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Madewell launches a circular shopping experience with thredUP

September 27, 2021Written by Tom Ryan

Madewell has opened a pop-up called A Circular Store in partnership with thredUP, the fashion resale site. The location in Brookly, NY, includes a selection of used Madewell clothes, but the focus is on re-commerce education. The pop-up features:

Stats about fashion waste and steps for creating a circular wardrobe shared throughout the store;
QR codes at each station to offer a deeper dive into how to buy, wear, care and pass on clothes;
Educational programming with local designers and sustainable brands including upcycling and repair workshops with Patagonia's Worn Wear team.
An in-store mending station.

Among the messages the store delivers is that the fashion industry is on track to consume 26 percent of the world’s carbon budget by 2050 (Ellen MacArthur Foundation) and that 36 billion apparel items end up in landfills every year (thredUP’s 2021 Resale Report). The store builds on Madewell’s agreement in July to use thredUP’s Resale-as-a-Service platform with a focus on denim. ThredUP also works with Macy’s, Gap, Walmart and other retailers on resale programs. “The fashion industry wasn't built with sustainability in mind, but with the future of our planet at stake, we collectively must do better,” said Liz Hershfield, SVP, head of sustainability at Madewell. “At Madewell, we make quality products designed for longevity and are doubling down on solutions that keep clothing in circulation as long as possible and reduce apparel waste.” She said Madewell hopes the location represents “the first steps toward creating a blueprint for other retailers to follow as they integrate circularity into their business model.” “We believe that retail and resale working together is a necessary next step in achieving our vision of a circular future for fashion,” said Erin Wallace, VP of integrated marketing at thredUP. The pop-up, located inside a Madewell men’s shop and steps from a Madewell women’s store, will be open until Oct. 31. ThredUP and competitor RealReal both operate stores selling secondhand merchandise but Madewell’s pop-up most closely resembles Patagonia’s Boulder, CO-based Worn Wear shop, which allows customers to trade in, repair and shop for used items.

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