Earth Month is a fertile time to grow resale offerings, demonstrated by the latest expansions into this space by clothing brands Another Tomorrow, Cuyana and lululemon. On April 12, responsible digitally native luxury brand Another Tomorrow unveiled its Authenticated Resale program, and DTC elevated basics label Cuyana introduced Revive. Lululemon has chosen Earth Day, April 22, to expand its Like New trade-in and resale program nationwide following a pilot run.
Another Life for Another Tomorrow’s Goods
For B Corp and Climate Neutral certified brand Another Tomorrow, adding Authenticated Resale was a natural step in its sustainability story, which includes sourcing materials sustainably and ethically while also operating a mindful business. Authenticated Resale is an in-house initiative that Another Tomorrow built through a partnership with resale technology provider Recurate.
“Leveraging our digitized products ecosystem, we are excited to launch Authenticated Resale,” said Vanessa Barboni Hallik, CEO and Founder of Another Tomorrow in a statement. “We have communicated our commitment to resale since our founding, underpinned by our belief that clothing should be treated as an asset.”
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Goods that pass through an authentication process by Another Tomorrow partner EVRYTHNG are featured on a consignment basis, with sellers receiving either cash or store credit upon sale. Authenticated Resale builds on the retailer’s Size Exchange Program, through which customers are allowed a single return on an item from the brand’s core tailoring collection up to one year from the original purchase date. The returned pieces are then processed through Authenticated Resale.
Cuyana Enters Circular Fashion
Operating under the ethos of “fewer, better,” Cuyana believes in providing well-made, versatile classic garments that allow customers to invest in fewer pieces of better quality. Cuyana is now offering its Revive resale service, powered by resale technology Archive.
Through Revive, Cuyana customers get the opportunity to buy, sell and donate their own pieces from the brand on the label’s ecommerce platform. This step into the secondhand market brings Cuyana closer to its goal of using 100% sustainably certified materials in its collections by the end of 2022.
“At Cuyana, our sustainability efforts have always centered on one primary goal — to keep products inside of your closet and outside of landfills,” said Karla Gallardo, Co-Founder and CEO of Cuyana in comments made to Retail TouchPoints. “For over a decade we’ve achieved this through our collections of sustainably sourced, high quality essentials, designed to stand the test of time and ensure that each product can endure a second life. Now, through the introduction of Revive, we’ve taken these efforts one step further — allowing our community to donate or sell their pre-loved Cuyana items.”
Lululemon to Offer ‘Like New’ Resale Goods Nationwide
After its pilot at more than 80 stores in Texas and California in 2021, lululemon will begin accepting clothing from guests at more than 390 participating stores in exchange for e-gift cards that can be used both in stores and online.
Apparel items accepted for the Like New program include pants, tops, shorts, and jackets, and lululemon will reinvest 100% of Like New profits into the company’s Impact Agenda, its initiative to make all of its products with sustainable materials and end-of-use solutions by 2030.
“At lululemon, we’re deeply committed to creating quality products built to last and that are better for people and the planet,” said Celeste Burgoyne, President of the Americas and Global Guest Innovation at lululemon in a statement. “Bringing lululemon Like New to all U.S. guests is a major step toward a circular ecosystem and achieving our Impact Agenda goals to reduce our environmental footprint. We’ve seen incredible momentum from our pilot program and we look forward to welcoming new guests nationwide.”
Lululemon partnered with recommerce technology partner Trove for the pilot program and to launch the expansion. The company received a positive response from its customers and most of the items returned to the company were reported as “good as new.”
According to online marketplace and resale-as-a-service (RaaS) platform provider ThredUP, 60% of retailers have implemented or are willing to launch a secondhand program. The resale market is growing as brands seek ways to not only become more sustainable but also to solve supply chain issues that can leave them short of inventory, reduce the costs of producing new product and open up additional revenue streams. The interest in resale has expanded beyond apparel into baby products, electronics, business goods, toys, furniture, fitness, outdoor equipment, sporting goods, pet supplies, home improvement and general merchandise.
