Got some faded jeans gathering dust in your drawers? Target is inviting customers to bring in their old denim for a discount on new jeans.
The Minneapolis retailer will host its first-ever “Denim Take-Back Event” from Aug. 4 to 10, during which shoppers can bring up to five denim items in any condition, such as jeans or jackets, into a box at a Target store and scan a QR code to receive 20% off their new denim purchase through the store’s Target Circle loyalty program. The sale follows the success of the company’s car seat trade-in event, which has seen Target recycle 2.6 million car seats since 2016.
“Our new Denim Take Back event is an easy way for families to breathe new life into their used denim,” Jenna Fox, senior vice president of merchandising for apparel and accessories at Target, said in a news release Monday. “With back-to-school and college shopping a top priority for families, this 20% off Target Circle Deal allows customers to refresh their denim wardrobe for a more affordable price while also doing our part to reduce waste and keep used denim out of landfills.”
Textile waste is a growing problem, and it’s difficult to accurately gauge its full environmental impact. In 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that more than 17 million tons of textile waste, mostly discarded clothing, was generated each year, nearly double the amount in 2000. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency estimates that between 134,000 and 192,000 tons of textile are discarded in the state each year.
The denim brought in by Target customers will be used to make new products, including insulation for housing, packaging and appliances.
Target sells denim apparel through its own brands, including Universal Threads and Wild Fable, as well as national brands such as Levi’s.
