Pioneered by outdoor brands such as Patagonia, REI, and Osprey, more clothing companies are taking a closer look at how they can make their products more sustainable. The North Face is revamping its North Face Renewed program to invest more in circular design principles and practices. 

Initially launched in June 2018, the program allows consumers to buy previously worn or returned clothing that has been repaired or refurbished. Now, as part of their Renewed Design Residency, company designers will attend workshops several times a year at Renewal Workshop, a company that teaches clothing industry leaders about principles of circularity.

The pilot workshop was held in October of last year and the four refurbished items created were auctioned off with profits donated to the North Face Explore Fund, which gives money to environmental organizations. A big part of circularity is not only repairing worn goods but also thinking out of the box in terms of how to repurpose extra materials in new, creative ways. 

The clothing industry has a large carbon footprint, but since its creation in 2018, The North Face Renewed says it has diverted more than 200,000 pounds of clothing from landfills. Creating innovative programs such as this one, which promotes and facilitates circular design practices, is a big solution to our world’s textile waste problem and consumer culture.