How Does Recycled Clothing Come From Rubbish?

" Brandnu "The first one was for sale. Second hand clothing A shop that produces handicrafts mainly for rural women and other vulnerable groups. Be located Yonghegong Lamasery The five camp hutongs nearby.

In 2008, Xiangzi, a shopkeeper, returned to Beijing after living in Canada for 10 years. He was a white-collar worker, editor in chief and a vagrant. He was inspired to participate in a public lecture with his wife. The keynote speaker mentioned a view: "to change the Chinese economy, we must pay attention to the vulnerable women groups." This is the driving force behind the establishment of Brandnu.

After a period of operation, Xiangzi found that the sale of handicrafts was not good, and the proceeds from selling cheap second-hand clothing could not even support self sufficiency in shops.

The model reform began in April 2011. Brandnu began working with a non-profit social public service organization, "Beijing workhouse culture development center" (hereinafter referred to as workshops'). Xiangzi first collects discarded junk clothes (such as off-line sweaters, holes in jeans, no zipper jackets, etc.) from secondhand clothes collected by the workers' home, and then employs local workers in the workshops to hire the local women workers to classify and dismantle the clothes and make them into large pieces of quilt. Working with designers, using these materials to mix some new elements, the designer studio will produce advanced garments or handbags, and finally get the Brandnu for sale.

Through this way, recycling of garbage clothes has been realized. Migrant workers have got jobs and new income. And every time they sell a garment or handbag, Brandnu will donate 5% of the retail sales to the disadvantaged women to improve their living standard and improve their working environment. In Brandnu, the price of each garment is around 1000 yuan.

In addition, Brandnu also provides hardware equipment such as sewing machines for migrant workers who serve them. Xiangzi also plans to improve their handwork skills through some training courses, hoping that they can undertake the production links in the designer's studio so as to bring more benefits for them.

Of course, Brandnu, such as handmade silver ornaments, embroidered pieces, tiger shoes and some public service postcards or notebooks, is still on sale.

At present, Xiangzi has established good relations with many public welfare organizations. In addition to the transformation of old clothes, Brangnu has also participated in many public welfare activities in the past year, including a charity sale with the Dewey school in England. The money raised has set up two farm girl publications. The exhibition is designed with the theme of "love and barrier free" to help the community service agencies of Beijing Hui Ling mentally handicapped people. In collaboration with Qiao Niang studio, 500 small quilts have been produced to give birth to women in a poverty-stricken area of India.

Xiangzi said: for ordinary people, to do what they like and have fun and help others is the best public welfare.

In foreign countries, there is also a brand shop similar to Brandnu, called Rags2Riches (R2R). Founded by Diana, a designer in New York in 2007. The designer used the rag thrown from various garment factories in Philippines to hire women from the local exclusion group to produce handbags and carpets for cooperative shops.

For every carpet produced, women earn a retail price of 30%-50%, and the higher the production, the more profitable they are. Every time a woman produces a handbag, a woman can earn a retail price of 20%-50%, and earn more and earn less depending on the technological level. Each product has a company statement and producer's signature.

After 4 years of operation, R2R has helped 450 women in 21 communities acquire skills.