WASHINGTON — Have old workout clothes from lululemon? The company wants them.
The upscale Canadian workout clothing brand (formally known as lululemon athletica inc.) is launching what they describe as a trade-in and resale program later this month.
In a press release, lululemon said its "Like New" program will kick off on April 22 — Earth Day — for anybody in the U.S.
The program is fairly simple. Anybody will be able to walk into one of the 394 lululemon stores in the U.S. and trade-in their used lululemon clothing items, including pants, tops, jackets and shorts, for a digital gift card. It's also possible to trade-in clothes using their website.
"Like New" initially started as a pilot program in Texas and California, but according to company officials, those tests garnered enough interest to begin a nationwide rollout this year.
All clothing returned to a store will be cleaned and evaluated for resale through Trove, a resale company specializing in sustainable clothing. Trove also works with brands such as Levi's and Patagonia for similar environmentally-friendly programs.
Lululemon said they plan to offer $5 or $10 for most items, with some jackets and coats returnable for up to $25, depending on the condition.
How much each item will be re-sold for varies. For example, the "Like New" site on Wednesday showed a women's long sleeve shirt listed for $45, about $23 cheaper than the "new" price.
The "Like New" program is part of the retailer's 2030 waste reduction plan, which aims to create sustainable products that can last for multiple owners. Considering their clothes are known for both their high cost and long-term quality, the "circular model" officials describe will hopefully reduce the environmental footprint inherent in the production of new clothes.
"Bringing lululemon Like New to all U.S. guests is a major step toward a circular eco-system and achieving our Impact Agenda goals to reduce our environmental footprint,” said Celeste Burgoyne, the president of lululemon's Americas and Global Guest Innovation divisions, in a statement.
