Madewell launches dedicated denim resale platform

By

Robin Driver

Published
Jul 21, 2021

J.Crew Group-owned denim brand Madewell announced on Tuesday that it is expanding its existing partnership with secondhand specialist ThredUp through the launch of its own dedicated resale platform, Madewell Forever.

 
Powered by ThredUp’s Resale-as-a-Service (RaaS) tech and logistics program, Madewell Forever is the first 360 resale platform to be launched through this channel. The two companies collaborated closely in order to create the denim-focused white-label resale channel, which includes a digital shop.
 
The platform, which will allow Madewell fans to both empty out their own closets and shop for second-hand denim pieces, launches with more than 3,000 pre-owned women’s jeans. Stocked via ThredUp’s inventory and with pieces collected at Madewell stores, Madewell Forever will add new styles hourly, as available.

Customers can bring pre-worn jeans of any brand or style to Madewell stores and receive $20 to be spent on a full-priced pair of the brand’s jeans. Collected denim items are then sent to ThredUp, who sort the inventory and pass on women’s Madewell denim that meets its quality standards to be resold via Madewell Forever.
 
Pieces that are not considered fit for resale will be recycled through approved programs such as Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green.
 
“At Madewell, we believe that it is our responsibility to create quality products that are built to last, develop solutions to reduce apparel waste, and keep clothing in circulation for as long as possible,” said J.Crew Group CEO Libby Wadle in a release. “We are deeply committed to extending the life of our product and are thrilled to unveil ‘Madewell Forever’ in partnership with ThredUp that will meaningfully extend the life of our product.”
 
According to Madewell, the program could potentially double the time each piece is in circulation and reduce its environmental footprint by up to 82%. Through Madewell Forever, Madewell and ThredUp are aiming to collect 1 million pairs of jeans by 2023. This would be double what Madewell has collected over the course of the last six years through its existing denim trade-in program, which has diverted over 500 tons of denim waste from landfills to date.
 
Madewell and ThredUp first collaborated in 2019, when the two companies launched The Madewell Archive, a collection of upcycled pre-owned jeans.
 
Shoppers can access Madewell Forever starting June 20. Prices on the site range from $35 to $50.