Modern textiles rely heavily on petrochemical products that come from many of the same oil and gas companies driving greenhouse gas emissions. Today, in fact, fashion accounts for up to 10% of global carbon dioxide output—more than international flights and shipping combined, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. At the same time 48 million tones of clothing are disposed worldwide every year. 73% are incinerated, 12% is reused, 12% is downcycled, and only less then 1% is turned into new clothes.

PVH seeks to build longevity and circularity into every stage of a garment’s life cycle, understanding that a solidly constructed and loved garment can last a lifetime:

• Starting with design — PVH is piloting circular design principles that incorporate sustainable materials and ensure products are ready for reuse or recycling at end of life.

• Through a garment’s life — PVH is exploring recommerce models to extend a garment’s life for as many wears as possible.

• And beyond the final wear — PVH plans to test and scale textile recycling to turn textile waste into new clothing.

While PVH is initially focused on three products, the company is evolving its approach to focus on elements of the product development life cycle in order to improve circularity and efficiency across all its products.

The company already piloted recommerce and downcycling programs, including a product takeback initiative to determine what material is received and test resale on B-stock and upcycling damaged goods; these pilots gave new life to over 4,000 gently used clothing items that were collected from its associates during a takeback program pilot.

As part of PVH, in Europe, Tommy Hilfiger is exploring ways to keep products in use longer through its first circular business model. This model allows customers to bring back pre-loved or damaged TOMMY HILFIGER products to be repaired, resold or transformed into new items. Since 2020, 110,792 pounds of textile waste has been diverted from landfills, and the model expanded from the Netherlands to Denmark, Germany and France. This greater reach allows PVH to further test and gain insights into consumer needs, habits and shopping preferences.