For the betterment of the planet and your wallet, Wild Rock Outfitters in downtown Peterborough has launched the ‘Wild Again’ program, inviting outdoor adventurers across the country to trade in lightly used premium apparel and equipment in exchange for store credit.
A popular retailer of specialty outdoor gear, clothing, and equipment rentals in downtown Peterborough, Wild Rock was founded by outdoor enthusiasts Scott Murison and Kieran Andrews in 1992 with a mission to get people to “Go Out and Play.”
That’s exactly what the Wild Again program aims to do, by making making premium outdoor gear more affordable for everyone. One of the few programs of its kind in Canada, Wild Again gives customers store credit for anything from a barely worn fleece hanging in the back of a closet to a tent purchased for a camping trip that hasn’t been pitched in years. Other Wild Rock customers can then purchase the traded-in items at a lower price point.
“If you spend a rainy day finding the stuff you no longer wear, we can get it into the hands of somebody who’s going to actually use it — and who maybe couldn’t afford it brand new,” says Murison. “It opens up a lot of these really good quality clothing items to a group that might not otherwise be able to afford it.”
Wild Rock is accepting clothing, footwear, tents, sleeping bags, cross country ski gear, and backpacks. In the future, they hope to accept bulkier items like bicycles, kayaks, and canoes, but are not accepting these items at the current time.
All traded items must be clean and in good condition, undamaged and unaltered, and from an acceptable quality brand. This includes select brands that aren’t typically sold by the retailer.
Along with making premium outdoor gear more affordable, the Wild Again program supports the circular economy by keeping items out of landfills and lowering the demand for new production.
“Every piece of clothing we give a second life is one less piece of clothing that would otherwise end up in the landfill, and one less new piece of clothing that has to be manufactured,” says Murison. “If we can keep this stuff being used in a circular way, then there’s less being produced, less going to the landfill, and more enjoyment coming out of the same amount of product.”
For a list of brands and categories accepted, visit wildrock.net/pages/in-store-trade-ins, where you can also get a quick estimate of your gear’s eligibility and value.
Local customers can bring their items to the store during business hours for an assessment. Gear can also be traded in from anywhere across Canada using shipping materials provided by Wild Rock. Clothing that cannot be resold through Wild Again will be donated to an appropriate organization like a charity or sports club.
Credit from the trade-in can be used in store or online to purchase new or used gear, or can be donated to the ComPassion Project. The store’s non-profit initiative supports local partner organizations that are active in fighting for social justice and equity, or that strive to protect the outdoor spaces and recreational areas of Peterborough County. To learn more, visit wwwcompassionptbo.ca.
Located at 169 Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough, Wild Rock Outfitters is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Shop The Boro is a branded editorial feature series about locally owned independent businesses in downtown Peterborough, created in partnership with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).
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