Levi's will hand out discounts to customers who recycle clothes

Customers will be given a voucher for the discount if they drop off any brand of clean, dry clothing or shoes in a specially installed collection box in Levi’s stores.

The company said it plans to expand the initiative across the rest of Europe by the end of 2017.

It has operated a similar programme across the US, albeit with a 20% discount, since July last year.

"We’re thinking about sustainability across all facets of our business and how to shift consumer behavior to make recycling clothing the norm," said Michael Kobori, vice president of sustainability at Levi Strauss & Co.

"Collecting used clothing at our stores makes it simple and easy for consumers to do their part and builds upon our commitment to do the right thing for the environment."

Levi’s UK move comes four years after Marks & Spencer launched its Shwopping recycling initiative, which originally encouraged customers to bring in old clothing when they bought something from M&S.

The scheme, which is still going, subsequently introduced the incentive of a £5 discount on a spend of £35 at M&S in return for dropping their old clothes off at Oxfam.