Swiss sportswear and athletic footwear brand On has launched Onward in the U.S., a new resale site and online exchange program powered by California-based brand e-commerce specialist Trove. The Onward program is an extension of On’s existing ESG initiatives, which focus on driving sustainability through innovation and promoting the circular economy across On’s product portfolio. Since Sep. 8, consumers can buy and trade in used On shoes. They can send back their gently used On gear and receive a $35 credit to spend on their next purchase at Onward or On-running.com. The program will expand to apparel in the near future. Plans for other national markets have not yet been revealed.
Since its inception, On has been conscious of its global environmental footprint and is working toward ambitious sustainability goals to increase the circular economy and use of recycled materials and reduce carbon emissions. Onward is the latest project to help the brand take responsibility for each product and its afterlife. On Holding, which went public last year, expects net sales of 1.1 billion Swiss francs (€1.1bn) in 2022.
Trove, which already operates similar sites for other brands such as Patagonia, REI and Lululemon, estimates it has already helped avoid the emission of more than 2 million kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents and kept more than 200,000 kilograms of waste out of landfills worldwide.
According to investment firm Cowen, the resale of sneakers has now reached $2 billion, and research firm Piper Sandler estimated the market could have been as high as $10 billion in 2021. By 2030, the market is expected to be worth $30 billion worldwide.
