JD Sports has formed a sustainability partnership with circular economy business, Sole Responsibility, to help divert seconds and returned trainers from landfill.
Sole Responsibility is a circular economy business which buys branded subprime, returned and seconds trainers and clothing destined for disposal – re-selling it to consumers via an eBay shopfront. The service is one of several sustainability-related partnerships forged by JD.
JD and Sole Responsibility have worked together for several years but the official partnership status comes at a time many retailers are announcing their tactics to drive down waste in their supply chains and formulate more circular business models.
Sole Responsibility also supports charitable courses by pledging around 10% of its stock to charity annually – a move which has seen it donate 4,000 coats and boots with a retail value of £75,000 to the homeless in the north of England. The company has grown 40% year on year and now employs nine staff, as demand for second-hand continues to grow among consumers.
Simon Payne and his wife, Helen, founded Sole Responsibility in 2015, and they claim to have saved 60,000 pairs of branded trainers from landfill or incineration to date.
Simon Payne said: “There is a huge lack of awareness about the unknown volumes of waste that goes on in the fashion industry – with subprime, returned and seconds stock deemed unsaleable, it is often incinerated or disposed of because of very minor flaws of damage.
“Our business offers retailers a new model that allows us to make a sharp break in the usual linear economy and stop the unnecessary disposal of these products. By buying goods that would have been disposed of, and selling them to consumers who may not be able to afford branded products or want to show their commitment to a sustainable way of shopping, we are extending the life of these high quality items that can be worn for years to come.”
He added: “We are committed to working with the fashion and retail industry over the coming years and making eco-aware purchasing become a priority for consumers.”
Read more about resale and refurbishment on Green Retail World
[Image credits: Sole Responsibility]
