Mitumba Trading

Ever wonder what happens to your clothes after you donate them?

I recently stumbled upon this interesting “Witness Special” documentary on Mitumba trading. Mitumba in Swahili means "bundles", which represents the packages of used clothing that are wrapped in plastic and then shipped off to countries in need. This documentary just shows how globalization links different countries together even more than you would have thought!

Recycled clothing in Africa is not about ecology; it is more about a necessity. For example, the documentary states that another popular recycling method is making shoes out of used tires. However, these shoes are mainly fabricated for the African people and are rarely sold to western consumers. This needs explanation: why are they doing this? Is it for themselves or western consumers?

In Africa, recycled clothing is also considered a luxury. The consumers of Mitumba enjoy the fact that they can wear brand name products such as Nike at reasonable prices. Mitumba has brought Western styles to Africa and people like to buy “Mitumba clothing” because they feel as though they are the only one’s wearing that specific article of clothing.

Mitumba trading has helped lots of African countries economically since it generates many jobs. Mitumba trading has helped many Westernized countries recycle their waste while giving to someone in need. However, currently, many under-developed countries are finding it cheaper to buy “western” clothing straight from China instead of buying second-hand “Mitumba clothing.” The problem is, if the African population stops purchasing recycled products and starts purchasing only new products, will that create even more waste that our environment will have to deal with? What will the countries in need do with their unwanted items? And what will we do with our waste?

Watch the documentary here: Mitumba Documentary

Levi's Vintage Clothing Brand

Recently, WWD posted an interesting article about Levi’s “Vintage Clothing” brand. I had absolutely no idea that this division of Levi’s existed. The brand is all about reproducing pieces that the company has an archive. The brand is not about creating fashionable product but rather “simple, American product.”

The article continues to talk about the transformation of a specific Levi’s Concept store in Tokyo that was not doing so well. In addition to incorporating vintage merchandise (such as T-shirts from the 60s and 70s, the visual fixtures were also found objects found at flea markets. Everything in the store is all natural, including the wood and piping which is all recycled material. The designers even chose to use an oak wood since it is believed to be "equivalent to denim in the way it beautifies as it ages." 

Read the article: donadi-a-new-approach-to-premium-at-levi

Macy's Recycled Hangers

Starting this fall, Macy’s Inc. plans on replacing their “standard clear plastic hangers that incorporate pretroleum-based resins” with “matte black hangers made from recycled plastics.”

Along with the hangers, Macy’s Inc. plans on incorporating many more “green” efforts into their business practices such as installing more LED bubls, eliminating foam packaging, increasing the number of solar power systems at stores and encouraging credit customers to receive bills online rather than by paper.

Credit: macys-to-go-green-with-eco-friendly-hangers

Newlymaid.com

Visit Newlymaid.com to recycle and donate your old bridesmaid/prom/evening dresses in exchange for a discounted new black dresses.

In order to recycle your dresses, it’s super simple! All you need to do is to watch a short video on how to package and mail your used dress to the Dessy Group. All garments should be in perfect conditions with no pulls, tears/stains and working zippers.

Once the the Dessy Group has received the dress, you will be notified by email of the special savings you have obtained. Savings typically range from 30 to 50 percent off of six different style dresses, priced under $200.

All donated dresses will be given to Clothes4souls.org (a charity that distributes reused garments to people in need). Newlymaid has also partnered up with Unifi in order to recycle polyester dresses.

So instead of clogging your closet with dresses that will probably never see the light of day again, donate to Newlymaid.com!

Credit: dessy-to-recycle-bridesmaid-dresses

Ecoist.com

Visit the ecoist.com for all sorts of recycled fashion products. The website is primarily known for their recycled candy wrapper handbags.

The ecoist offers products for consumers with all different styles: M&M's for colorful, bubbly personalities, bar codes for the more retro individuals or metallic for the chic girl.

The website offers 16 different wrapper styles (coca-cola, twix and newspaper for example) and over 7 different handbag styles. The website also offers jewelry (such as bracelets, necklaces and earrings) as well as home decor.

Not only is the brand concept all about being socially responsible, but the website also promotes other environmentally friendly factors such as planting a tree with every purchase that a customer makes. In effort to make the brand more “fashiony,” the website demonstrates certain products that celebrities have been seen wearing, or products that were endorsed on certain movies.

Plastic Design

Look at this design Christina Kim created for Dosa entirely out of recycled plastic bottles and muslin:

Credit: http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/one-word-plastics/?scp=4&sq=recycled%20fashion&st=cse

Eco-Trend: High on Green

Look at these different designer's looks made entirely out of recycled plastic or reclaimed metal:

Eco-Trend: High on Green - WWD.com