Topics
WOODYLOOP
Closing the material loop on Woody collections
The Woody Group wants to use raw materials more efficiently and responsibly in the future. Therefore, through this project, together with Sibille Diederichs GCV, we set out to find an innovative business model to process the brand's pyjamas circularly after a first life.
Specifically, our project consisted of two in-store collection actions, a fine sorting process, direct reuse of collected pieces through charities, or upcycling into new products and recycling by fiberising.
By involving and raising awareness among our consumers through the collection actions, and thanks to good cooperation with the social economy and textile companies, we were able to create a strong closed material loop.
Upon completion of this process, the knowledge and conclusions gained around system optimisation, design, reuse, return logistics and scalability will form the basis for outlining the future innovative circular strategy within our company.
The Woody Group
Partners Sibille Diederichs
Sectors
Website
MOST IMPORTANT
RESULTS
- We held two trade-in promotions that were enthusiastically received by both consumers and shops. Customers took the trouble to return only the Woody pyjamas. Meanwhile, our logistics organisation is already geared up for an annual repeat.
- The innovative and specific fine sorting carried out by tailor-made company Ateljee vzw was at the heart of this whole process. This provided us with very specific residual flows for upcycling and repair.
- CiLAB, a circular textile lab in Mechelen, upcycled some 73 kg of the sorted pyjamas into 1,000 straw bags and 1,000 scrunchies.
- In the final phase of this project, several strength-weakness analyses were carried out, whose conclusions form an important basis for outlining the future circular strategy at The Woody Group.
MOST IMPORTANT
LESSONS LEARNED
- When devising a circular strategy, it is important to be able to count on motivated colleagues and partners. Reversing from linear model to circular movements requires high commitment, a lot of creativity and a lot of time.
- For SMEs, in our current economic and industrial linear reality, it is challenging to work out circular business models. This is due to both high local labour costs and the absence of supply circular industrial or technological processes at SME scale.
- Trade-ins allow us to better establish the lifespan of our pyjamas. We are also very satisfied with the quality of the returned pieces. Thanks to the knowledge gained, we can further develop our sustainability policy and focus even more on repair and life extension.
- The trade-ins and associated fine sorting yielded very good results. The important next step to mechanical and/or chemical refinishing is not yet available for small quantities, but we expect this to be the case soon.
WHAT DOES
THE FUTURE HOLD?
Thanks to this project, in the future we would like to continue our commitment to an annual trade-in campaign in our own retail outlets and a cooperation with Ateljee vzw for sorting and second-hand sales. We also want to explore the possibilities of an online trade-in campaign.
In addition, we are conducting further research into a sustainable and circular revaluation of cotton from the residual fraction of the trade-in actions. We are also further thinking about a repair strategy to ensure and/or extend the lifespan of Woody pyjamas.
Through Woodyloop, we were able to identify where the weaknesses of our products lie. The styling team can use this knowledge in the future when developing new products and collections.
