The US-based lifestyle brand and retailer, Guess has joined hands with textile recycling firm I:Collect (I:CO). With this new association, the company will launch a pan-country wardrobe recycling campaign. The initiative witnessed a mini-launch earlier this year in California, before being launched across the nation on 23 October 2018.
Notably, as a part of the initiative, the apparel label will offer a discount of up to 15 per cent on any Guess merchandise in-shop or online to those customers who bring five or more unwanted apparel products or footwear items to any Guess store, Guess Factory, G by Guess, or Marciano store. I:CO’s sorting, reuse, and recycling system helps in transforming unwearable merchandises into fibres for goods like insulation and new textile. However, this technique is facing a harsh criticism from various environmentalists who believe that many synthetic fibres are difficult to separate and unable to be reused.
Additionally, the company will promote the new initiative across its 295 brick-and-mortar outlets, along with its e-mail list, social media platforms, and online on its e-commerce marketplace. In a press statement released by the apparel brand, Victor Herrero, Guess, CEO, said that the company has joined a global industry commitment to promote a circular fashion system, which focusses on making fashion last long, and be continuously repurposed, reused, and recycled.
“Partnering with I:CO helps us achieve our goals and work on these initiatives to adapt our company and involve our employees, customers, and community on developing a more sustainable fashion industry,” Victor said. Furthermore, the American fashion label has also launched a video that marks out the sustainability programme featuring business representatives from a cotton farm, a music recording studio, and a meal delivery service explaining the ways to re-use apparel and footwear. The initiative is an extension of the brand’s sustainability objectives, which were released by the brand in FY 2016-17. Guess is aiming to expand its resourced plans globally in the coming two years.
