Kathmandu, Australia and New Zealand’s no. 1 outdoor brand, has announced its
commitment to circularity through several new initiatives being trialled in Victoria,
one backed by a grant from Sustainability Victoria.
Kathmandu has launched Kathman-REDU, an ANZ first of its kind pilot programme
that takes products that would otherwise be unsellable and cleans, repairs and
refurbishes these items so they are able to be sold in store.
The programme launches in two Melbourne Kathmandu stores (Richmond and
Galleria), with the intention to scale over time. Kathman-REDU is backed by a
grant from Sustainability Victoria’s Innovation Fund, via the Circular Economy
Business Innovation Centre (CEBIC). This is the first time the Victorian State
Government has offered grants focussed on textiles as a priority material to pilot
circular programmes.
Matt Genever, Interim CEO Sustainability Victoria, commented: “Renewal and
resale of damaged or unwanted clothing is a challenge the apparel industry must
overcome globally. We’re proud to support innovative industry-leading solutions
right here in Victoria, and look forward to seeing the programme scale in time.”
Kathmandu also recently launched a partnership with Upparel in 24 stores across
Melbourne. Designated Upparel ‘bins’ are now in store, with customers invited to
drop their old, used or faulty Kathmandu gear so that they will be reused or
repurposed, in order to avoid ending up in landfill. A portion of appropriate items
from this initiative will be returned to retail as a part of Kathman-REDU.
Chief ESG Officer for KMD Brands, Frances Blundell said: “Circularity is a core
focus area of our ESG strategy at KMD Brands and Kathmandu. We’re trialling
several initiatives here in Victoria to determine customer interest and finesse our
delivery of these programmes. We’re very fortunate to have the backing of
Sustainability Victoria to explore this new way to repurpose what would otherwise
become textile waste.”
Kathmandu has partnered with circular fashion experts – Aleasha McCallion and
Kirri-Mae Sampson – and long-term partner Remote Repairs, to deliver the
Kathman-REDU project. To learn more about Kathman-REDU or Kathmandu’s
Upparel partnership, visit www.kathmandu.com.au/kathman-redu or
www.kathmandu.com.au/kathmandu-upparel.
