The kidswear brand is on the cusp of completing a circular fashion model as it makes final developments to expanding its Second Hand service.
Polarn O. Pyret already buys back pre-owned outerwear from its customers and re-sells the items on its own website.
The brand is so dedicated to ensuring its clothes are used by as many children as possible, that in September, this Second Hand initiative will be open to all clothes, from baby grows to socks. If items aren’t fit for re-sale, they will be repurposed to keep them out of landfill.
The initiative means that the ethically driven business is making a commitment to take responsibility for its products ensuring to minimise clothes that end up in landfill. The brand expects that within three years, 10% of its sales will be from re-selling second hand items it has bought back from customers.
Mats Nilsson, UK managing director, commented: “When 350,000 tonnes of clothing ends up in landfill every year, the industry has to take responsibility and reduce this. Re-using clothes is the best thing for the environment and as leaders in sustainable clothing, we had to act to make sure our clothes are used by as many kids as possible. We know the quality is there, we just have to make it easier for people to re-sell their POP clothing.
“This initiative is probably going to be cost neutral for us in all honesty, but bearing in mind that an increase of 10% in second-hand sales could save 3% carbon, 4% water and 1% waster per tonne of clothing, we know we have to do this.”
POP will buy back any POP item, regardless of where it was originally purchased or how old it is, in exchange for a voucher to use on their site, including second hand clothing. The company will also subsidise the cost of returning the used items.
