RefRecycling

Your clothes deserve a second chance

Less than 1% of the materials used to make clothing are recycled back into something you can wear. We don’t want our stuff to go to waste, so we created a way to keep it out of the trash and on people.

Say hi to RefRecycling, engineered for keeping your clothes around.

Rewear

If you still love it

You’re still into it, but it needs some work. Keep your clothes around longer with simple repairs or embellishments. → Rewear

Resell

If someone else would love it

For stuff you don’t want, but someone else might. Resell your clothes online, at a consignment shop, or swap clothes with your coolest-dressing friends.

Recycle

If you loved it too much

Whether you loved it to death or it was just a fling, RefRecycling helps you recycle your unwanted stuff. Bring it to us or get a label from our friends at SuperCircle.  → Recycle

Start Recycling

FAQ

How do I recycle my stuff?

Recycling your most-loved stuff is easy. Drop off your items at any of our domestic retail locations or initiate a recycling request on our website. Here’s how to do it:

1. Select the Ref products you want to recycle
2. Print a free shipping label or select drop off “in-store”
3. Drop cleaned items at any USPS location or Reformation store
4. Enjoy your hard-earned Ref credit.*

*Credit will be issued once the items are received and verified at our partner’s warehouse. Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing. Items dropped off in-store will receive credits immediately.

How much do I get for my stuff?

$5 per item.* Please make sure all items are washed before sending them to our recycling partners.

*Maximum credits used per transaction = $50. Cannot combine RefRecycling credits with other promotions.

Can I recycle unwearable clothing?

Yep—that’s our favorite kind to recycle. If you have clothing that can be reused, we recommend reselling with thredUP.

Why is textile waste a problem?

While being naked is the #1 most sustainable option, we get that people are going to keep buying clothes. The good thing is, there are actually enough clothing and textiles in existence today to meet our global annual demand. We just have to keep them out of landfills and in the fashion system. That way, we cut waste and use fewer new materials. Learn more right here.

Why should I recycle my clothing?

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US alone throws away around 13 million tons of clothing and footwear a year, most of which sits in landfills for pretty much ever. Most cities aren’t set up to process textile waste at recycling centers, so it will likely end up in the landfill. Our RefRecycling program recycles them to be made into new stuff. More opportunities for clothing recycling contributes to lower demand, and thus lower emissions for making virgin materials.

Why should I recycle my shoes?

Shoe recycling is complex, so most unwanted footwear ends up in a landfill or incinerator. Discarded shoes take forever to break down, and leave behind plastic, heavy metals, and other toxic chemicals while they do it. We’re big on taking care of your stuff and finding ways to make it last longer, or keeping it in circulation through resale or donation. But once your shoes have really reached the end of their life, the materials they’re made of can still be used to create something else. We make Ref Shoes using high-value materials, and the same teams developing those materials are also working to advance industry-wide solutions for recycling them once they’re returned.

Can I send in product that isn’t Ref to be recycled?

For now, we’re only focusing on our own stuff. It helps to know the fabric composition or shoe components of a product in order to recycle it properly. Please do not send us items from other brands.

Will any of my recycled clothing end up in landfills?

No, the goal of this program is to make new clothing from old clothing. It’s not perfect, so some things may be downcycled, but nothing is ever sent to the landfill.

Is RefRecycling available internationally?

Right now, RefRecycling is only available in the US and Canada, but we are looking to expand this program in the near future. Stay tuned.

What happens to my recycled clothing?

Through our partners at SuperCircle and a network of qualified recycling and waste management experts, returned items are sorted and broken down into raw materials. Our goal is textile to textile recycling, which means turning old fibers back into new ones that can be used across the industry and help reduce reliance on virgin materials, but this is not yet possible for every product or material. When one to one recycling is not available, items may go through open loop recycling, meaning the materials are transformed into new products outside of fashion, or other downcycling solutions to keep as much as possible out of landfill.

What are my Ref Shoes getting recycled into?

Your returned footwear is currently being used to support innovation pilots designed to advance circular solutions for the footwear industry. Through collaborations with partners like the Footwear Collective, Fashion for Good, and other recycling innovators, we’re testing and learning what it takes to scale truly circular systems. These pilots help us close critical gaps in recycling infrastructure and move the industry closer to viable end-of-life solutions for footwear.

We’ve been cutting waste by reusing clothes since 2015, but this is the first time we're prioritizing textile-to-textile recycling. Which means making new Ref out of old Ref.

By breaking clothes down back into fiber, we can turn them into new products with as few materials as possible.

So we’re paying you for Reformation clothing, handbags, and shoes you don’t want anymore. And it’s as easy as stopping by a Ref store or getting a shipping label (only available in the US/Canada). You get Ref Credit for stuff you no longer want, and we get to make clothes with recycled materials. It’s pretty much a good thing all around.

Start Recycling