USED GEAR
For a lot of folks, visiting a gear shop feels like a mini vacation— even if they’re not heading to the mountains, they leave refreshed.” Building the Community While the raw business aspect of resale gear is a major draw, the big picture is even rosier: It builds community, and that’s ultimately what the outdoors can give beyond profit. And reuse is an integral— perhaps the most integral—aspect of sustainability. Keeping gear out of the landfill and even discour- aging overconsumption. “Having the consignment section is integral to the store,” says Donohue. “It makes the out- doors so much more accessible, especially for newer users, but also for families and for people at the next level who are upgrading their gear.” Buying used gear promotes the type of values the outdoor indus- try espouses and it positions the independent outdoor specialty store as the center of that aspira- tional community. “The commu- nity loves it,” says Desaulniers. “Corvallis is an outdoor-oriented, sustainability-minded town, and the Annex aligns perfectly with those values. It’s not just about
saving money; it’s about reus- ing, recycling, and supporting local business.” The Trailhead, Peak Sports, Outdoor Gear Exchange, and Backcountry Essentials all serve college towns. And col- lege students represent the next generation of outdoor enthusi- asts and conservationists. But the outdoor community can grow beyond the usual suspects when it comes to growing the industry. “There are young adults in town who want to get back into skiing or camp- ing but aren’t ready to pay full retail. That’s a big part of our customer base,” says Frank. It may sound like something said holding hands around a camp- fire, but used gear can have the potential to unite us. Add it all up and there’s no reason not to at least dip your toe into the resale business in some form, especially with the economic landscape filled with so much uncertainty. “Just figure out how to do it and go for it. It’s profitable, it strengthens community ties, and it’s what customers want,” says Desaul- niers. “Honestly, it’s the best idea I’ve ever had.”
Clean It Up Powered by pressurized CO₂, Tersus Solutions can make old gear look new. One problem with used gear? Well, it’s used—and it often looks that way. But deep in an industrial area in Denver, the massive washing machines of Tersus Solutions are making even heavily worn gear look brand spanking new. “The system uses CO₂ under pressure—it turns into a liquid,” explains Peter Whitcomb, Tersus’ chief executive officer. “The higher the pressure, the lower the viscosity, which lets it penetrate even the tightest weaves of fabric.” It’s shocking what the Tersus system can clean, from Doc Martin boots to firefighters’ PPE to couture dresses, though the meat of Tersus’ operation is outdoor technical gear including down, base layers, and outerwear. The Tersus method is both incredibly effective and sus- tainable. “It removes contaminants, deodorizes, sanitizes, and then, as pressure releases, the liquid turns back to gas. The garments come out dry—no heat, no detergent, no water waste,” Whitcomb says. Each cycle saves about 300 gallons of water, uses a tenth of the energy of traditional cleaning systems, and recaptures 95% of the CO₂ for reuse. The only input is CO₂ itself, purchased as a waste gas from an etha- nol producer in Colorado. The result is “a truly closed-loop system—cleaner, more efficient, and better for textiles than conventional washing or dry cleaning.” For Whitcomb, who formerly worked at REI, the technology is part of a bigger shift in how the outdoor industry can approach sustainability. “Brands genuinely care about the environment. They want to do good—but it takes real change and hard decisions to actually do that,” he says. “At Tersus, we’ve created a way for them to do it more comfortably—to make it both profitable and accretive to their brand equity.” Tersus partners with major outdoor brands including Arc’ter- yx and Patagonia, tracking and then shipping cleaned used gear to consumers, as well as small specialty retailers, directly from its warehouse. When it comes down to it, Whitcomb sees the resale business, Tersus dubs it “recommerce,” as the outdoor in- dustry tapping into a massive, readily available resource. “Used gear isn’t just cheap thrift—it’s curation. Some vintage pieces have more value now than when they were new. It’s become a treasure hunt, and that’s exciting.”
GRASSROOTS STORIES 17
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