Businesses have begun to realize that sustainability is becoming increasingly important to success. Not only does a sustainable business model prevent environmental damage, but it’s also profitable.
Trends in the apparel industry, such as fast fashion, have been shown to have detrimental effects on the environment, especially when it comes to waste.
Between 2000 and 2014, the amount of clothing produced every year roughly doubled. The equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is incinerated or sent to a landfill every second. In addition to being partly to blame for those statistics, the fast fashion industry produces 20 percent of global wastewater and 10 percent of the total carbon emissions around the world in producing its clothing.
At Winmark®, our sustainable business model has positive impacts on the environment and local communities.
Through Once Upon A Child®, Plato’s Closet® and Style Encore®, we are able to save millions of gently used clothing items from the incinerator and landfills every year, and instead put cash in our customers’ pockets for their gently used items.
Sustainability is Good for Business, Customers and the Environment
Naturally, retailers that purchase clothing direct from suppliers are forced to pay higher costs for product. Their profit margins shrink or costs increase on the customer side.
Winmark franchise owners, however, are able to utilize their customers as suppliers. This provides financial, recession-resilient safeguards to industry disruptors and allows their customers to get paid as their suppliers. Our costs remain steady despite the turbulent fast fashion market.
Because of this, consumers are more inclined to seek out stores that offer them the same quality of clothing at a reduced cost when traditional clothing retailers’ prices rise.
Ensure Sustainability Efforts are Relevant to Businesses
At Winmark, we know it’s important for brands to be authentic in their quest to invest in any new initiatives. That’s what we plan to do.
Our business model is simple. It’s built around the concept of reducing the amount of textile waste by giving consumers the chance to buy and sell gently used items and paying our customers cash for participating.
Our mission of sustainability motivates customers to visit our locations and franchisees to open resale stores in their communities.
That’s why we’ve invested in sustainability.
If you’re interested in learning more about a franchise opportunity built around sustainability, visit www.winmarkfranchises.com
