BUSINESS BEAT: Recycled Yoga, 13 At Lola’s | Business Beat – Gazette Newspapers
Yoga Recycling
Starting in May, you will be able to trade in your gently used yoga pants and other garments in exchange for a lululemon e-gift card. The women’s clothing chain, that focuses on athletic wear announced that it is piloting a new trade-in and resale program, beginning May 4.
This recycling “shoportunity,” called “Like New” is part of lululemon’s sustainability commitments that support a vision to contribute to a better world by implementing a series of green initiatives.
Rashika Patel, an educator at the lululemon store in Long Beach at 2ND&PCH Center, said, “I’m excited about it. Our store was part of early testing on the program and we have already started to accept items for recycling.”
Patel said he is environmentally conscious and walks to the store from his home in Seal Beach. “I have items that I plan to trade in, and I’m glad that the clothing will be going to someone else that can use them.”
In June, the online resale program will activate, with 100% of profits being reinvested into the brand’s sustainability initiatives.
According to Ohio State University researchers, “lululemon has a guarantee for the majority of their products to hold together for five years for the specified use of the product. They do this in order to reduce the footprint of the garments over each of their lifecycles and reduce the amount of product that goes towards waste.”
Company officials said that in support of lululemon’s goal of less waste, by extending the life of gear that has been designed to last and purchasing lululemon “Like New” products, customers can save up to 50% of the product’s carbon footprint and 310 grams of waste.
Is this a trend towards used clothing becoming more mainstream? Could be. In late March, ThredUp, an online resale marketplace where consumers can buy and sell secondhand clothing, shoes and accessories, went public on the American Stock Exchange.
The website features about 2.4 million listings from more than 35,000 brands at any given time. Of the current listing of more than 50,000 items of women’s clothing, about 8,000, or 16%, are lululemon branded items.
The secondhand market is estimated to be worth $28 Billion, according to ThredUp’s annual report. The company expects it to increase to $64 billion by 2024 as more consumers shift to used clothing due to environmental concerns from fast fashion.
Lolas’
Lola’s Mexican Cuisine with two Long Beach locations — 2030 E Fourth St. in Retro Row and 4140 Atlantic Ave., in Bixby Knolls — will be celebrating their 13-year anniversary on Monday, May 3.
In honor of those 13 years within the community, the restaurant will be offering $13 Lola’s Margaritas for Two (in-house) and $13 Lola’s Margarita Pitchers To-Go (takeout and delivery only) this weekend-May 1 and 2.
Luis Navarro, the chef and CEO of this family business, has been in the news lately with his campaign to support the migrant children coming to Long Beach.
Navarro is encouraging customers to purchase Lola’s merchandise or gift cards with 100% of proceeds used to provide clothing and toys for the children at the Long Beach Convention Center.
