Adidas has partnered with online resale powerhouse ThredUp to launch a new program whereby consumers can send in used apparel and accessories to be resold. Using ThredUp’s proprietary Retail-as-a-Service platform, the program aims to “extend the lifecycle” of clothing items by rewarding consumers with points in exchange for their old gear.
The program, dubbed “Choose to Give Back,” comes amid Adidas’s ongoing efforts to reduce plastic waste. The footwear brand joins newly public ThredUp, a secondhand marketplace leader that has made more sustainable fashion part of its pitch to consumers.
One of the world’s biggest sources of pollution, the fashion industry relies on high volumes of non-renewable resources. According to an Ellen MacArthur Foundation report, the equivalent of a garbage truckload of clothes is buried or burned in a landfill every second.
Companies like Adidas and ThredUp are looking to use their size and scale to build a more renewable industry. With the new program, users of the Adidas Creator’s Club app can generate a prepaid shipping label to send in their old clothes and accessories. The program supports products from any brand or category, so consumers can send in more than just Adidas sportswear. “Choose to Give Back” is expected to launch stores and online early next year.
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