Resell prices aren’t much lower than buying new, but in Patagonia’s online thrift store the clothes come packed with ‘grit and memories’.
Patagonia kicked off its Worn Wear programme in 2013. The idea is to help and encourage consumers to repair their old Patagonia clothing and gear before they buy new. Since April 2015, it’s mainly taken the form of a global mobile roadshow – the Worn Wear Mobile Tour – popping up wherever Patagonia customers are likely to be found, and getting on with the business of repairing and reselling.
For many fashion retailers it would seem counter-intuitive to invest so much time and effort in keeping their clothes going for longer, but for Patagonia it’s become an essential part of their brand story: these clothes are made to last, and as they get older they carry more stories and memories of adventure.
The pop-up program has been so successful that Patagonia has now launched a permanent online version of Worn Wear – a website where you can trade, sell, and buy second-hand Patagonia goods. What you lose in the joy of new, you gain in the scars and the story of every item.
Read more: Treehugger
