LOS ANGELES — Inside Project ReWear’s Newbury Park warehouse, the racks are full — but nothing here is brand new.
Every item is second-hand — most of it handpicked by the founders from other thrift stores, along with pieces donated by customers.
Regular shopper Ashley Strang is here often, looking for clothes for her 3-and 4-year-old daughters, who seem to outgrow things overnight.
“Everything is very inexpensive at this store, and these days it’s so pricey to get clothes that only last a month or two. My girls are growing like giants, so I just need something that’s more affordable”, said Strang.
Project ReWear’s mission centers on the circular fashion movement: reusing, repairing, and recirculating clothing rather than tossing it out. They also track how many pounds they divert from the landfill.
The idea came from two moms — Kim Lau and Linda Young — who saw firsthand how much waste the fashion industry creates and wanted to educate others.
“We have enough clothing on the planet to clothe the next six generations — and fast fashion, which is trendy, affordable, disposable clothing, is what is causing this enormous issue of overconsumption and overproduction,” said Lau.
According to the latest EPA data, textile waste has jumped more than 50% since 2000 — driven in large part by fast fashion, where quick production cycles make it easy to refresh wardrobes cheaply, but also generate significant waste.
So this weekend, just in time for America Recycles Day, Project ReWear is hosting a warehouse sale offering thousands of items — most priced between one and eight dollars.
“We’re trying to make second hand second nature and we’re trying to honestly do it through being a resource, so through style, through impact, through affordability, and through being convenient, and we hope people resonate with it and we hope to make you part of our movement,” said Lau.
It’s a movement Ashley has already embraced — donating what her girls outgrow and finding new, affordable pieces for her family.
“All the girls like to do is wear boots with the dresses, and so 90% of the dresses are from here,” said Strang.
Project ReWear hopes America Recycles Day inspires people to think differently about where their clothes go — and where they come from — long after the day is over.
