Dr. Martins is aiming to come full circle, one meaningful eco-friendly program at a time. The latest two circularity initiatives are the Genix Nappa collection (made from reclaimed leather) and ReWair, the company’s first resale platform in the U.S.
Genix Nappa leather is made from offcuts taken from tanneries that would otherwise be destined for landfills. The scraps are put through a process to separate the leather fibers before re-entagling them, producing re-engineered leather that the company claims produces a lower carbon impact than traditional leather and is just as durable and comfortable. The collection features remakes of original classics: the 1460 boot ($170), 1461 three-eyelet oxford ($140), and 2976 Chelsea boot ($170).
“We’ve been taking steps forward in our journey towards circularity, and Genix Nappa is a great example,” says Tuze Mekik Arguedas Schwank, global head of Sustainability at Dr. Martens. “It demonstrates that waste is a valuable resource and shows how we can think differently about our products into the future.” Adds Adam Meek, chief product officer: “The innovation around this new material is pretty special, and we’ve challenged ourselves at every step of the process to ensure the durability Dr. Martens are so famous for isn’t compromised.”
Genix Nappa launched with 5,000 pairs on Dr Martens’ DTC channel to test consumer appetite. Depending on how it’s received will determine if the collection expands to retail partners.
Sustainability through longevity is also a key focus for Dr. Martens. Thus, the debut of ReWair, a resale platform aimed at restoring second-hand Dr. Martens footwear and bags to extend their usable life. The products come from returned, damaged, or defective items that reclamation and resale logistics services partner, Terra Solutions, authenticates, inspects, cleans (via its proprietary closed-loop liquid CO2 deep cleaning process), and restores. The items are then resold on rewair.drmartens.com. Products that can’t be resold will be sent to next best use, like donation or recycling. Wearers can also trade-in their worn Dr. Martens products for a $20 discount voucher on new purchases over $100 at company flagships in Portland, OR, and Los Angeles. The pilot program could expand to additional retailers as well as a mail-in program.
“ReWair is an exciting step towards a more circular future for Dr. Martens,” states Anna Wickes, recommerce director. “Timeless design and durability have always been core to our brand, and we’re passionate about offering resale to our U.S. wearers.”
