LA-based brand Reformation is already known for its eco-friendly fashion, but recently, it announced a collaboration that takes its environmental sustainability mission one step further.
Reformation has partnered with online consignment retailer thredUP to launch an all-new UPcycle program. This program allows Reformation customers to turn used (or “pre-loved”) clothing into credit.
Going forward, Reformation customers will receive an UPcycle kit with any order purchased. This provides the consumer a chance to do a closet purge and get rid of any items they may no longer want in an environmentally-friendly way.
All you have to do is package the items into the kit Reformation has sent you and mail it back. thredUP will then turn all goods that are re-sellable into a gift card to Reformation that you are free to use any time you like.
Alternatively, you don’t have to have recently purchased something from Reformation to participate in the UPcycle program. Rather, anyone can visit thredUP or Reformation’s website and print out their own kit. You will be sent a free shipping level that you can stick on your box of used clothing and accessories.
The Reformation x thredup UPcycle program will accept any high-quality women’s or kid’s clothing, as well as shoes, handbags, and accessories.
Note that the items must be up to thredUP’s quality standards in order for them to be eligible. Any items that are not deemed up to thredUP’s standards will be responsibly recycled or shipped back to you, depending on your preference (if you choose to have the items shipped back to you, you will incur a $10.99 USD fee).
According to thredUP’s website, they accept an average of 40 percent of each bag of clothing they receive. Unaccepted items are those with stains, tears, holes, rips, pilling, fading, odors, or anything that is missing a label or size. In addition, shrunk, stretched, or altered items are not accepted, along with formal gowns or other specialty clothing items. Generally, thredUP recommends sending lightly worn, trendy clothing that is no more than five years old.
Once your box is packaged up, all you have to do is drop it at your nearest USPS or FedEx location. After the items are received and have been examined, you will get a notification informing you whether your items have qualified for a Reformation gift card and for how much.
How much Reformation credit might you earn through the UPcycle program? This is largely dependent on the quality and condition of the items you send in, as well as the designer or store from which they were originally purchased. thredUP’s website states that you will earn anywhere between 5 percent and 80 percent of the listing price on accepted items. Premium and designer brands can garner an even higher payout percentage.
They provide the example of Old Navy jeans typically seeing a payout of 5 percent (roughly $0.55 USD), whereas a J. Crew dress would see a payout of 30 percent of the listing price (or $12.67 USD) and a Gucci handbag would receive an 80 percent payout for a total earning of $286.84.
Overall, the Reformation x thredUP UPcycle program is a fantastic way of incentivizing customers to be more eco-conscious when it comes to fashion. Whether you choose to participate for purely economical reasons or in an effort to reduce your carbon footprint, upcycling clothing has benefits for both the individual and the planet. Especially when you consider the facts: Over 26 billion pounds of clothing are sent to the landfill each year, but selling or donating used clothing extends their life by roughly 2.2 years, reducing its carbon, waste, and water footprint by a whopping 73 percent.
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