Arc’teryx aims to reduce its environmental impact by half with a buyback program.
Arc’teryx holds a reputation for intelligent and clean design. It is this foundation it uses to address sustainability and promote a circular economy.
Today, the Vancouver-based brand announced the Rock Solid Gear program. Its lofty goal? To reduce the brand’s environmental footprint by half. But while it’s a big goal, the method to attain it is simple.
The Rock Solid Gear program will buy back gear in lightly worn to excellent condition. As long as the inner label is still attached, Arc’teryx will pay the consumer a gift card valued at 20 percent of the product’s original MSRP. Arc’teryx will donate any items that can’t be resold but are still functional to schools and other nonprofits that operate outdoor programs and serve students in need.
Arc’teryx Used Gear: How It Works
Bring in used gear to an Arc’teryx store or start the trade-in process online at rocksolid.arcteryx.com/trade-it-in. Yerdle, a California Benefit Corporation and e-commerce platform that manages similar resale programs for REI Co-op and Patagonia, will assess the gear. It will deem it in condition for resale or donation, clean and repair items, and award gift cards when appropriate. Arc’teryx will sell the used gear at a fraction of the original cost.
Customers will be able to apply the gift card redeemed from their trade-in to any purchase in an Arc’teryx-brand store or in the checkout at arcteryx.com, veilance.com, or rocksolid.arcteryx.com. Additionally, Arc’teryx is investigating upcycling and waste-to-energy recovery for items that have reached the end of their life cycle.
Sustainability and Circular Economy
“Sustainability” is an oft-cited buzzword in the outdoor industry as brands look to reduce the industry’s overall footprint and gain consumer acceptance. Arc’teryx joins a handful of other brands such as Patagonia, REI Co-op, The North Face, Toad & Co., icebreaker, Mountain Khakis, and prAna in efforts to extend the lifespan and minimize the waste of produced gear, reduce production of new gear, and lessen its environmental impact on the outdoor spaces consumers wish to enjoy.
The Arc’teryx gear placed within the Rock Solid Used Gear program closes the loop on an example of a circular economy, with benefits to both the consumers and the environment. Hopefully, more brands follow suit with win-win models of their own.
