Starting Thursday, fans of Brooks running shoes can get another look at old favorites.
With the launch of “ReStart,” a re-commerce program in partnership with resale solution provider Trove, gently used Brooks footwear styles will make their way to U.S. resale markets on behalf of the brand.
Melanie Allen, chief marketing officer at Brooks, said the program will help the brand reach a growing community of “conscientious consumers” while helping extend the life of lightly worn Brooks products. The program is a stepping stone to broader circularity ambitions as running shoe brands take on the task of worn-out treads given the high mileage factor for active runners. The program is timely as running shoe makers are increasingly investing in circular product innovation.
Brooks’ ReStart program will incorporate three quality-grade ranges spanning “like new,” “great” and “good” in a variety of Brooks’ footwear styles. These include fan favorites, or bestsellers, such as the Ghost (retailing for $89.95) and Glycerin (retailing for $160) and speed products like the Hyperion franchise (retailing for $99.95 and up). Resale prices start at 35 percent off retail, per the brand.
Currently, the program is fully online and only available to U.S. customers. The Seattle-based company looks to increase its sustainability commitments having set near-term and net-zero emissions reduction targets as verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative. Meanwhile, last year Trove said it processed more than 1.5 million items. The re-commerce firm partners with the likes of Carhartt, Canada Goose, On and Allbirds, among others.
“Re-commerce allows us to keep gear on the run while supporting our aim to take responsibility for the impact of our business,” Dave Kemp, Brooks director of corporate responsibility, said in a press statement. “The launch of ReStart is an important step in the brand’s long-term, science-backed approach to sustainability.”