Amsterdam-based fashion outlet platform Otrium is continuing garment refurbishment and repair after a successful pilot project, together with Dutch supply chain management specialist for fashion and lifestyle brands Bleckmann. This also offers the repair and re-commerce service known as The Renewal Workshop. Together with Bleckmann’s circular fashion experts from the Renewal Workshop, Otrium will ensure that fashion waste is reduced and that all clothing items produced are actually worn.
“The Renewal Workshop team worked closely with us to develop a scalable process that can grow with our ambitions and deliver like-new repairs at e-commerce speeds. Their combination of determination, professionalism, flexibility and expertise makes them the ideal partner for this project,” comments Marlot Kiveron, Head of Sustainability at Otrium, in a press release.
Most returns are in good condition
Most returns that go back to Otrium can be reprocessed and offered for sale again, the platform says. Only in “rare cases” are the returned items damaged. “Fashion waste reduction is an important part of our DNA at Otrium, and thanks to our partnership with Bleckmann and their Renewal Workshop team, we can now repair a large proportion of returns and put them back into circulation,” says Kevin Carolan, Head of Logistics at Otrium .
Since 2020, Otrium has been working with Bleckmann to investigate the possibilities of processing and repairing garments. In April 2023, both started a three-month pilot project at the Bleckmann branch in Almelo, Netherlands, to test the program with a wider range of repairs and optimized processes through data use. During this period, the Renewal Workshop team at Bleckmann processed more than 1,000 returned items of clothing, shoes and accessories for Otrium every month.
More than 1,000 items of clothing per month
“With hundreds of high-end labels on the platform, we needed an efficient solution tailored to the needs of a wide range of products – from shoes and coats to bags,” explains Kiveron.
Bleckmann’s integrated data capacity was also important. “Data collection and analysis can be crucial when it comes to demonstrating the economic viability of sustainability initiatives,” explains Tamara Zwart, Head of Renewal at Bleckmann.
“Using our inventory management system, we found that 70 percent of the recycled garments were sold within seven weeks. These results are very satisfactory for us,” summarizes Zwart.
Avoid CO2 emissions and waste
The carbon tracking software from Berlin-based climate-tech start-up Vaayu calculated that a reprocessed return sold through Otrium avoids an average of 2,760 kilograms of carbon emissions and 69 grams of waste. For Otrium, this supports the belief that “this program can have positive impacts for both the environment and the company.”
After the successful pilot phase, it was clear that the project, which Kiveron describes as a “milestone on our path to greater sustainability,” would be continued. “It is an important part of our ongoing commitment to find more ways to reduce our environmental impact while helping to ensure that more clothing produced is worn. We want to repair at least 25,000 items of clothing by the end of 2023. Together with Bleckmann and their experts, we are well on the way to proving that this circular business model can be a valuable part of our future growth,” concludes Kiveron.