Tommy Hilfiger launches circular initiative, Tommy For Life

PVH-owned Tommy Hilfiger is the latest big-name fashion brand to be launching a circular initiative to breathe new life into old clothes.

Tommy for Life is a new circular business model that will take pre-owned or damaged Tommy Hilfiger and Tommy Jeans garments and either fix them or ‘remix’ them into completely new, limited-edition styles. They will then be resold exclusively at tommyforlife.com.

The new initiative will first be piloted in the Netherlands, before being rolled out to other European markets in 2021.

The programme is split into three product lines. Reloved: Previously owned products traded-in by consumers. Refreshed: Restored items from store and e-commerce returns. Remixed: Products beyond repair that are taken apart and used to create new, unique designs. This last category will be launched next year.

So how does it work? From today, customers are invited to send in their pre-loved and damaged Tommy pieces either in store or via mail in exchange for discount vouchers.

Tommy’s partner for the initiative, The Renewal Workshop - a circular solutions company located in the industrial North of Amsterdam - will then sort, clean and repair the donated items. Pieces that are beyond salvage will be remixed into new lines of unique designs. If they’re in such a bad state they can’t be remixed, then they will be recycled into yarns or repurposed, for instance into insulation.

Tommy Hilfiger launches circular programme

And it’s not just customers’ defunct clothing that Tommy wants to fix, it will also be using damaged clothing from across its own supply chain, for example items from retail inventories that become unsaleable or are defective.

Tommy for Life is part of the brand’s broader Make it Possible sustainability initiative - as part of it the brand has previously announced a goal to make products that are fully circular and that can be part of a sustainable loop by 2030.

“The time to drive real, impactful change in the fashion industry is here and now, so we are committed to identifying ways to innovate our business models, practices and the way we interact with our consumers,” said Martijn Hagman, Tommy Hilfiger Global and PVH Europe CEO.

“‘Tommy for Life’ provides solutions to one of our industry’s greatest challenges: switching from a “take-make-waste” approach to a model in which we keep products and materials in use as long as possible. Our investments in a business model that pioneers this at this scale and complexity will have true impact - not only on our brand, but on the future of the industry as a whole.”

Photo credit: Tommy Hilfiger