Instead of across the board markdowns, the local label is encouraging its customers to bring in Ruby and sister-brand Liam garments they already own and are finished with, to any Ruby store. Once the garments are processed by the brand’s staff and assessed for a potential resale price, customers will receive a Ruby gift voucher to the value of 40% of the resale price, regardless of whether Ruby sells the preloved garment again or not.
The garments will be collated and on the traditional day of Black Friday, this year the 24th of November, the brand will hold a sale of the pre-loved clothing in its Newmarket store. The sale will run until Sunday the 26th of November.
“What is Ruby doing for Black Friday? It’s a question that is asked every year,” shares Anna-Lise Sharma Lawson, Ruby’s sales and marketing director.
“It has never felt right for us to engage with it. We know that Black Friday does not come from Aotearoa and it drives the type of consumption that is seriously harmful to our planet and people. But at the same time, we know that Black Friday can be a good opportunity for [those] on a tighter budget, or those who just love a sweet deal, to buy pieces that they may not have otherwise been able to.”
Sharma Lawson says the idea for what they are calling TAKE B_ACK FRIDAY was inspired by the way clothes sharing between friends extends a garment’s life.
“Think about how cool it is to rummage through your best friend’s wardrobe. This is our vision,” she says.
The brand has been vocal about supporting the future of New Zealand fashion while recognising fashion is an industry that can often encourage excessive consumption. Via general manager Emily Miller-Sharma, the brand often shares the challenges of sustainable, transparent and ethical supply chain and responsible manufacturing and has a number of circularity initiatives.
Miller-Sharma is also a co-founder of Mindful Fashion NZ, a fashion industry organisation that supports long term sustainable success for its members and the wider industry.
“We believe that a thriving future for our industry exists in a truly circular system,” confirms Sharma Lawson.
“We envisage Ruby to be a place that celebrates both new and second hand clothing. We want 25% of our sales to come from Ruby Says Recycle by 2030 and since the launch of Ruby Says Recycle [online sales of the brand’s samples and seconds] in 2021, we are well on our way.”
Customers have until Sunday the 19th of November to take Ruby and Liam pieces they no longer wear into Ruby stores for the TAKE B_ACK FRIDAY event and to be eligible for the discount.
The full details are at RUBYNZ.com.
