ACS partners with Archive to launch resale service
Circularity Capital portfolio company Advanced Clothing Solutions (ACS) has announced a pioneering partnership with technology platform Archive. The agreement will see the two firms collaborate to provide top fashion brands with a cleaning, repair and fulfilment service for second-hand luxury fashion items through a branded resale marketplace.
Providing a simple way for companies embracing circular business models to further maximise efficiency and profitability, the first-to-market solution will extend the lifespan of thousands of high-end garments, while consequently reducing demand for virgin manufacture. Several UK companies have already signed up to leverage the partnership, including The North Face and PANGAIA.
Acting as a key facilitator in the transition to circular fashion, ACS works with major retailers to deliver a comprehensive rental, subscription and resale fulfilment service, enabling the industry’s shift towards access over ownership. From environmentally-friendly cleaning and brand authentication, to garment repair, ironing, photography, packaging and delivery, ACS manages the entire logistics process.
Archive, on the other hand, has developed proprietary resale software that aggregates brands’ product data to accurately identify, condition, repair, clean, price, photograph, list and fulfil items on resale marketplaces. Items unfit for resale are re-routed for recycling or donation.
Commenting on the announcement, Andrew Rough, CEO of ACS, said: I’m delighted to announce our partnership with Archive, which has already enabled The North Face and PANGAIA to own their UK resale channels, and marks a pivotal moment in our own resale journey. We consider this a game changer for the fashion industry and look forward to seeing what our two brands can achieve together.”
As part of PANGAIA’s ReWear resale program, brand-owned inventory is sent to ACS for renewal and resale on its branded recommerce platform. Similarly, ACS and Archive process, clean, repair, and resell inventory from The North Face for its ‘Renewed’ initiative.
Emily Gittins, CEO and Co-founder of Archive, added: “We are thrilled to partner with ACS and enable brands to easily adopt and scale circular business models in the UK. The team at ACS are true leaders and innovators with a passion for transforming the fashion industry, and we look forward to deepening our partnership even further.”
David Mowat, partner at Circularity Capital, concluded: “ACS provides the capabilities and processes to enable retailers to scale their rental, subscription and resale ambitions with ease, transforming the industry from a traditional take-make-dispose model to keep fashion products in the value chain for longer. The Archive partnership is the latest in a long line of strategic announcements that demonstrate the disruptive real-world potential of embracing circular business models – as well as their pivotal role in the fashion industry of tomorrow.”
For more information about ACS, or its work as a key enabler in the shift to circular fashion, visit www.acsclothing.co.uk.