Oh wow.
Luxury brand Coach has admitted that they “destroy” their products after a video went viral showing handbags torn to pieces.
TikTok user @thetrashwalker shared a video showing a few of Coach’s “slashed” bags, originally being pointed out by @dumpsterdivingmama, who says they were found in a bin outside a shopping centre after the fashion season ended.
“As you can see they’re all slashed, which is Coach’s policy,” TikToker @thetrashwalker, or Anna, alleged.
“This is what they do with unwanted merchandise, they order an employee to deliberately slash it so no-one can use it and then they write it off as a tax write off under the same tax loophole as if they were accidentally destroyed.”
@thetrashwalker##coach ##donatedontdump ##retailmademe ##dumpsterdiving ##shopping ##climatechange ##haul ##free ##eco ##recycle ##donate ##nyc ##thrift ##repair ##fashion ##style ♬ Waltz of the Flowers – The Nutcracker – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
After the video went viral, Coach had no choice but to reply, issuing a statement to say that while this used to be the case, they have since stopped destroying their products like this.
“We always strive to do better and we are committed to leading with purpose and embracing our responsibility as a global fashion brand to effect real and lasting change for our industry,” the brand said.
“We are committed to sustainability. We have now ceased destroying in-store returns of damaged and unsalable goods and are dedicated to maximising such products reuse in our Coach (Re)Loved and other circularity programs.
“Last year, we donated product valued at over $55 million to support low-income families, individuals in need, those re-entering the workforce and education programs.
We always strive to do better and we are committed to leading with purpose and embracing our responsibility as a global fashion brand to effect real and lasting change for our industry. #CoachNY pic.twitter.com/xeoNDMDXVZ
— Coach (@Coach) October 11, 2021
“We will continue to develop and implement solutions to responsibly repurpose, recycle and reuse excess or damaged products.”
Alleging that Coach has an employee deliberately slash the bags so they cannot be used, Anna said in the video that Coach also has a repair workshop and encourages customers to have their bags repaired rather than throw them away.
Anna said: “Coach actually has a repair programme for their bags… so I’m going to take some of these into Coach and ask them to repair them for me, because according to their website they really care about the circular economy, they really care about sustainability.”
