Boosting longevity out of a treasured pair of sneakers or a fleece pullover that served as a workhorse becomes a reality at Nike’s Soho retail location, which offers an in-house solution with the (Re)Play initiative this week.
The apparel refresh program comes during a slate of Climate Week activities in New York where business leaders, politicians and the public address and drive global climate action.
But at the Soho store, the pop-up runs now through September 29 and is a single point of trade-in, repair, cleaning, reworking and donation that gives customers a chance to either extend the life of their gear or responsibly part ways with the products they no longer need.
Meanwhile, the process for each service has its own route, with trade-ins of eligible items subject to a check by staff and Nike says it will take gently-worn footwear in exchange for credit. The shoes must be in a condition that is consistent with normal wear, like dirt, scuffs, creasing, minor cosmetic flaws and color fading that can be cleaned. A gift card with a credit is presented immediately toward the next Nike, Jordan Brand or Converse purchase.
Shoppers at the pop-up can browse a selection of vintage running apparel pieces curated by Tried and True Co. that feature tough-to-find throwbacks that include windbreakers, running jackets, tops, fleece, shorts and track pants that are part of daily drops at the location.
For those looking for rebuild services on their footwear and apparel, the in-store repair shop has staff that will fix zippers and zipper pulls, holes and tears and use sewing machines to handle necessary stitching to restore garments. A price for the restoration will be decided before the work begins and the costs typically range between $15 to $35.
A separate repair service is dedicated to items like bags, running vests and hats and customers can get their items fixed with custom patches to mend holes and rips.
Footwear in need of a refreshing session can also be brought to the store, with a process that lasts 10 to 25 minutes and helps bring sneakers back to form and three pairs per day are allowed for cleaning per customer.
The Creative Repairs section of the pop-up is easily the most unique portion of the experience, with a collection of apparel that has been reworked and repaired and means that no two pieces are the same. Nike says the concept is to take cosmetically damaged products and rethink how to flip their usage into what ultimately turns into one of ones that are worth taking the time to browse in the store.
And finally, for those end-of-life athletic pieces, (Re)Play has a recycling and donation alternative to simply tossing unwanted gear in the trash and the items are funneled through Nike’s sustainability channels to ensure that waste is drastically reduced and either repurposed through the supply chain.
The company’s Aero-FIT apparel is made from 100 percent textile waste in what the brand says is part of a demonstrated example to show how sustainability can have its own role in performance.
