222. Circular Economy or Greenwashing? How Gear Trade-In Programs Really Work with Pancho Gomez

At the beginning of April, I published an article for SFGATE asking a simple but complicated question: Do clothing take-back programs actually reduce clothing production and fashion’s environmental impact?

After speaking with brands like Levi Strauss & Co., Patagonia, and The North Face, the answer wasn’t exactly clear. Every brand approached take-back and resale differently, with different goals, systems, and definitions of success.

Our guest today, Pancho Gomez, has spent the last two decades working at the intersection of technology, the outdoor industry, and social responsibility. Most recently, he led the Customer Experience team at Trove, helping build trade-in and resale programs for brands including Patagonia, Arc'teryx, Levi’s, and Carhartt.

So I had to ask him: Are gear and clothing take-back programs actually helping build a circular economy, or are they just another form of greenwashing?

In episode 222 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, Pancho takes us behind the scenes of how these programs operate, what brands gain from them, and whether resale can meaningfully reduce waste in the outdoor and fashion industries.

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Episode Resources

SF Gate Article: https://www.sfgate.com/shopping/article/clothing-take-back-programs-explained-22187338.php

Connect with Pancho Gomez: https://www.becausewhy.net/