factors ranging from production issues to customers returns.
Recommerce and upcycling is so crucial for sustainability. Keeping clothing in use just nine extra months can reduce the related carbon, water and waste footprints by 20-30%. (WRAP, 2012)
Patagonia Recommerce: Worn Wear
Worn Wear products are Patagonia items which for a variety of reasons, cannot be deemed ‘brand new’ and therefore can’t be sold through the usual channels.
Sources for Patagonia Worn Wear products include customer returns, deadstock from distribution centres
All items are functionally perfect but potentially have either small cosmetic flaws or have been repaired and cleaned by Patagonia. Putting these items back up for sale postpones a garment’s end of life and potentially reaching a landfill.
Check out more info and browse the Worn Wear range here
Patagonia Recommerce: ReCrafted
The newest section of the Worn Wear platform is the release of Patagonia ReCrafted.
While Worn Wear focuses on selling entire used garments, there is then a considerable number of unrepairable garments. Patagonia ReCrafted utilises this textile waste as raw materials for new items.
Each ReCrafted piece is made up of multiple used Patagonia items, creating one-of-a-kind, upcycled products.
Check out more info and browse the ReCrafted range here
Patagonia CRM Strategy
One of the most significant business upsides of Recommerce is the potential for it to underpin a brands CRM strategy. CRM is an area where many brands struggle. How do you engage and retain your customer base without utilising the usual discount led approach?
Allowing customers to trade-in used product in exchange for store credit has the potential to become a huge win for brands. With sustainability, customer retention, and consumer sentiment benefits, this technique has everything you would want from a CRM strategy.
This product circularity CRM scheme is not perfect. There are both sustainability and business challenges , ranging from increased logistic footprints to high handling costs.
Further Reading: Recommerce: Future of Retail. Read More