“Reducing waste to landfill and supporting circularity are key components of our Good Business Journey, so we are delighted to offer our customers the opportunity to join us and TCB in creating new life for their denim clothes instead of discarding them,” said Woolworths group head of sustainability Feroz Koor. “To kick-start the initiative, we are giving customers with WRewards membership a 20% off voucher for their next RE: Denim purchase with each drop-off.”
The TCB Remake programme empowers seamstresses by providing them with the skills and resources to run financially viable micromanufacturing businesses. The programme offers business, life and technical skills training as well as ongoing mentorship and access to stock to start their businesses.
“Our seamstresses use donations of clothing, fabric, haberdashery, and cut samples from supply chain partners such as Woolworths to create various garments from handbags to dresses and skirts to toys and cushions that they sell to support their families,” said head of TCB’s Remake programmeHeidi Smith.
Woolies goes big on denim recycling
In the Denim Drop-Off programme customers give preloved denims a new lease on life while supporting budding seamstresses
Image: Supplied
In a world in which sustainability is imperative and can be used as hyped-up window dressing, some companies are putting their money where their mouth is. Woolworths has long been committed to sustainable practices and is now launching a new Denim Drop-Off programme, inviting customers to give their preloved denims a new lease on life.
The donated denim will be collected at designated clothing bins located at Woolworths fashion shop till points in 20 stores nationally. These items will be handed over to Taking Care of Business’ (TCB) Remake programme, in which they will be transformed into newly designed products.
TCB supports budding seamstresses who are starting up and growing their micro-manufacturing businesses.
Conscious coziness
“Reducing waste to landfill and supporting circularity are key components of our Good Business Journey, so we are delighted to offer our customers the opportunity to join us and TCB in creating new life for their denim clothes instead of discarding them,” said Woolworths group head of sustainability Feroz Koor. “To kick-start the initiative, we are giving customers with WRewards membership a 20% off voucher for their next RE: Denim purchase with each drop-off.”
The TCB Remake programme empowers seamstresses by providing them with the skills and resources to run financially viable micromanufacturing businesses. The programme offers business, life and technical skills training as well as ongoing mentorship and access to stock to start their businesses.
“Our seamstresses use donations of clothing, fabric, haberdashery, and cut samples from supply chain partners such as Woolworths to create various garments from handbags to dresses and skirts to toys and cushions that they sell to support their families,” said head of TCB’s Remake programmeHeidi Smith.
Image: Supplied
“We now work with 72 seamstresses and we will recruit 100 seamstresses in 2025. These seamstresses are from underserved communities and many don’t have access to essential sewing machines and affordable fabric. Remake gives them the support they need to become financially and socially independent. On average, our Remake participants each have 4,5 dependants. Many of them are the primary breadwinners and support their direct and extended families.”
Woolworths’ RE: brand adds circularity to its eco-conscious practice, which already includes responsibly sourced cotton, ozone technology, laser finishing, third-party audits, and transparency.
Woolworths stores participating in Woolies’ Denim Drop off initiative are:
Gauteng:
Western Cape:
KwaZulu-Natal:
Free State:
Eastern Cape:
Mpumalanga:
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