The Coach (Re)loved Program
Is this an ethical shop or drop?
by BELLA TABAK ★ AUGUST 3, 2022
Many members of younger generations consider environmental sustainability a must while choosing where to shop. This mindset causes us green girls to research the practices of businesses that we shop from. Yet, while purchasing from small businesses and thrifting might ensure sustainability, sometimes it’s hard to find exactly what you are looking for. As a result, many turn to bigger companies in order to snag that essential piece, like designer bags.
This doesn’t mean that these big companies are safe from the repercussions of their unethical business practices. Back in 2021, Coach was under fire after Tiktoker and environmental activist, Anna Sacks, exposed the company for slashing returned bags. She posted to Tiktok displaying the destroyed items while explaining how employees are told to inflict damage so Coach can take advantage of tax write-offs (Sacks). The video is currently at 5.7 million views and caused a notable amount to claim they would not buy from the company again.
In response to the backlash, Coach took to their Instagram to convey they were ending this unethical practice and that through their Coach (Re)loved program they “will continue to develop and implement solutions to responsibly repurpose, recycle, and reuse excess or damaged products” (Coach). So, are they living up to this feat today?
I will give them credit for continuing to expand the program and advertise it. Through Coach (Re)loved you can return your old bag in exchange for store credit, and they will repurpose and resell the bag. They also have other items such as keychains, scarves, and jackets listed as well. Coach took proper accountability by not allowing the program to be swept under the rug since they continued to advertise Coach (Re)loved through social media. One way they achieved this was by sending Tiktok fashion influencers to tour the (Re)Loved workshop and make videos on the bags they helped redesign in late June of 2022. This was actually the way I discovered the program, by seeing one of these videos pop up on my timeline.
While I think this program is definitely a step in the right direction, it is not perfect. Some of the bags are extremely pricey. The pieces can be priced around two hundred to three hundred dollars, but others can range from five hundred to eight hundred. This is unfortunate considering the only way to force brands into being more sustainable is to prioritize sustainable shopping. When repurposed goods are this expensive, it is hard for people to want to make the switch to sustainable options when they can spend less for a newly made bag.
Do not get me wrong, I definitely think the Coach (Re)loved is a step in the right direction! If you want to find more like this program, Levi’s Second Hand is similar, you purchase second-hand denim at a resale price. I hope these programs cause other companies to at least make an effort to go green. After all, until these bigger companies make a change, there can never really be full sustainability in the fashion world.