Spearheading Circularity for Salvos Stores

Interview with Aife O’Loughlin

At Salvos Stores we’ve been enabling the circular economy (CE) for over 130 years. Over this time the CE has evolved and as a result, we need to evolve with it. There is an increased focus on the CE both locally and globally and Salvos Stores need to adapt to the changing market to ensure we can continue to raise vital funds for The Salvation Army programs.

To help us adapt to this changing environment, Salvos Stores has recently appointed Aife O’Loughlin to the role of Senior Manager – Circular Economy. We caught up with Aife to discuss this exciting new opportunity and what it means for Salvos Stores moving forward.

So Aife what is the circular economy?

"Well right now when something new is manufactured it is designed using a “Take, Make, Waste” system. This means it is impacting our biodiversity, often isn’t built for multiple consumer lives and when it inevitably comes to the end of its life it ends up in landfill. None of which is sustainable for people or the planet.

When something is designed to be circular, the entire life cycle of the product is considered from before it’s manufactured, through to re-use and eventually end of life, where it could be re-made into something new. If it sounds complicated, that’s because often time’s it is – but that doesn’t mean it’s something we shouldn’t be striving for!

As Senior Manager – Circular Economy, I have been tasked with building out new product and service offerings for our customers as well as retailers to encourage more participation in the re-use part of the circular economy".

Why has the role come about?

"We’ve just launched our new strategy at Salvos Stores, and one of the key strategic activities identified was to be a thought leader in the circular economy. Second-hand fashion retail is projected to grow 3x faster than commercial retail in the next 4 years within Australia alone. This projected growth presented an opportunity to leverage our expertise in this space".

How does the role fit into the mission of TSA?

"The circular economy is incredibly connected to the mission and vision of The Salvation Army (TSA), as it seeks to transform Australia one life at a time by building healthy & sustainable communities.

Working on new initiatives within the circular economy space, will allow for Salvos Stores to continue the positive impact we make for people & the planet, whilst continuing to grow our contribution to community programs that support people in need".

What exciting upcoming projects can we expect to see from this space?

Right now, I’m focused on building strong foundations. This will allow us to ensure we are making the best decisions to support this continually evolving space. More information to follow once solid foundations have been laid!

Whilst I am very excited about what the future holds, you can get involved in the circular economy today. Donate items you no longer need and love (that can still be re-used) to your local Salvos Store or via our online donation portal and choose to shop second-hand first either in one of our stores nationally or through salvosstores.com.au.