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Do you have old jeans taking up space in your closet? Through the end of April, Madewell is leveling up their everyday recycling jeans promotion by giving away a free pair of jeans for every 20 pairs you recycle. The old jeans can be any brand, any adult size (male or female), ripped or stained.
I learned about this promotion today when I received a text message from Madewell and confirmed it with their socials. I also called my local store to ask a few clarifying questions and they confirmed that they are taking heaps of jeans this month, in honor of Earth Day. Any adult jeans are welcome, and they do have a program with ThredUp that’s offered all year long for kid jeans (more on that below!).
Madewell offers two recycling programs — a limited-time ‘free jeans’ promotion and an ongoing recycling initiative. This article provides an overview of both programs.
Limited Time Promotion: Recycle 20 Pairs of Old Jeans for a Free Pair in-store at Madewell (Ends 4/30/23)
Madewell is running a promotion until April 30, 2023 to encourage the recycling of used denim. By bringing 20 pairs of old adult jeans from any brand to a Madewell store, you will receive a voucher for a new pair of Madewell jeans.
To get your free Madewell jeans:
- Collect 20 pairs of old jeans from any brand (check your local store beforehand for what they will accept. Some stores may accept kid sizes, but that depends by location. My location said if you have 18 adult size jeans and two kid sizes, for example, they will accept it).
- Visit a local Madewell store before April 30, 2023.
- Donate the jeans to the store staff for recycling.
- Receive a voucher for a free pair of Madewell jeans.
Get any pair free, including regular price jeans, which run up to $148 per pair at Madewell! Valid at U.S. locations only.
Pick up cheap pairs at garage sales, Buy Nothing groups or thrift stores to trade in at Madewell.
So maybe you’re running a few pairs short of the 20 needed for recycling to scoop up a free pair of Madewell jeans. Check thrift stores, garage sales, and Facebook’s Buy Nothing groups to get your hands on some extra jeans for cheap. Remember, they’ll also accept adult jeans (but can be male or female jeans, it doesn’t matter). Once you’ve hit your 20, bring them into the store for the promotion. Considering Madewell jeans range in price from $98 to $148, you should still come out ahead on this even with a spend of a few dollars.
Madewell’s Ongoing Denim Recycling Initiative
In addition to the limited-time promotion, Madewell has an ongoing denim recycling program. This initiative involves collecting old jeans and turning them into housing insulation for communities in need.
When you bring in a single pair of used jeans, Madewell will give you a $20 coupon off any pair of jeans in their store including sale.
To participate in Madewell’s ongoing recycle jeans initiative:
- Gather any old jeans, regardless of the brand.
- Go to your nearest Madewell store and donate the jeans to the store staff.
- Receive a $20 voucher towards a future purchase of Madewell jeans.
For more information about the program, visit Madewell’s Denim Recycling Program page.
For kids jeans, my Madewell store told me they accept kid jeans (any size and any brand). Your store will give you a ThredUp bag to mail your kid jeans to, and then a week later, you will get a coupon for Madewell — usually a $50 – $60 coupon is given per bag — that can be used for a new pair. The Madewell rep told me that the coupon amount depends on different labels and the condition of the jeans, but they do accept all jeans for donations.
The Environmental Impact of Madewell Recycle Jeans Programs
Participating in Madewell’s recycle jeans programs contributes to reducing textile waste and conserving natural resources. Recycling old jeans decreases the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.
Through their partnership with Blue Jeans Go Green™, Madewell converts the donated denim into housing insulation. This material is then used in the construction of homes for communities in need. The process reduces the environmental impact associated with traditional insulation materials and repurposes old jeans. See list of stores that do jeans recycling and our complete list of store recycling programs.
