One TikToker is giving new meaning to being a clothes horse. In her TikTok video, Nicole (@nicmarriana) shows how much $50 can go in Los Angeles when you find creative ways to revamp a wardrobe. However, her new “hobby” also demonstrates the massive amounts of textile waste that have become the norm.
What happened?
“If you need a new hobby in LA you should buy 1000 lbs of clothes for $50 and go through it with your friends,” Nicole wrote.
@nicmarriana $50 for 1000lbs of clothing is insane…a lot of work but wow it pays off! Here’s the address: 641 E Gage Ave Los Angeles CA 90001 It is appointment ONLY! #losangelesthingstodo #hiddengemla #losangelesclothing #losangelesthrifting #raghouse #losangeles ♬ оригинальный звук – MegaDiscoNKS
Over 2.5 hours, she and a couple of friends sorted through their fabric windfall before only taking 70 pounds of clothing out.
So what happened to the rest? The massive pile was left behind. Whether those unwanted items ended their life cycle prematurely as trash or became a pile for someone else to go through after paying $50 is unclear.
What is clear is that 92 million tons of textile waste is created worldwide each year, according to RE:Source. In addition, even if the used material is still in decent condition, only 15% of American textiles see a second life through reuse, recycling, or upcycling into other products, per the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Why is managing clothing waste important?
Fast fashion earned its name from its quick production, which just as quickly damages the wallet and the environment. Old clothes don’t sit passively in a landfill — they release carbon gases while breaking down. When people keep buying and throwing away clothes every few months, it contributes to an overheating planet with more devastating weather patterns.
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The victims of those natural disasters and the unhoused population can benefit from clothing donations that are decent enough to wear. Plus, constantly buying new clothes is costly for consumers, especially with supply chain disruptions.
What can I do to help prevent textile waste?
Start with saying goodbye to fast fashion and hello to better-made items from sustainable brands like Ecofrico that use hemp. With thrift shopping, you may find rare and vintage items that, despite being decades old, are still in pristine condition from quality materials and seamstress work.
If you or someone in your circle is creative, take those old clothing materials and upcycle them into something else. That torn shirt can become a bag, scarf, or part of a quilt. With enough materials and time, one may create a business from recycled textiles.
Business uniforms can also go green. Healthcare clothing company FIGS allows medical facilities to recycle scrubs.
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“Thanks for trying to re-home these items,” praised one commenter.
An industry professional wrote, “My job is to make clothing bales!!! It’s weird getting to see the other side of it.”
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