The rise of fast fashion and its contribution to waste has left many people asking, "What can I do when I'm just one person?" The good news is that there are organizations working toward the same goals.
Re-Commerce Atacama — along with the help of Fashion Revolution Brazil and Desierto Vestido, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to promoting circular economy practices in the textile industry — is working toward clearing out discarded clothes and putting them to good use, as detailed by Mediashotz. The Atacama Desert in Chile has unfortunately become infamous in recent years as a clothing landfill so big it can be seen from space.
Re-Commerce Atacama takes clothing from the landfill and sends them to customers who get the clothes for no more than the price of shipping. This is not exclusive to cheap fast fashion, but also includes designer and brand name pieces. This not only clears clothing waste from the desert but also provides a way for old clothing to be reused and re-loved.
The Re-Commerce mission statement reads: "Hard to believe, but many of these pieces of clothing are brand new. Instead of selling them for lower prices or even giving them away for those in need, the fashion industry prefers to dump them."
This mission is already proving to be successful, according to the organization, which said the first launch sold out in only five hours. This business model will continue to remove trash from the environment while providing affordable clothing to those who need it.
Those interested can sign up to the organization's email list on the Re-Commerce website to be notified of the next drop.
"This isn't just e-commerce; it's re-commerce," said Rodrigo Almeida, Chief Creative Officer at Artplan, which operates Re-Commerce. "We're giving discarded items a voice while challenging consumers to take a more critical look at consumption habits. Each piece carries value, memory, and potential for a new beginning."
Beyond supporting efforts like this one, one of the best ways to drive down pollution in the fashion industry and combat fast fashion at large is to support eco-friendly clothing brands instead and help them gain a foothold and marketing budget to shift the tides on a more mainstream way. You can also support eco-friendly initiatives by existing mainstream brands in the fashion world or for any type of product. Every bit can add up to make a difference.
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