MERRELL ANNOUNCES 'THIS IS HOME' - A MULTIYEAR SUSTAINABILITY COMMTTMENT AIMED AT PROTECTING THE OUTDOORS

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04/06/2022 - 08:03 AM

Outdoor Leader Kicks Off New Sustainability Campaign by Introducing 'ReTread' – An Exchange Program that will Preserve Nature and Keep Footwear Out of Landfills

ROCKFORD, Mich., April 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Merrell®, the leading outdoor performance and lifestyle brand, today announced This Is Home, a multi-year sustainability initiative designed to inspire consumers to protect the nature that shapes their everyday lives. The campaign will focus on digital, social, and connected TV while showcasing Merrell footwear and apparel that is made with more sustainable materials. The goal is to inspire people to get outside while minimizing their environmental impact.

To kick off the inaugural year of This Is Home, Merrell is launching a multinational product takeback and resale program called Merrell ReTread^SM, which will save 300,000 pairs of footwear from landfills in our own backyards. This first of its kind program introduces the takeback economy to the footwear industry and is a step towards a more circular economy. As part of Merrell's continuous commitment to sustainability, the company partnered with ReCircled to implement Merrell ReTread^SM. The program, which launches in April in the US and Canada, allows consumers the opportunity to give back Merrell footwear. Once received, the footwear will be repaired and refurbished for resale, broken down for use in new products, or recycled for alternative uses.

"The role of This is Home is to ignite our emotional connection to the outdoor environments around us, by encouraging people to deepen their experiences locally," says Chris Hufnagel, Global Brand President of Merrell. "We believe the outdoors is a place that people can always come home to, and that is why we are committed to preserve and protect the places we recreate. The Merrell ReTread^SM program is a firm step in our sustainable commitment, enabling us to extend the life of our Merrell footwear and giving people more options to minimize their environmental footprint."

To participate in the Merrell ReTread^SM program, consumers can visit retread.merrell.com to obtain a free return label to ship their used Merrell footwear to ReCircled. Once the shipment is collected, consumers will receive a $20 off promotion code* to either purchase new Merrell footwear or apparel. The ReTread program will continue to expand globally, with plans to launch in EMEA later this year.

The Merrell ReTreadSM program is one of the many pledges Merrell has made to deepen its commitment to sustainability through its This Is Home initiative. The company recently announced the sustainability goals they're striving to meet or exceed by 2025. This includes the following:

100 percent of products will contain organic, recycled, or renewable materials
100 percent responsibly sourced apparel materials
Reduce shoe and apparel samples by 50 percent
Reduce plastic packaging
Complete 10,000 volunteer hours
Save 300,000 pairs of footwear from ending up in landfills through ReTread program

As Merrell builds out the future of its upcoming collections, the brand is dedicated to embedding more eco-friendly and sustainable materials while balancing performance and durability. To learn more about Merrell's commitment to sustainability, please visit merrell.com/thisishome.

*Valid on a purchase of $80 or more in the US. Discount varies per region.

ABOUT MERRELL:

Merrell® exists to share the simple power of being outside and is committed to building an inclusive and sustainable environment for future generations to enjoy. As the global leader in outdoor active footwear with the Moab hiking boot and Jungle Moc, Merrell is focused on merging performance, styling, and comfort to empower all people to confidently explore the outdoors. Visit Merrell.com or follow us on social @Merrell. Merrell® is a division of Wolverine World Wide, Inc.(NYSE: WWW), one of the world's leading marketers and licensors of branded casual, active lifestyle, work, outdoor sport, athletic, children's and uniform footwear and apparel.

ABOUT RECIRCLED:

ReCircled is a global innovation company. Founded in 2019, their mission is to provide a novel approach to reuse of footwear and apparel. They provide process and infrastructure for clothing brands in the Circular Economy.

ReCircled has created a global process that closes the loop for circular initiatives. ReCircled works with footwear and apparel brands in North America, Europe and Asia. They have facilities in Sidney, NE and Prato, Italy.

ReCircled has built a proprietary digital process that administers take-back programs. The programs have both digital and bricks and mortar retail store applications. Consumers can return a brand's items through this portal. After assessment, items are upcycled or recycled. After cleaning, repair and photography, upcycled items are ready for resale on a brand's reCommerce site. Recycled items move on to the disassembly process. From this point, parts travel through the appropriate recycling streams.