Very launches partnership with Re-Fashion

Online retailer Very has launched a partnership with second-hand clothes specialist, Re-Fashion, to help reduce clothes waste.

The scheme will encourage Very’s customers to give up their unwanted clothes for new owners to give them a second life in an attempt to reduce the amount of good quality, wearable clothes going to landfill. As currently, British consumers discard 350,000 tonnes or 140 million pounds worth of clothing each year to landfill, according to WRAP.

Very will introduce its customers to Re-Fashion via e-mail, which will also invite them to request a donation bag that can be filled with good quality clothing and returned free of charge to the second-hand resale website.

Carly Bilsbrough, head of corporate social responsibility at The Very Group, said in a statement: “We recognise the responsibility we have for the products we sell and want to give customers the option to dispose of clothes in a sustainable way. That’s why we’ve partnered with Re-Fashion, who’ll let our customers return clothes that are then resold for others to enjoy.”

Very to encourage customers to donate unwanted clothes to charity

As well as encouraging its customers to divert unwanted clothing from landfill, Very’s initiative will benefit charity, as all the clothes resold by Re-Fashion will raise money for the Rieves Foundation, a charity focused on sustainability with a particular interest in activities that promote sustainable fashion.

Re-Fashion was recently cited as one of the UK’s top fifteen best websites for second-hand clothes, for offering good quality unwanted clothing for sale, while raising money to help fund sustainable fashion projects.

The service has been designed to make the donation process simple and convenient. Customers just need to order a donation bag online and post back free of charge. In addition, the service also offers a no quibble, free returns policy to take the risk away from anyone who is considering circular fashion.

Steve Lyons, co-founder of Re-Fashion, added: “We believe the future of fashion is circular and want as many people to experience the benefits of donating and shopping second hand. As part of this exciting partnership, we will offer Very customers that send us a donation bag a discount voucher to spend at Re-Fashion. We want them to experience the quality and value of pre-owned fashion for themselves.”

Image: courtesy of Very