As of Wednesday,聽customers can purchase North Face聽apparel that鈥檚 been worn, torn, washed, and restored聽to like-new condition聽through a collaboration with the Renewal Workshop.聽
The , called the North Face Renewed, launched earlier this week with a limited collection of refurbished items, mostly factory rejects and damaged returns. The items, which previously would have been unsellable, range from technical Summit Series outerwear to lifestyle apparel. Price drops range anywhere from 35 to nearly 50 percent. 鈥淎s we address the impacts of our products over their entire life cycle, re-commerce is an important next step in opening new markets and minimizing our impact on the planet,鈥 said James Rogers, North Face sustainability director, in a press release announcing the project.聽鈥淲e are furthering our sustainability goals without sacrificing durability or technical standards.鈥
The North Face's partner,聽Oregon-based Renewal Workshop, cleans and聽repairs apparel鈥攆ixing tears, replacing buttons, and patching worn-out fabric. The company has its own factory聽where it makes old stuff new again, and what聽can鈥檛 be fixed gets stripped for parts or聽recycled. Renewal Workshop has been around since 2016, partnering聽with brands such as Icebreaker, Mountain Khakis, Prana, and Toad&Co, and sells the refurbished items聽on its own direct-to-consumer site.
Online platforms selling refurbished聽gear have become something of a trend lately, with Patagonia鈥檚 Worn Wear and REI鈥檚 Used Gear Beta platforms聽paving the way for brands to put their own spin on traditional brick-and-mortar consignment. It鈥檚 part of an effort to reduce environmental impact鈥攁ccording to an EPA study , 84 percent of old or unused clothes聽in 2012 were thrown away鈥攁nd eliminate a significant barrier for customers who want high-quality gear but can鈥檛 afford it new.聽Plus, the sites聽are a welcome alternative to spending hours rummaging through consignment shops hoping to find聽something in your size.
鈥淥ne of the many benefits of our聽collaboration is a product feedback loop,鈥 says a spokesperson from Renewal Workshop partner Prana.聽鈥淩enewal Workshop works hard to provide Prana with details on every style they repurpose,鈥 like which items are wearing out most聽and where. 鈥淭his gives our design and development team priceless insight to course-correct or redevelop.鈥 That insight could also help brands reduce waste.
According to cofounder Nicole Basset, Renewal Workshop reclaimed 42,578 pounds of textile waste in 2017, with a carbon equivalent of 5,118 gallons of gas. With a company as big as the North Face on board, that savings could increase聽significantly. Eventually, the North Face聽hopes to scale up its聽Renewed program to offer a wider selection of apparel. We鈥檇 love to see it adopt a store-credit system enabling聽customers to put trade-in value toward聽new gear, something Patagonia does with its Worn Wear program. (A North Face聽spokeswoman said the company is considering it.)
Regardless, it鈥檚 good to see companies giving outdoor apparel a second life instead of relegating it to the dump.