Today’s Solutions: November 23, 2024

As circularity is slowly but steadily making its way into the fashion industry, a handful of companies, such as Levi’s and Patagonia, are nudging consumers to return their old products so they can be refurbished and resold. The thing is, the secondhand market isn’t an option for certain pieces of clothing — among which is, obviously, underwear.

A startup known as the Big Favorite wants to change that by asking you to send back your underwear when it eventually wears out. Their circular plan is simple: After the undies are cleaned and sanitized, the cotton will be recycled into yarn that can be reused in new products.

“We’re looking to change the way people see their worn-out undergarments and teach them that instead of [being] trash, it can actually be a future resource,” says founder Eleanor Turner.

According to Turner, about 11 million pounds of T-shirts and underwear are thrown out each day in the US. To help divert that waste, the Big Favorite has put together a system: After their products reach the end of their life, consumers scan a QR code to create a free shipping label, give the underwear one last wash, and send it back to the startup.

Once it receives the item, the Big Favorite sorts and sanitizes it before sending it to textile recyclers to shred and turn into new yarn. The same system is applied to secondhand T-shirts.

Since the company just launched, it still doesn’t have a supply of old undies to use for making new ones. But by 2023, it hopes to have recycled 15,000 pairs. “Eventually, we want to work that into our own supply chain,” Turner says. “The goal is to close the loop for the Big Favorite.”

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

6 ways to take back your motivation

Uncertainty about the future, being distant from friends, challenges with mental and physical health, and constantly staying in the same environment have all been ...

Read More

Three types of plants that will thrive in your kitchen

There’s nothing like a little indoor greenery to brighten up your home, especially if you live in an apartment where there’s no space for ...

Read More

5 Surprising myths about vitamin D

In the article we wrote about the telltale signs that your body needs more vitamin D, we pointed out that around 42 percent of ...

Read More

An “exercise pill” could be in our reach

Exercise is necessary for maintaining physical and mental health, and improving our quality and length of life. But for people who find it difficult ...

Read More