Tough as old boots: Dr Martens mulls expanding resale platform outside US
The boot maker launched ReWair in the US in March 2024 and has so far sold 10,000 pairs through the service.
Footwear retailer Dr Martens has revealed it is considering expanding its ReWair resale platform outside the US as it looks to capitalise on the boom in the second-hand economy.
The UK-headquartered group, whose yellow-stitched boots have been a retro mainstay for decades, launched its ReWair offering in America in March 2024 as part of its aims to be more sustainable.
The branded resale platform has been such a success, with more than 10,000 pre-loved pairs sold in the US since launch, the group is now mooting bringing the platform to other countries around the world.
Chief executive Ije Nwokorie told the Press Association the group was looking at how it could “build that offering out”.
He said it had not made a decision on which countries would be next or when, but said “if it’s successful in one place” it was natural to look at expansion.
It comes amid a boom in demand for second-hand products in the UK and worldwide.
Delivery giant Evri – which has a partnership with pre-loved site Vinted – recently revealed the surge in second-hand shopping and online marketplaces helped it deliver nearly 50 million more parcels over the first half of this year.
The ReWair initiative is also bringing new customers to the Dr Martens brand, according to the group.
It said 43% of US resale customers were new to the brand as at the end of March.
ReWair repairs and restores second-hand footwear and bags, which the firm then authenticates and sells through a dedicated online store.
Returned products are also refurbished for resale if possible, or directed to recycling or donation if they cannot be restored.
In the UK, Dr Martens does not directly run a branded resale offering but instead has a ReWair shop on the Depop platform, which is run in partnership with The Boot Repair Company.
Since launch in April 2022, it has sold more than 13,000 refurbished Dr Martens products.
The firm also has an authorised repair service in the UK, which Mr Nwokorie said had been “doing really well” in the UK, with nearly 5,800 customers using it to extend the life of their footwear.
“It really plays to our strengths,” he told PA. “And all of that is a revenue stream for us.”
As well as tapping into the demand for second-hand products, its resale initiatives come as part of aims for all its products to have a “sustainable end-of-life” option by 2040.
This will mean that returned items that cannot be repaired for resale are recycled or donated.
In March 2024, Dr Martens launched three products made with Genix Nappa – a new material created from reclaimed leather – to help ensure all its products are made from sustainable materials by 2040.
