The North Face expands its Clothes the Loop campaign

The North Face, Alameda, California, has announced the expansion of its Clothes the Loop recycling program to all of its retail and outlet stores in the U.S. in tandem with an in-store and social media campaign.

The company says the program expansion is to encourage consumers to recycle unwanted apparel and footwear from any brand in any condition. Clothes the Loop extends the life cycle of apparel and footwear brought in by consumers by giving them a new life through reusing items or recycling them into basic materials used for new product manufacturing, The North Face explains. Initially piloted at 10 The North Face retail locations in February 2013, Clothes the Loop is now available in all 83 of the company’s retail and outlet stores nationwide.

“We’re committed to creating responsible products—both in how we design them, and also in how long they last,” says Adam Mott, director of sustainability for The North Face. “We’re expanding Clothes the Loop to help find a second life for pre-owned apparel and footwear that might otherwise go to waste. We hope this campaign gets people thinking about the life cycle of the products they buy and how they can take simple steps to help protect our environment.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an estimated 24 billion pounds of postconsumer textile waste (PCTW) goes to landfills each year—the equivalent of about 70 pounds of textiles per person. This accounts for nearly 5 percent of all landfill space, The North Face says. Between 1999 and 2009, the volume of PCTW grew by 40 percent, while the diversion rate only increased by 2 percent, the company explains.

Through Clothes the Loop, The North Face says more than 14,540 pounds of apparel and footwear have been diverted from landfills since the program’s inception two years ago.

“We have seen fantastic results with this program to date and have received hundreds of requests from customers to expand it. We are excited about this momentum and continuing to scale effective apparel and footwear recycling for more responsible consumption,” adds Mott.

In celebration of Earth Day, from April 20 until April 26 for each store visitor who brings in used products to a Clothes the Loop bin, The North Face will make a $5 donation to the Conversation Alliance. During this time and throughout 2015, apparel and footwear contributions also will automatically earn customers one discount voucher per day to be used toward a purchase of The North Face products, the company says. Additional details on vouchers are available at www.thenorthface.com/clothestheloop.

Additionally, customers can take a photo of themselves recycling their products and share it on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtags #ClothesTheLoop and #TNFContest. Anyone who tags a friend to encourage them to recycle will be entered in a contest to win a $100 gift card. Official contest rules are available at http://neverstopexploring.com/2015/04/15/clothestheloop-sweepstakes.

The North Face Clothes the Loop bins will be set up in all of the company’s 83 store locations. Through an ongoing partnership with I:Collect (I:CO), Clothes the Loop accepts used apparel and footwear from any brand in any clean, dry condition. This includes anything from t-shirts and beanies to hiking boots and sandals, according to The North Face.

Items collected through Clothes the Loop are sent to a recycling center where they are sorted into more than 350 categories and designated either to be reworn, repurposed or recycled into raw materials for other products such as insulation, carpet padding, stuffing for toys or fiber for new apparel and footwear.

Throughout the entire program, The North Face donates proceeds accrued through Clothes the Loop to the Conservation Alliance, which funds community-based campaigns to protect outdoor areas for their habitat and recreation values. The North Face is a founding member of the Conservation Alliance, which celebrated 25 years of operation in 2014.

More information about Clothes the Loop or The North Face brand’s partnership with I:CO is available at www.thenorthface.com/clothestheloop.