We want to take #OptOutside a step further this year. As we ask our members and employees to join the fight for life outdoors, here’s what we’re committing to in return.
We’re rethinking the future of retail—and creating ways for all members to take part in the circular economy.
We’ve dramatically expanded our rental and used gear offerings in 2019 and are continuing to add opportunities to help more people get outside more sustainably and affordably. This fall, we’re:
- Inviting 5,000 members to pilot a used gear buy-back program—in which members may receive REI gift cards when they trade in gently used outdoor items for resale at REI.com/used that will extend the life of high-quality used outdoor gear and apparel
- Testing a new online rental reservations system that we plan to roll out more broadly in 2020—making it much easier for customers to reserve the gear they need for their outdoor adventures
- Launching seasonal ski rentals for kids and adults
We’re tackling waste—within our own operations and in communities across the nation.
- We’re working toward a goal of operating as zero-waste (diverting 90% of waste from landfills) across our total operations by the end of 2020.
- Taking that one step further, by the end of 2021, we’ll certify our headquarters, our distribution centers and at least 10 REI stores as TRUE Zero Waste facilities.
- We’re also committed to sharing everything we learn along this journey and helping other retailers figure it out, too.
- With partners like Subaru of America, we’ll help members recycle hard-to-recycle items like snack wrappers year-round, as well as collect and upcycle bike tires and tubes, yoga mats and blocks, tents, and reusable bottles at select stores through November 2019.
And, we’re challenging ourselves and our partners to eliminate unnecessary packaging in the outdoor industry—for good
By the end of 2020, our employees and customers will see a substantial reduction in polybags (the clear plastic bags used to ship apparel). We have greatly reduced polybags for our own brand, and we are committed to working with brand partners to reduce the use of unnecessary plastic packaging, too.