In the town of Franklin, New Jersey, a spray-painted, rainbow-coloured Volkswagen sits in front of “Woodstock Vibes,” a shop that specializes in countless racks of unique, quality, and name brand vintage clothing, shoes and accessories. Customers from all across the region flock to the space for its great prices, its friendly staff, and as expected, the incredible treasures that are visible through the ode to vintage times and materials. A family-run wholesale vintage and hipster store, Woodstock Vibes prides itself on a welcoming atmosphere, and hand selected credential clothing products that are sorted with care into over 80 different categories and subcategories. Laurie Gordon argues that Woodstock Vibes, like many companies invested in the credential clothing market, source their credential clothing from different regions in order to provide clientele with a great mix of goods that feature a wide array of styles from various eras in fashion.

Experts tell us that these great numbers flocking to places like Woodstock Vibes is evidence of the growing interest in and demand for recycled textile and credential clothing. According to the CBC, old textiles that are re-made with new purpose and new owners not only have a growing consumer base, but these textiles are also considered the next frontier in the practice of recycling, particularly for cities looking to cut waste. A recent study determined that in Ontario alone, 85 per cent of discarded textiles end up in a landfill site, and only 15 per cent are actually recycled or reused. This new interest in credential clothing mean that consumers can contribute to an environmental cause, while also giving new owners desired products at a fraction of the cost (even designer items!), which in turn means that they can reduce the amount of disposal income they pull out of their pockets and bank accounts.

So, what exactly is “credential clothing”?

For those who are new to the term, “Credential clothing,” which is otherwise known as “original clothing,” includes textiles (and other various materials such as shoes) that are initially collected in drop and donation boxes, charity organizations and recycling companies. These items, which have been strategically placed in high traffic and even affluent communities, are materials that the original owners determine they no longer need/are unwanted. Once materials have been bagged up and deposited into a clothing recycling bin, experts argue that these credential materials have officially begun t

heir journey as credential used clothing.

In order for materials to qualify as “credential” they must be: in the exact condition and packaging they were first found in, unsorted, untouched, not graded, and free of contamination from trash and wet items. Aside from clothing, within many of these bags, resellers will also often find highly sought-after vintage items, jewelry, shoes, hats, toys and stuffed animals, purses, backpacks, wallets, belts, scarves, miscellaneous fashion accessories, and household linens. Unlike other recycled textiles, credential clothing and associated materials are often preferred among collectors because it is of higher quality, and the materials are often protected by the packaging they are found in. For sellers, they often prefer credential materials because they typically receive a higher price at market.

You may also wonder what role Bank & Vogue plays in the Credential Clothing market?

At Bank & Vogue, we are especially interested in facilitating the purchase and sale of credential clothing — particularly from charities and for-profit collectors across North America. As competitive leaders in the industry, Bank & Vogue sources, processes and sends out for domestic and international export or redistribution hundreds of thousands of pounds of high-grade credential clothing annually. Our process typically consists of having our sellerspick up materials via home pick-up routes, as well as collecting materials from public bins located in neighbourhood drop off locations, in-store drop-offs and donation stations. Whether the credential materials are loose or baled, at Bank & Vogue we take pride in caring for these materials while also returning them to our facilities where the official sorting begins. While it is a characteristic of credential clothing that it is typically unsorted, at Bank & Vogue our staff members are cognizant of the fact that it is important to search the materials that arrive and eliminate any hard items or lotions that can damage the textile items and compromise their value.

Bank & Vogue’s deep familiarity with the credential clothing market and the global need to address a “crisis or stuff” and increase the market’s reliance on recycled materials, means that we have amassed great expertise in the required logistics needed to move these goods across North American and global markets. For those clients who are interested in learning more about credential clothing and how we at Bank & Vogue can help you consume credential clothing and save textiles (and the environment while you’re at it) via an ethical recycling process, they can contact one of our friendly staff members. At Bank & Vogue we are available to provide any necessary assistance and details needed in order to address your credential clothing needs. As is the case with so many of our materials, our team is always ready and willing to discuss pricing and logistics so that clients will be satisfied with their products and the process necessary to get their items in their hands. At Bank & Vogue we make it our responsibility to arrange for the purchase and pickup of any materials you will be parting with.

For those interested in the services we provide at Bank & Vogue regarding wholesale credential clothing, or for more information on the process itself, clients would do well to contact our team for additional details regarding shipping and packaging. There are a number of options for contacting our team to inquire about services whether domestically or internationally. North American clients can call 1-866-613-0719, while international clients can call 1-613-747-8465.