Debrand’s New Headquarters: Elevating Sustainability Efforts
“This marks an important milestone that will help us pave the way for new and existing brands who count on us to help them meet their sustainability goals by incorporating circular textile business practices. We will continue to deliver seamless operations and quality service to our clients with the hope that this new facility will bring even greater success and opportunities to their business, our planet, and the industry as a whole.”
– Amelia Eleiter, Debrand CEO and Co-founder
We are delighted to share a significant milestone at Debrand: the opening of our new headquarters located in Surrey, BC! This 21,000-square-foot facility is not just a physical space; it represents a pivotal step forward in our commitment to advancing textile recycling and sustainability practices. This facility is the first of its kind in Canada and one of the select few in North America offering cutting-edge textile sortation services.
The apparel industry deals with a complex issue: approximately 92 million tons of textile waste is sent to landfills annually. The manual sorting of textiles for reuse and recycling poses a significant challenge, with a high associated cost. Consequently, many apparel and footwear brands choose the less eco-conscious route of sending their textile waste to international landfills. Our newly inaugurated facility is set to transform this landscape.
With our expanded capacity, we hope to continue growing our business to engage new customers, solution partners, larger volumes, and additional recycling and reuse endeavors. Amelia Eleiter adds, “We have been pioneers in this space and have led the charge in North America, but plan on moving the needle globally.”
What can you expect from our state-of-the-art facility?
We have invested in cutting-edge textile sortation technology and equipment to enhance our capacity and streamline our operations. Debrand’s next-life logistics services encompass:
1. Goods Consolidation: Excess inventory is assessed and categorized based on brand, product, and material type, and subsequently prepared for sorting and grading.
2. Automated Sorting and Grading: We employ a hybrid approach that combines human accuracy with our proprietary technology to effectively identify, sort, grade, and allocate goods to channels offering the highest value.
3. Preparation and Disassembly: Goods are subjected to manual inspection and prepared to meet the specific requirements of each solution partner, whether for resale, donation, recycling, repair, or responsible disposal.
4. Circulation: We efficiently distribute resources to solution partners and provide comprehensive reporting on the environmental impact of goods’ recovery.
5. Circular Textile Consulting: We offer guidance on developing circular textiles and strategies, sharing technical knowledge, expertise in reuse and recycling, and insights into reverse logistics.
Thanks to a landmark moment in 2022, we secured a strategic investment from WM (North America’s premier environmental solutions provider). This was WM’s first strategic investment into textile recycling, underscoring the potential that lies within our shared vision for a sustainable future.
Our commitment to fostering circular textiles extends beyond our facility. We actively participate in American Circular Textiles (ACT), Accelerating Circularity Project (ACP), BC Apparel Group (BCAG), Textile Exchange, Uniform Sustainability Collaborative (USC), and the Canadian Circular Textiles Consortium (CCTC).
With our reputation for exceptional service and tech-enabled solutions, we specialize in reverse logistics for the apparel and footwear industry. Some of our clients include prominent brands like Lululemon Athletica, Canada Goose, Aritzia, Kit and Ace, Bravado, and Everlane.
As we pioneer towards a new era in textile recycling, we’re excited to continue sharing these milestones with you. Together, we can create a more sustainable future, one thread at a time.