A popular clothing store has started a new plan to pay customers for their old swimsuits, regardless of the brand.
Customers can use the money they get from this deal in any way they like, just in time for the upcoming summer season.
J.Crew Offers Cash for Old Swimsuits
J.Crew, a well-known clothing company, has launched an exciting offer in collaboration with SuperCircle, which specializes in recycling for famous brands worldwide. This information comes from a statement shared with Fashion Dive.
Together, they launched a program on February 22 that allows people to trade in their old swimwear. J.Crew customers can participate both online and at stores across the United States.
This program is simple: J.Crew will take any swimsuit, no matter the brand, and give a $5 credit in return. This credit can then be used to buy any new swimsuit from J.Crew, whether for women, men, or children.
J.Crew has announced that each customer can trade up to five swimsuits, earning a maximum credit of $20.
Customers looking to swap their swimsuits through J.Crew's program have two options: mail their used swimwear if they're doing it online or simply bring them to a store if they prefer.
This initiative helps J.Crew by encouraging customers to purchase from their swimwear line, which benefits SuperCircle. After collecting the old swimsuits, SuperCircle has its way of making the most out of them.
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J.Crew, based in New York, plans to take these pre-loved items in any condition. They aim to repurpose the material from these swimsuits to create new products.
There's still a plan for those swimsuits that can't be directly transformed into new clothing. These items will be sent off for "open-loop recycling," which will turn them into useful products like insulation, padding, or furniture.
Tackling Textile Waste with Innovative Recycling
Chloe Songer, the head of SuperCircle, stresses the critical need for recycling as the amount of clothes waste becomes increasingly alarming. Many new clothes end up in dumps within a year, and the rate at which we're throwing away clothes is now outpacing how much plastic waste we produce.
Given these facts, programs that support recycling are more important than ever.
SuperCircle operates by having brand partners pay a fee to use its platform and another fee based on how much material they recycle. As fashion companies look to be more sustainable by recycling textiles, there are still obstacles to overcome.
For example, Renewcell recently declared bankruptcy, highlighting the economic challenges of sustainable practices.
J.Crew has been making big changes to stay relevant and responsible. In January 2023, they started a program to sell pre-owned clothes and opened a digital shop in June. Even though the company made some job cuts in 2023, they haven't shared much about how many jobs were affected.
After raising $7 million in a funding round last year, SuperCircle has been working with well-known clothing brands like Reformation and Tentree to advance textile recycling projects.
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