Re-make Re-use Re-pair Re-fashion
Re-Fashion sells donated high-quality women’s clothes and in return funds charitable causes. Their mission is to make fashion sustainable for good but what does this mean and who’s really benefitting?
The U.K throws away 350,000 tonnes of good quality clothes each year. In monetary terms that’s £140 million worth of used, but wearable, clothing going to waste.
Re-Fashion helps to keep these clothes in the loop.
Their website lists 1000s of second-hand items ready to be bought from brands like Boden, Jigsaw, Karen Millen, M&S, Monsoon, Oasis…
There are some great pieces on there and the prices are very reasonable. Who wouldn’t be happy picking up a pair of Levis in good condition for £17 or a Karen Millen dress in excellent condition for a quarter of the retail price?
Purchasing second-hand clothing is a great sustainable option for adding new additions to your wardrobe and keeping old clothing out of landfill.
How it Works
Re-Fashion relies on donations. If you have old clothes that you wish to donate, all you need to do is go on their website, request a donation bag, fill it with clothes and post it back for free. Re-Fashion only accepts women’s clothing. Dresses, trousers, tops, bodysuits, sweaters, skirts, shorts, jeans, coats, jackets, sportswear, and activewear.
They want high street fashion and designer brands but don’t want fast fashion labels like Primark and so won’t list them. They also don’t accept, shoes, bags, and accessories, non-clothing items: toys, books, sports gear, etc, sleepwear, underwear, nightwear, men’s and kid’s clothing, illegal or counterfeit items, altered items, and items without sizes. They ask for everything to be clean and won’t accept anything with rips, broken parts, stains or odours. The list is pretty extensive.
So Where Does Your Donation Go?
Donations are listed and sold on the Re-Fashion website, giving them a new lease of life.
Re-Fashion runs a repair shop, teaching mending skills so people can extend the life of their clothes. Little Hands Design, which is using storytelling to bring sustainability to life for the next generation. They are also supporting a new generation of socially conscious designers.
Money from sales goes to the Rieves Foundation. The Rieves foundation is a registered charity. Currently, the Rieves Foundation website doesn’t give much away but it does say;
“The Rieves Foundation supports sustainability to ensure better outcomes for our planet and the people who live on it. A sustainable approach will drive a better quality of life, now and for generations to come. The foundation supports initiatives which help people to help the planet.”
