Brooks Running Launches a 'Recommerce' Program
Brooks Running announced the launch of ReStart, a new recommerce program that will refurbish and resell gently used Brooks footwear in the U.S. Brooks partnered with Trove, a provider of branded resale for more than a decade and the recommerce partner to many leading brands, to power ReStart. The ReStart program will incorporate three grade ranges — Like New, Great, and Good — in a variety of Brooks’ footwear styles.
“Recommerce allows us to keep gear on the run while supporting our aim to take responsibility for the impact of our business,” said Dave Kemp, director of corporate responsibility at Brooks, in a company press release. “The launch of ReStart is an important step in the brand’s long-term, science-backed approach to sustainability.”
Total Retail's Take: Brooks is the latest brand to jump on the recommerce bandwagon — and with good reason. According to Business of Fashion, global resale is a $100 billion dollar business. Furthermore, the resale sector is growing at five times the rate of retail, and is expected to represent 23 percent of all retail sales in 2030.
In addition to helping retailers and brands generate a new, healthy source of revenue, the introduction of resale helps them to further their ESG agendas, with a particular focus on sustainability. As consumers increasingly choose to purchase from companies that espouse values that align with their own, having a resale program, particularly for brands in the apparel and footwear space, will become more important. We've seen this trend, with Brooks being the latest example. I expect to see more recommerce programs to pop up in the months and years ahead.
