Madewell partners with ThredUp to sell upcycled denim

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Oct 15, 2019

Denim and apparel brand Madewell is furthering its commitment to sustainability through a new initiative with online thrift store, ThredUp.

The collaborative initiative, dubbed ‘The Madewell Archive', is a collection of refurbished pre-owned jeans that J.Crew-owned Madewell sourced from ThredUp, according to multiple reports. The upcycled jeans will be priced at $50 per pair, and will be available at select Madewell stores in Austin, Chicago, Nashville and New York City starting October 14, and at select stores in California beginning November 1.

"At Madewell, we're on a mission to create the longest, most sustainable lifespan for our denim, whether you're purchasing a new pair that are made through sustainable practices or recycling old ones through our longstanding denim recycling program," Anne Crisafulli, head of merchandising at Madewell, told Fashionista. 

Prior to its newest initiative, Madewell boosted its eco-friendly image through its ‘Blue Jeans Go Green’ denim recycling program, an initiative launched in 2014, which gives customers $20 off a new pair of jeans after donating any old pair. 

The initiative follows the September announcement that Madewell plans to separate from parent company J.Crew Group, Inc. and file for an initial public offering (IPO). The split comes as J. Crew continues to struggle with widening losses. For the second quarter ended August 3, 2019, Madewell reported sales of $139.7 million, a 15% increase from the previous year, while the J.Crew brand’s revenues of $399.1 million reflected a decrease of 7%. Comparable sales increased 10% at Madewell and declined 4% at J.Crew.

The Madewell split, meant to give the brand the solo space to flourish as the popularity of denim continues to soar, follows similar spin-offs like that of Kontoor Brands, which operates Wrangler and Lee, from VF Corporation, a separation which was finalized in May of this year. 

ThredUp has previously participated in partnerships with brands including Reformation, Macy's and J.C. Penney, and the company is only set to grow after receiving $175 million in funding back in August. 

Opening its first physical store in 2017, ThredUp plans to open more than 100 locations in the future.