In recognition of Earth Month in April, CFDA is proud to be collaborating with Adam Siegel, founder and CEO of Recurate, a branded recommerce startup, on a series of webinars bringing together experts, brands and innovators to discuss circularity in the fashion industry. Siegel was formerly SVP of Innovation, Research, & Sustainability at the Retail Industry Leaders Association, where he led RILA’s Retail Innovation Center and Retail Sustainability Initiative. Siegel helps us kick-off this conversation with insights on the recommerce market and how brands can start their own journey to circularity.
How did you conceive of Recurate and what was the opportunity you saw it bringing to the resale market?
I’ve always been concerned with the amount of waste and pollution in the fashion industry. Producing high-quality, long-lasting pieces, and keeping them in circulation longer – through resale – is the single best way to reduce the industry’s impacts.
And while sites like Poshmark, The RealReal, Depop, etc. have made it cool to buy used, fashion brands aren’t benefiting at all from that growth. On top of that, I find that the experience on those sites is just bad: there’s a lot of friction in the listing process, and the browsing and buying experience doesn’t do justice to the pieces or the brands that made them.
It was all of those trends that led us to build Recurate. Our goal is to bring the benefits of resale back to brands – and make the best resale experience for both sellers and buyers. The listing process is super simple for sellers, and the buying experience rivals buying new items.
Why is re-commerce an integral part of a brand’s circularity journey?
I’m so glad to see so many brands taking steps toward circularity. But, I’ve noticed that most brands focus their efforts on the upstream: design, materials, and manufacturing. They tend to ignore the second-half of a product’s life – once an item sells, brands wipe their hands clean and move on.
Recommerce is a critical and impactful step to address a product’s downstream impacts. And, as far as brands are concerned, engaging customers after they purchase an item is a great way to bring those customers back to your brand and build lasting loyalty.
What have been some of your early triumphs while launching Recurate?
We truly feel honored that we get to work with so many amazing fashion leaders – and that there’s so much interest in the Recurate solution. It’s clear to me that our industry recognizes its impact on the environment as well as consumers’ interest in sustainability.
Recurate is a simple and elegant solution for brands; we’ve already seen that the resale experience we enable helps brands re-engage past customers, acquire new customers, and add a whole new dimension to their sustainability narrative.
What are some resources that a brand (of any size) can take advantage of to further their commitment to circularity?
Brands are lucky now because there are a plethora of great resources to help them on their journeys to sustainability. For collaborative efforts, I’m especially fond of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, the Apparel Impact Institute, and Fashion Positive. And for education and learning, I recommend 11 Radius. Often, for smaller brands, the best thing to do is review what your peers are doing. You’ll find that many in the fashion industry are already implementing some creative and innovative solutions.
What’s next for Recurate?
We’re so thrilled for the opportunity to work with so many great fashion brands! Our goal is to continue to engage brands that want to lead on sustainability and circularity, and provide their customers with a super easy resale experience.
Join CFDA and Recurate’s Circularity Webinar Series by registering below:
A Fashion Brand’s Journey to Circularity
April 1, 12:00 – 1:00 PM EDT
Leading Experts – Register here
April 9, 12:00 – 1:00 PM EDT
Leading Brands – Register here
April 15, 12:00 – 1:00 PM EDT
Leading Innovators – Register here
