A new program from Homeboy Industries, one of the preeminent organizations working to reduce gang activity and foster re-entry by former gang members, aims to reduce the burden on our landfills by tackling textile waste.
US consumers throw away approximately 81 pounds of clothes every year and buy a new garment every 4 to 5 days! That’s a lot of waste! And that’s where Homeboy Threads comes in.
A pilot program with GUESS that started in December 2021 has given the new for-profit company the chance to refine their operations while diverting over 200,000 pounds of garments from going into a landfill. The workers, former gang members who are being trained in a variety of new skills, sort, grade, repair or recycle the textiles. Most of the product they handled came from inventory that didn’t sell, was returned by customers or damaged. If the pieces can’t be repaired or upcycled into new garments, then it can be sold as raw material for insulation.
The timing couldn’t be better. California politicians introduced a bill this year called the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2023, which would require producers to figure out how to collect and recycle reusable clothes and textiles. That means there could be a spike in demand for authorized collectors to do all that sorting and repair for companies. At the same time, more and more companies are recognizing their responsibilities regarding where their products’ end up.
Homeboy Industries took the idea that there are no throw away people, that we all deserve second chances, and found a creative way to expand their job-training programs while promoting sustainability.
Want more Moments of Bliss about circular economies and sustainability? Check out our past posts: Tee Up Sustainable Fashion and Saving Food While Preserving Community.
