“Circularity” has become a buzzword in the fashion world, with brands using the term catch-all to refer to everything from using eco-friendly materials to selling second-hand products. But becoming a truly circular business is harder than it looks, as Timberland, the iconic American boot brand founded in 1975, is discovering firsthand.

Today, she is launching a program called “Timberloop” which invites customers to return used Timberland products so that they can be refurbished or taken apart and then recycled. For a brand that generates more than $ 11 billion in annual revenue, this program was a major undertaking, forcing it to partner with experts in its global markets, including the United States, Europe and the United States. Asia, who could take shoes and clothes apart and transform them. in new products. Now the big question is whether enough consumers will be willing to make the effort to return their old products and whether Timberland can expand this program.

The concept of circular economy has been around since the 1960s. It is about moving away from a linear system in which consumers use products and then throw them away. Instead, the products would stay in circulation for as long as possible by being repaired, refurbished and resold. Then, at the end of their life, they would be recycled into new products, thus minimizing the quantity of raw materials to be extracted.

As climate change worsens, brands are increasingly touting their circular practices. Many, however, only focus on a small part of the process. Companies like ThredUp and TheRealReal focus on selling second-hand products, while brands like Everlane and Reformation use recycled plastic in their manufacturing. Atlanta McIlwraith, director of global community engagement and activation at Timberland, says the company’s goal was to deliver a comprehensive system that would address many aspects of circularity.

Starting today, customers will be able to download a free shipping label to return any Timberland product or return items to any Timberland store. (To encourage participation, the company is offering customers a 10% discount on their next purchase.) These products will be collected and shipped to Timberland’s recycling partner, ReCircled, for processing.

McIlwraith says the undamaged products will be refurbished and resold on a soon to be launched used website that is part of the main Timberland site. The irreparable products will be dismantled, so that every part, from the leather to the plastic sole to the metal components, can be recycled. “Historically, shoes have been very difficult to recycle because they are made of so many different materials that are tightly attached to each other with the help of adhesives and threads,” she says. “We chose to partner with ReCircled because they have the expertise and equipment to process our shoes. “

Another advantage of partnering with ReCircled, says McIlwraith, is that it has an international footprint. In April, Timberloop will be rolled out in Europe; later this year it will be available in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific markets, all of which will be processed by ReCircled. “For the customer, the whole experience will be through the Timberland website and stores, so it will be a seamless process for them,” she says.

Timberland’s goal is to create a fully closed loop, in which the components that ReCircled dismantles and recycles are then used to make new Timberland shoes. ReCircled sends each material to a different industrial recycler specializing in, for example, plastic or metal. Many of these recyclers are now suppliers to Timberland.

But Timberland is also redesigning their shoes to make them easier to take apart, which will ultimately mean ReCircled will require less time and effort to separate the materials they are made of. The company’s designers are already working to reduce the number of materials in the shoes, using adhesives that are easier to dissolve and developing sewing techniques that will make them easier to take apart. In April, the brand will unveil a new shoe called the Timberloop Trekker, made from recycled materials and designed so that the outsoles can be easily removed for recycling. McIlwraith said the brand’s designers will incorporate these new techniques into the entire product line in the following seasons. “It’s a complex design problem,” she says. “The shoes are designed to last a long time but to be easy to take apart at the end of their useful life.”

For Timberloop to have a real impact, customers will need to send in large volumes of product. While some environmentally conscious consumers will likely embrace the new program, it’s unclear how many people will take the time and effort to send in their old shoes and clothing, or bring them back to stores, and a discount. 10% may not be enough. incentive to do so. McIlwraith says the company is working hard to educate customers about the program by creating attractive collection bins in stores that explain the process, training retailer representatives to talk about it, and sending emails to encourage people. to participate.

Ultimately, for circularity to work, consumers will need to change their behavior en masse. In Europe, governments are considering legislation that would use tax incentives to reward reuse, repair and recycling, and discourage the incineration or landfill of clothing, but no laws have yet been passed. For now, brands like Timberland are absorbing the cost of recycling products through programs like Timberloop and encouraging consumers to voluntarily send in their old products.