Selfridges has committed to resale and rental and is “embedding circularity into the business” as part of company-wide initiative to be a more sustainable organisation and educate consumers, partners and suppliers about changing their attitudes to shopping.
The department store group has developed a host of new services, including a ‘Repairs Concierge’, which will help customers find places to mend old products instead of throwing them away.
Meanwhile, the company’s ‘Resellfridges’ concept will give its customers an opportunity to purchase “pre-loved, vintage or archive clothing and accessories”, in an effort to bring more longevity to garments. Resale and rental are key areas of focus for the retailer.
The wider initiative launched by Selfridges, under which all this work resides, is called ‘Project Earth’, marking the business’s “commitment to change the way we shop by 2025”. The three core pillars of the scheme are to address the materials used in products, launch and explore new retail models such as repair and resell, and shift mindsets to be more green thinking.
Through Project Earth, Selfridges has committed to ensure the most environmentally-impactful materials used throughout its business come from certified, sustainable sources by 2025.
On the rental side, Selfridges is working with peer-to-peer rental service, Hurr, to promote the benefits of renting products. A rental pop-up was established within its London store earlier in 2020, and now the retailer has made available a selection of ranges for loan, with prices starting from £30.
Selfridges will be working with multiple partners to bring its new sustainability push to life, starting with collaborations from over 300 brand partners. Exclusive collections related to the project come from Prada Re-Nylon, Barbour, Duke’s Cupboard, Harper Collective, Craig Green, Levi’s, KITH, and Seletti, among others.
Alannah Weston, Selfridges Group chairperson, said: “Project Earth is not only our bold, new commitment to stretching environmental targets, it is about imagining new ways to do business, within the next five years.”
Anne Pitcher, global managing director of the group, added: “In a way we never could have predicted, the cycle of consumption has been broken by the pandemic marking a moment of change in our customers to a more considered mindset and requiring us to set new expectations for retail.
“We firmly believe evolving the way we do business and supporting change in the way people shop is essential to building a more sustainable business. Selfridges has the platform to change how shopping is done wrapped up in the destinations, experiences and inspiration customers want from us.”
[Image credit: WRITTLE/SELFRIDGES © copyright Matt Writtle 2020.]
