The 4-1-1 About Mixed Rags and Mixed Rag Markets
Over the last ten years, the market for wholesale used clothing has grown— in part out of necessity. As consumers have increasingly bought more as a result of the rise of “fast fashion,” they have also donated in much greater numbers than ever before. Statistics indicate that in the case of the United States […]
Vintage Purchases and the Value of a Vintage “Story”
Folks like Dorothy Nicol carve out their own stories by building a second-hand wardrobe. Nicol has spent years collecting vintage items which she later shared with audiences in her town’s Masonic hall. The material, some of which dates back to the 1800s, includes among other items, a love of flappers. Like many who invest in […]
The Financial and Environmental Benefits of Giving Life to Old Materials
According to the Huffington Post and the U.S Department of Commerce, thrift stores are increasingly becoming big business, while retail store sales are dropping overall. Ithaca.com reported that these sales prove that, “there is a ready market of buyers willing and able to pay large sums of money to purchase used clothing, shoes, and textiles.” This […]
Reducing Waste through Repurposing Vintage Items
For some buyers, once an item, fabric, or accessory has outlived its purpose or the fashion of the period — it becomes useless and worthy of only one place: the trash. For others, repurposing vintage items, especially those that have value, can be an expensive venture. Not only might it be costly to remake antiques […]
What You Need To Know About Credential Clothing
In early November 2017, Emily Farra of Vogue Magazine reported that even those in the high fashion industry see the value in the used clothing market particularly as it relates to the environment. “If you’re concerned with the billions of brand-new clothing items being produced each year (and you most definitely should be), […]
Helping Give New Life to the World’s Used Purses, Shoes and Belts
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Not just country music lyrics, these words tell us how people can find new value in something that might have otherwise been considered useless. While a pair of torn shoes or a used belt once seemed destined for the garbage bin, today there are a host of recycling […]
Help Alleviate The Crisis of Stuff: How to Avoid Sending Used Goods to Landfill (And Make Money!)
The Crisis of Stuff. We are at an intersection of hyper consumption and exorbitant waste. In this current culture of consumption with a disposable mentality, we’re facing an ever-growing crisis: What do we do with all this stuff? If you’re a retailer, charity or thrift store, you know exactly what we’re talking about. Used clothing […]
The Crisis of Stuff by Steven Bethell
Piece by piece, pile by pile, we will demonstrate how you can re-use excess stuff. Our mission will be to make a difference by designing beautiful products that people will love, to find new homes around the world for excess stuff and to support the work of community organizations through recycling. 10 billion pounds (4.5 […]
A SMART Association For Your Business and The Environment
Bank & Vogue is hard at work to bring about a circular economy for the clothing and textile industry, working in tandem with a group of like-minded organizations to realize the benefits this idea can provide the earth, businesses, and consumers worldwide. Our association with SMART (Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles) provides our partners access […]
Fixing a Fashion Crisis – Beyond Retro and Bank & Vogue
The problem of fast fashion is a prominent one in our cultural consciousness. In the news, on the radio, and in our social feeds; our exposure to alarming statistics cultivates an awareness of this social and ecological problem, but very little is done to inform the average person as to possible solutions. Our intent is to help […]
