Mud Jeans: A Circular Economy Leader In The Apparel Industry
Mud Jeans, from the Netherlands, checks just about all the boxes for a full Circular Economy based business. They operate a jeans as-a-service business model, in which customers lease their product so that raw materials flow back into new products at the end of their life. This is a true demonstration of a brand owning their product.
In this article, we will explore several ways Mud Jeans expands value to its customers, it’s own business and to the environment.
A major distinction of circular business, when compared with a linear one, is the shift of ownership from the customer to the business. When this happens, companies can recapture the product and either refurbish it or recycle it. Central to this is adopting a lease or subscription type of revenue stream. In the case of Mud Jeans, they offer both a lease option and a buy option — but present many more benefits for those who lease. Leases are 7,50€ per month, with a one-off purchase of 29€ to become a member. Each member gets access to lease as many as three jeans at the same time, and it includes free swaps and repairs. Leases last for 12 months at which point you can opt into a new pair or simply keep them.
Most importantly though, Mud jeans wants them back when you are done with them, even if you opt to keep them. They even want those unworn jeans out of the back of your closet. For every pair that meets their quality standards, you’ll get get €10 off your purchase or a month free lease. They will recycle them into new products through their unique denim recycling process.
This recycling process allows their new products to contain 40% recycled content. Their ultimate goal is to make jeans out of 100% recycled cotton and are working with their manufacturing partner to innovate a new process that enables a material that meets these performance needs. Until that point they will continue to blend the recycled cotton with new organic cotton.
And as if that wasn’t cool enough, their sustainability efforts are quite respectable as well. By using a combination of laser, ozone, stone washing, and water recycling, their jeans use 78% less water and emits 67% less CO2 when compared with traditional manufacturing techniques.
Additionally, they have partnered with RePack, a returnable and reusable shipper. Their reusable envelope can be returned simply by dropping it into any post box, anywhere in the world. This service is free of charge and once the RePack is returned, customers will get a 10% discount voucher. Overall Re-Pack reduces CO2 emissions by up to 80%.
Mud Jeans is a service platform where waste becomes a source of new materials. Where material value is preserved and ownership is shifted from the customer to the company. Mud Jeans is a great example of an apparel company adopting a Circular Economy business model.
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