Uniqlo announces the launch of the ‘Reuniqlo Circular Sustainability Programme’, a scheme aimed at collecting used garments for reuse by people in need.
The aim is for clothing to be redistributed worldwide in the form of emergency clothing aid for refugee camps and disaster areas together with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), NGOs, and NPO.
Fashion Waste
We are living in a rapid and disposable world where companies are producing clothes at an alarming rate to keep up with demand. According to Wrap ‘the value of unused clothing in wardrobes has been estimated at around £30 billion. It is also estimated £140 million worth of clothing goes into landfill each year’
Ultimately, there are too many clothes in the world, but the question is what can we do with unused clothes?
Uniqlo is focused on three key components to address this issue- Recycling, Reusing and Reducing. The mission is reusing preloved clothing through its Reuniqlo Circular Sustainability Program.
Reuniqlo Circular Sustainability Programme
In a nutshell, Uniqlo collects used garments and looks to redistribute them. By working closely with NGOs and other dedicated partners they take wearable, used clothes then distribute them to refugees and disaster victims around the world.
The main aim is to help communities that will benefit from additional aid and support. In order for clothes to be recycled customers need to wash their clothes prior to donating to ensure the items are in the best condition. All Uniqlo clothes are accepted for recycling too.
How Does Reuniqlo Work?
- Collect- Uniqlo collects the clothing that customers no longer need in specialised REUNIQLO. These boxes are recyclable boxes that are stored in our Uniqlo stores across Japan.
- Sort- The next stage is for team members to sort through the donations into clothes that can be reused or repurposed or recycled. This part of the cycle is important as Uniqlo want to ensure they give receivers the best clothing experience.
- Reuse- The clothes are then organised into 18 categories such as gender, size, culture or religion etc. so Uniqlo can give the right clothing to the right receiver.
- Recycle- By using a unique technology, the clothing can be recycled and reinvented into new clothing. Items that can’t be recycled will be developed into alternative fuel to reduce CO2 emissions.
- Redistribute- Uniqlo delivers appropriate clothing to refugees and victims around the world. Uniqlo also sends factories recycled fuel and soundproof materials.
The Uniqlo program is currently live in Japan but there are aims to launch the Reuniqlo Circular Sustainability Program globally in the coming year. More info at uniqlo.com
Further Reading: A.P.C. Recommerce: The Recycling Programme. Read More