Giving Back 1%: Partnership with Appel & Ei
Plein Publique gives unsold clothing a second life through the thrift store Appel & Ei. Discover how we’re working together to combat clothing waste and build a circular future for fashion.
What happens to unsold clothing? At Plein Publique, we never throw anything away! Through our partnership with the Dutch second-hand shop Appel & Ei, unsold items, samples, and returned clothing get a well-deserved second chance. This is how we’re working together to build a sustainable and circular fashion industry.
- Initiative
- Giving Back 1% & Circular Fashion
- Partner
- Appel & Ei (Dutch second-hand shop)
- Purpose
- Reducing Clothing Waste & Reusing Textiles
- Destination Items
- Unsold inventory, samples, and returns with minor imperfections
COMPLETING THE CIRCLE
We’ve come full circle. Last year, we launched our 1% pledge: At PLEIN PUBLIQUE, we give 1% of our revenue back to nature. Beyond actually keeping our promises, it turns out that the concept of “giving back to nature” has truly taken root within us as well. We want to do something good. We want to give something back. And so, a few months ago, we launched our sale. Anyone who’s been following us for a while knows that we only send out one sale newsletter per season because, quite simply, we’re not a discount brand.
APPEL & EI
But unfortunately, some sale items are returned, and we wanted to do something with those as well. Should we send those items to someone else? We didn’t think that was very eco-friendly. And that’s how, through various connections, we ended up at the Dutch second-hand shop chain Appel & Ei.
Appel & Ei is the ultra-trendy second-hand clothing chain with a brilliant name—we wish we’d thought of it! For our English readers: the name translates literally to ‘an apple and an egg’, which is an idiom for buying something at a great price. Think: ‘bits n’ bobs’ as the name for a knitting shop :-).
At Appel & Ei, you’ll find not only clothes that the original owner has dropped off for resale—you’ll also find the cream of the crop from fashion brands. This way, brand-new clothes are put back into circulation instead of ending up directly in the world’s ever-growing mountain of clothing waste.
Great for the customer —because paying a bargain price for a beautiful item is always nice.
And great for the environment —the clothing produced isn’t discarded or sent to landfills. It won’t surprise you that this sustainable approach, in particular, really strikes a chord with us.
SUSTAINABLE PLEIN PUBLIQUE STOCK
At PLEIN PUBLIQUE, too, after a year on the market, we’re left with unsold clothing—despite our careful and minimalist purchasing policy. S*** happens. It’s part of the fashion business, and there’s not much we can do about it. But we can do something with it!
The beautiful items that are left over go on sale first. Whatever is returned after that or is still on the shelves goes to our friends at Appel & Ei.
Everything deserves a second chance. Appel & Ei ’s stylish stores offer a lovely selection of quality clothing at a bargain price. The selection changes quickly, so it’s worth checking in regularly. Who knows—you might stumble upon a PLEIN PUBLIQUE “orphan” waiting for a happy new owner!
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
Of course, PLEIN PUBLIQUE also receives a portion of the revenue through Appel & Ei. But we’ve decided that money will go straight to the “Giving Back To Nature” savings account. This is the same account where we also set aside 1% of our revenue. We donate the money saved to companies and organizations that are working to keep the Earth habitable.
This way, the fund grows faster, and we can do more!
Starting in early March, the second-chance PLEIN PUBLIQUE stock will be available in Appel & Ei stores.
More info:Appel & Ei website
FAQ
What does Plein Publique do with unsold clothing?
Unsold clothing, sample collections, and returned items are not destroyed but are offered for sale through the second-hand shop Appel & Ei to reduce clothing waste and give items a second life.
Why did Plein Publique choose to partner with Appel & Ei?
Appel & Ei is a professional secondhand clothing shop chain that finds new owners for high-quality clothing. This aligns perfectly with Plein Publique’s mission to conduct business in a sustainable and circular manner.
