Olivia Wilde wants you to buy used clothes from her new clothing collection.
In part of an effort to rail against fast-fashion culture, Wilde and her company Conscious Commerce have partnered with the secondhand clothing experts at ThredUP to create a one-of-a-kind line made entirely of used clothes. Called “Choose Used,” the collection aims to dispel the stigma around wearing used clothing, while fighting against the culture of fast fashion.
“We’re in the midst of a fashion waste crisis, and buying secondhand can make a real difference,” Wilde told HuffPost US exclusively. “I’ve always loved vintage and I’m proud to wear used clothes, so I was drawn to thredUP’s mission to keep great clothing in use and out of landfills. I hope this collaboration inspires others to embrace secondhand to lighten our collective fashion footprint.”
Each piece in the collection is screenprinted with a retro-inspired design that proudly labels the garment as used, including phrases like “Used Goods” and “I Wear Used Clothes.” And 10% of the net proceeds from the collection go to ThredUP’s Circular Fashion Foundation, a charitable group that supports sustainable fashion efforts across the globe.
Fast fashion is big business. Around 32 billion garments are created for the US fashion market each year, but nearly 65 percent of them end up in a landfill. All of that textile waste makes fashion the second-most polluting industry in the world. That said, secondhand is now a $20 billion (£15 billion) industry that’s expected to double in the next five years.
If you’re unfamiliar with ThredUP, it’s an online thrift store where you can buy and sell secondhand clothing and accessories. ThredUP is now the world’s largest secondhand clothing marketplace. In October, the brand launched its very own size-inclusive clothing line that was designed to eventually be resold, fulfilling its mission to support circular fashion.
Perhaps what I love most about ThredUP are the brand’s “Clean Out Kits.” When you order a Clean Out Kit, you’re either sent a super durable bag with prepaid shipping for $1 (77p) or a label to send your own boxes for free. You use that postage to then mail ThredUP your old clothes. You can choose to get paid for the items when they resell, or the company will take on the task of donating and responsibly recycling your used clothing for you. It’s pretty much the easiest way to clean out your closet and make some cash in the process. I’ve also purchased one-of-a-kind vintage pieces from ThredUP for a fraction of the price they’d be in a boutique secondhand shop.
If you’re looking to ditch fast-fashion brands like Forever21 and instead support more ethical and sustainable fashion labels, you’re in good company. Browse Wilde’s “Choose Used” collection below, and if you want more of our editor-sourced products and reviews, sign up for HuffPost’s sales and deals newsletter.
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