Nike launches shoe refurbishment program with focus on saving the environment
LOS ANGELES - Nike announced Monday it will launch a program to refurbish old shoes in an effort to "reduce its waste footprint."
The company released videos on its website illustrating how it was going to clean, repair and resell shoes if a consumer returns their product within 60 days.
"After a shopper returns a pair of shoes to Nike within a 60-day return window, eligible footwear is added to the Nike Refurbished lineup. Each pair is inspected and refurbished by hand, and then given a condition grade. The team uses a number of different products and tools to return shoes to as close to new condition as possible. Once the shoes land back in a Nike store, the price is based on footwear type and condition grade," the company said on its website.
Nike encouraged consumers to donate or recycle the refurbished shoes after they are finished with them.
The campaign will launch in 15 Nike stores in the U.S. with plans to expand to retail-based destinations through the year.
"We know that our business's size and scale are major drivers in maintaining a healthy planet and an equal playing field for all, so we have made it part of our corporate commitment to better serve our consumers while protecting the planet," Nike executive Nicole Otto told Retail Dive.
"As part of this broader Move to Zero commitment, our supply chain team saw an opportunity to reduce our waste footprint at retail through an integrated pipeline that gives products a second life. After testing out these capabilities for nearly two years, we used these learnings to develop and launch Nike Refurbished."