Dive Brief:
- Target is offering its first chainwide denim take-back event on the cusp of the back-to-school shopping season. Starting Sunday through Aug. 10, customers can drop off used denim items in stores to receive a one-time 20% off promo code for the purchase of new denim apparel through its Target Circle loyalty program, according to a Monday press release.
- Customers can recycle up to five items from any brand in any condition. The promo code is good for national brands, including Levi’s, and also for Target-owned brands like Cat & Jack, Goodfellow & Co., Wild Fable and Universal Thread. The 20% off deal must be redeemed during the week-long promotional period.
- Target said the donated denim will be recycled and repurposed by the retailer’s partners. The company is touting the take-back event as an opportunity for consumers to practice sustainable choices by helping to keep used apparel out of landfills.
Dive Insight:
Target joins a growing list of major retailers in offering apparel recycling initiatives as a way to respond to ongoing consumer and industry concerns regarding a global glut of apparel-related waste that often ends up in landfills.
"Our new Denim Take Back Event is an easy way for families to give their used denim a new life," Gena Fox, Target's senior vice president of merchandising for apparel and accessories, said in a statement. "With back-to-school and college shopping top of mind for families, we're offering this 20% off Target Circle deal to make it even more affordable for our guests to refresh their denim wardrobes, while also doing our part to reduce waste and keep used denim out of landfills.”
The list of retailers participating in apparel recycling initiatives in recent years includes Adidas, which offered an apparel and footwear take-back program in partnership with resale marketplace ThredUp, and Anthropologie, which offered a denim recycling program in partnership with not-for-profit organization Cotton Incorporated through the group’s Blue Jeans Go Green initiative.
In April, direct-to-consumer specialty retailer Figs said it recycled over 40,000 sets of healthcare scrubs as part of a program during Earth month. Shoppers who mailed in their old scrubs with a prepaid shipping label received $50 off a purchase of $100 or more.
And in May, footwear brand Crocs said all continental U.S. retail and outlet stores now include collection boxes. Customers can drop off used Crocs in any condition or visit its website to receive a mail-back kit at no cost and receive a 10% off coupon. Gently used pairs will be given to a nonprofit, while unwearable pairs are used for materials or upcycled.
Some companies are also taking the approach of using recycled materials in their own textiles. Activewear brand Lululemon announced a multiyear deal with an Australian startup last summer to make what it described as “infinitely recycled” nylon and polyester. Puma said late last year it planned to expand the scale of its textile recycling initiatives.
Target also has offered an environmentally-driven initiative in its car seat trade-in program. The retailer said it has recycled 2.6 million car seats and 39.7 million pounds of materials since 2016. The big-box retailer is also introducing efforts to improve operational waste. By 2030, Target aims to divert 90% of waste from landfills through reuse, recycling, donation and reduction strategies.
Correction: This story has been updated to correctly identify Cotton Incorporated's organizational status.
