Renowned New York-based fashion retailer, J Crew unveiled a groundbreaking swimwear recycling initiative in partnership with the technology and logistics platform SuperCircle. 

Accessible both online and across its nationwide chain of stores, this innovative program allows customers to trade in used swimwear from any brand for a $5 credit, which can be applied towards the purchase of full-price men's, women's, or kids' swimsuits, as outlined on the official program website. Customers can accrue credits up to $20, and can either mail in their swimwear or exchange it in person at any J Crew store.

Under the leadership of SuperCircle, based in New York, the returned swimwear in any condition is repurposed by transforming old fibers into new clothing items. Garments unsuitable for fiber-to-fiber recycling undergo processing through the company's open-loop recycling channels to be transformed into various products such as furniture batting, insulation, and padding.

Emphasising on the importance of adopting new recycling solutions, Chloe Songer, CEO and Co-founder, SuperCircle, says, with a significant portion of new textiles ending up in landfills within a year of production and textile waste surpassing plastic waste growth rates, recycling initiatives are becoming increasingly important.

SuperCircle operates on a business model where partner companies pay a monthly platform usage fee along with a recycling fee tied to the volume of materials collected. While textile recycling is gaining momentum as a preferred sustainability strategy for fashion brands embracing circular practices, recent setbacks like the bankruptcy filing of Renewcell highlight the challenges in making sustainability economically viable.

J Crew has strategically repositioned its operations in recent times. The company introduced a resale program in January 2023 and launched a virtual store in June.