Patagonia has been at the forefront of many class discussions but they continue to impress me with their innovations.
This week, I read that Patagonia has begun an initiative where they will buy back used clothing (of their own brand), fix it up, and resell it to customers. While they have previously had initiatives that involve fixing up customers’ clothing, reselling used clothing in a traditional retail store – alongside new clothing – is a novel concept.
https://www.fastcoexist.com/3067443/patagonia-wants-to-refurbish-your-old-clothes-and-sell-them-to-someone-else/3
I think this is a great initiative because it allows Patagonia (which is currently a fairly pricey brand) to be more accessible to people who want to support the brand but may also not have as much disposable income. One of the things we’ve discussed in terms of making sustainability more commonplace is increasing the ease with which people can make sustainable decisions. While there will always be people that want to buy new clothing, selling used clothing in stores will make buying used clothing more accessible for people who do not necessarily want to shop in a grungy second hand shop.
While some people might argue that this move will dilute Patagonia’s brand, I think it is actually a great idea because it reinforces something that Patagonia already stands by: quality clothing that stands the test of time. It also reinforces Patagonia’s commitment to sustainability.
There are several things I would be concerned with logistically:
- Getting enough people to donate used clothing to fill demand
- Having a quick enough turn around on clothing repairs to fill demand
- Pricing in a way that traditional sales will not be affected
Overall, if Patagonia is able to figure out the logistics of this new business model, I think it will be a fantastic way to continue to grow their brand in a way that doesn’t have a huge negative impact on the environment.
Thanks for sharing Emma – I am obviously familiar with several of the Patagonia’s sustainability initiatives through our class, I was not aware that they are now reselling these used items in traditional stores. To be completely honest, I have definitely avoided purchasing reused clothing in the past due to negative connotations associated with it being “dirty” or “worn out”. I believe the key here is having such an established and largely trusted brand sell these reused products. As a customer, I have confidence that purchasing these reused clothing items at a store like Patagonia would mean that the clothes meet a particular quality.
I think this is actually an incredibly important point! There are a lot of negative connotations attached with buying used clothing – I agree with you that associating the quality that is promised as part of the Patagonia brand will help turn this around. Maybe other brands can follow the model!