Optimization of Duke Stores Apparel Collection and Recycling Program

Timeline

2025

Description

Affiliated Course: ENV 790.41 - Sustainable Operations and Supply Chains

Summary: A team of five graduate (Master of Environmental Management, Master of Public Policy) students collaborated with Duke Stores to promote student participation in the Recrafted Boxercraft Recycling Program. Launched in January 2024 in partnership with Boxercraft, the textile recycling program encourages students to return unwanted clothing (Duke branded and otherwise) to a collection box in Duke Stores to receive discount coupons on future merchandise through Duke Stores. The team conducted interviews with key stakeholders and surveyed students to assess program awareness and identify barriers of program adoption. These insights informed data driven recommendations to increase program awareness and participation.

Goals:

1. Develop a scalable and low-maintenance strategy for Duke Stores to increase student participation in the Recrafted Recycling Program.
2. Create a sustainable, iterative plan that requires minimal staff effort while maximizing long-term program participation.
3. Collect enough clothing items from students to fill one collection box for Boxercraft’s first pickup.
4. Promote circularity on campus.

Experience and Learning Outcomes: Over the semester, the student team conducted interviews, applied operational frameworks, and administered a survey to understand program adoption challenges.

The major roadblocks that emerged were:
1. Low Donation Box Visibility – Many students were unaware of the textile recycling box location.
2. Limited Program Awareness – Despite coupon incentives, participation remained low. To address this, the team’s survey questions were designed to explore whether students prioritized convenience (easier and more access to donation boxes) or incentives (discounts for participation).

Recommendations: The student team suggested 4 recommendations:

1. Increase Donation Box Accessibility:

• Move the donation box to the first cash register near the front of the store for better visibility. This ensures people who enter Duke Stores must walk by the box, increasing the amount of people who may become aware of the program.
• Place additional donation boxes across campus at high-traffic areas such as dorms, gyms, or the Brodhead Center. 

2. Enhance Awareness through Strategic Outreach:

• Increase social media program promotion around key dates such as Earth Day, move-out week, and pre-break cleanouts. Key dates will help center marketing tactics and allow for other partners (e.g., sustainability clubs, Resident Assistants, etc.) to promote the program. The team recommended securing partners to repost and boost social media presence.
• Partner with the Office of Climate and Sustainability to collect donations after Devil’s Thrifthouse or Duke Athletics events that involve excess textiles and/or merchandise.

3. Refine Incentive Structure:

• Introduce periodic incentive campaigns (such as limited time bonus coupons).
• Introduce additional merchandise incentives, such as small-item Duke gear (<$10 price) or dead stock that may incentivize clothing donations.

4. Streamline Internal Processes

• Integrate data collection processes for tracking coupon usage and clothes donations into staff training.
• Ensure a back-up inventory of additional collection boxes for rapid deployment and holding excess donated clothing.

Students: Andreana Chou, Fiona Guan, Jessica Stubbs, Annabel Weyhrich, Zhaoxin Zhang

Course Client: Brian Burtram, Director, Duke Stores; Jeffrey Kahlmeyer, Manager, Duke Stores

Other stakeholders: Jason Elliott, Assistant Director, Office of Climate and Sustainability; Shannon Parker, Instructor, Executive in Residence, Nicholas School of the Environment, Business and Environment Program