Ardene's Recycling Initiatives
March 18th is Global Recycling Day; a day to recognize the importance recycling plays in securing the future of our planet, and a day that aligns with the ongoing sustainability initiatives we have at Ardene. Alongside the Declaration for Sustainable Action Commitment that all our team members signed as a pledge to recycle, reuse and minimize waste, Ardene collaborates with partners in various recycling projects. We're proud of these initiatives and excited to be part of the solution for a sustainable future.
Textile Recycling Pilot Project x FTA
Fashion Takes Action (FTA) is a non-profit organization established to help advance sustainability in the fashion industry, and we're part of the stakeholder group for one of their pilot projects related to circularity in fashion. Every year, at least 500,000 tons of textile waste ends up in landfills; much of it made from synthetic (or plastic) fibers, which will remain in the landfill forever. This project creates a new felt fabric made from 40% post-consumer textiles (our unwanted clothes) and 50% rPET (from plastic bottles). Previously, this type of recycling resulted in a fabric that was more suitable for insulation and under-padding than fashion, but this is the first time fabric has been created that can be repurposed into new clothing. We support FTA's belief that this project offers a true circular solution for fashion, and that it's a huge step in the right direction. We're excited to be part of this project and look forward to seeing how the end result could pave the path to new innovations.
Working Together
Further to our pilot project with FTA, we're always looking for innovative ways to reduce waste in our stores, and we work closely with shopping malls to take part in recycling initiatives. One such project that we want to shine a light on is the Roosevelt Field Plastic Recycling Project. This is an initiative to reduce soft plastic waste at the Roosevelt Field Mall in New York - packaging waste such as plastic film, stretch wrap for pallets and inventory polybags. This form of plastic is the biggest challenge to recycle, so we're collecting our store's weekly soft plastic waste and collaborating with another retailer to use its specialized plant to bale and recycle it. By sharing resources and working with other retailers, we can make an impact together and achieve our sustainabilty goals.
Whether it be through collaborations, innovations or declarations, we're dedicated to giving back to the planet. Through our recycling projects and various other sustainability initiatives, we're working on new ways to make a difference and looking for new partners and projects to join. Learn more about our sustainability journey here.