Gap Inc., in partnership with fashion resale platform thredUP, will encourage customers to turn in their secondhand clothes in exchange for shopping credits at Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta and Janie and Jack stores. Gap is the largest participant to date in thredUP’s Resale-as-a-Service (RAAS) program, an online platform that allows retailers to support the circular fashion economy.
Shoppers who redeem their credits at Gap brand stores will receive an additional 15% payout bonus. Beginning in April 2020, thredUP Clean Out bags or labels will be available at select U.S. stores to provide a convenient way to send in unwanted items for consignment. This will represent the largest distribution of the Clean Out bags and labels to date under the thredUP RAAS platform.
“After spending the past decade building the backbone of resale on the Internet, we are thrilled to partner with the iconic brands in the Gap Inc. portfolio to deliver a convenient, responsible clean out service to their customers,” said James Reinhart, Co-Founder and CEO of thredUP in a statement. “By working together we can pave the way for a more circular fashion future.”
As many as 56 million women bought secondhand products in 2018, according to the thredUP Resale Report. In 2019 thredUP upcycled its 100 millionth item, displacing an estimated 870,000 tons of carbon dioxide — the equivalent of 74,000 trips around the world.
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Gap is working toward a goal of diverting more than 30 million pounds of material annually from landfills. The company currently diverts nearly 50% of waste generated from its North American facilities.
“As the resale revolution continues to gain momentum, participating in re-commerce is not only good for our planet, but good for business,” said Mark Breitbard, President, Gap Inc. Specialty Brands in a statement. “Our customers are diversifying their closets, whether with new clothing, rental pieces or secondhand goods. We’re thrilled to partner with thredUP in offering a sustainable and innovative way to shop for the closet of the future.”
