The fashion industry's fervent pursuit of high-tech recycling often overlooks a more elegant, established solution: the global system for re-wearing clothes. As Brian London of the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association notes, the conversation is clouded by a fundamental question of value. 'What’s ‘rewearable’ is defined by the person buying it,' he explains, describing a market that enforces its own rigorous quality control.
This perspective challenges the lingerie industry's own narrative. For decades, brands like Victoria's Secret built empires on newness, yet their satins and laces have long circulated in a vibrant secondary market. The hierarchy, London argues, should be clear: reuse first. This is a principle familiar to any curator; the most sustainable garment is the one already made, a concept embodied by heritage pieces from pioneers like Maidenform or the intricate constructions of Cadolle.
Critics rightly question the fate of exported secondhand goods, but London reframes the responsibility toward overproduction—particularly of synthetic blends difficult to manage. He proposes directing Extended Producer Responsibility funds to bolster waste infrastructure in receiving nations, rather than simply collecting more.
The data, he cautions, is often misleading, and the reality more nuanced. The demand for quality secondhand wear is real, providing both environmental benefit and access. For lingerie, a category where fit and feel are paramount, reuse is not a compromise but a testament to enduring design. Undermining this existing system, while chasing unproven recycling miracles, risks discarding a solution that already fits.
Originally reported by WWD