A few years ago I saw a documentary called THE TRUE COST which describes the #BTS underbelly of the fashion industry. It struck a cord in me. To be completely honest, when words like green product, eco-friendly, and sustainable design were buzzing around like fresh new faces of the marketing world over 15 years ago, I was still in NYC and they really fueled my idea to begin a %100 repurposed accessory line. I latched onto these buzz words in an “I’ll say anything… whatever sells!” kind of way. But through the years, that mission behind the brand has become the stake I put in the ground and have stood by. THE TRUE COST solidified that commitment. The fact that the average American throws away an approximate 82 pounds of clothing per year, adding up to more than 11 million tons of textile waste (and only 15% of this waste is recycled) is taking a huge toll on our environment. Debate global warming all you want…these images of piled-high wastelands and 3rd world rivers clogged with toxic waste from textile factories are heartbreaking. Even more heartbreaking is the human toll. The fact that in the 1960’s in the US we were making 95% of our clothes here at home but today we make 3%, outsourcing 97% to developing countries… would be fine if their laborers weren’t living below the cruelest of poverty levels so that we can wear a $5 T-shirt. I don’t love being part of an industry considered now to be the 2nd highest polluting one in the world, but I’ve resolved to contribute to the solution in any small possible way I can.
Our textile handbags are made from 95% repurposed fabrics from the furniture industry. We’ve added vintage apparel to our offerings because it falls right in line with our ‘repurposing’ ethos. AND because we couldn’t be more excited to share our vintage THRILL OF THE HUNT with you! Check out our new FRIDAY FINDS tab under SHOP at TinaFrantzDesigns.com, and please become a part of the cyclical future of fashion. Stay tuned also for our repurposed HOME DECOR accessories, coming soon!!!
Click here for gory details on this image and the ENVIRONMENTAL hazards of toxic dump by textile factories: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2601944/Indonesian-river-clogged-toxic-chemicals-dumped-textile-factories.html
Click here for how to view THE TRUE COST: https://truecostmovie.com/ OR find it on NETFLIX or AMAZON.
