Abercrombie & Fitch enters resale market
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is the latest retailer to team up with ThredUp, the online fashion resale giant.
The two companies announced a partnership that will allow consumers to send used or unwanted clothing and accessories to the consignment marketplace in exchange for gift certificates that can be used at Abercrombie, abercrombie kids, Hollister and Gilly Hicks. Here’s how it works: U.S. customers can request a “clean out kit” or download a prepaid shipping label at thredup.com to send any brand of like-new women’s or children’s clothing to ThredUp. Once the garments are received, processed and their value determined by the resale retailer, customers will earn Abercrombie & Fitch or Hollister gift cards – ultimately gaining credit for future purchases while keeping clothes out of landfills, the company said.
The partnership, which makes Abercrombie ThredUp’s newest Resale-as-a-Service "cleanout" distribution partner, is similar to the one that ThredUp has entered into with other retailers such as Gap Inc. https://chainstoreage.com/gap-partners-resale-giant-thredup. Abercrombie customers, similar to Gap ones, can send in items from brands outside their own labels.
“This partnership with ThredUp supports our long-term journey to embed sustainability throughout our organization,” said Fran Horowitz, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. “Sustainability is integral to our success, and it’s increasingly important to our customers. This collaboration not only helps reduce textile waste, but it also offers our customers a convenient way to do good, something we know they are eager to do.”
In 2019, ThredUp upcycled their 100 millionth item, displacing an estimated 870K tons of CO2e – the equivalent of 74K road trips around the world.
“ThredUp’s Resale-as-a-Service platform was built with consumers and forward-thinking retailers in mind,” said James Reinhart, co-Founder and CEO of ThredUp. “We are excited to add Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister to our portfolio of brand partnerships, and we look forward to delivering this convenient, sustainable service to their customers.”
Abercrombie said its partnership with ThredUp also supports the retailer’s commitment to the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative.