Patagonia takes its Worn Wear Program to the next level
Perhaps you've already heard of Patagonia's Worn Wear program. The idea behind it is to celebrate the gear you love, while minimizing our footprint on the environment (i.e., less gear winding up in landfills). The early Worn Wear program saw people sharing stories of their old Patagonia gear with others. The company has always had a great repair facility and, with the Worn Wear program, Patagonia took it on the road. A funky truck with a repair "cabin" on the back traveled around and fixed people's Patagonia apparel in different locations.All that was cool for Patagonia--focusing on reusing old gear and getting the most out of it. The latest move for the Worn Wear program is allowing people to send in their old Patagonia clothing for which they get a Worn Wear credit. People can then use these credits to "buy" other items that other people have sent in. Patagonia cleans and refurbishes the items received. I'm no economist but I really doubt this is in any way profitable for the company (other than PR value).
The video below explains the program better than I can but the idea is super smart and highlights the organizational cojones of Patagonia for promoting the reuse and appreciation of already purchased items--rather than just telling people to buy new stuff. Sure the company is still promoting its new products; the remarkable (and admirable) move is giving people options. Maybe buy one new and one used? I know I'll consider it!