How non-profits are turning high-street fashion surplus into funding for children in need

New York – Non-profits such as Newlife (which focuses on helping children with medical needs) offer high-street fashion chains an easy way to manage their environmental responsibilities and improve their stock control.

Newlife offers clothing retailers a recycling solution that takes thousands of tonnes of end-of-line stock, customer returns and surplus goods (otherwise destined for landfill) and recycles or de-labels them to sell at budget-friendly prices in one of six UK stores, with profits funding equipment grants, loans and play therapy pods for children affected by the equipment crisis.

Noteworthy, last year, 80 percent of Newlife’s funds were generated from its commercial division.

In declarations for FashionUnited, Colin Brown, Newlife commercial director, explains how the non-profit organisation he belongs to works directly with high street chains including Primark, River Island, Schuh, and Peacocks to breathe ‘Newlife’ into redundant stock: "Our bespoke funding model re-uses and recycles end-of-line and surplus apparel, otherwise destined for landfill, to fund much-needed disability equipment for children."

"We recognise that children are the future – which is why in addition to providing disabled children with the vital equipment they require, we work to create a healthy planet for them to live in,” highlights the non-profit's commercial director.

According to Newlife, in 2017 and 2018, they have rescued 2,100 tonnes of brand-new clothing and housewares from landfill, selling it at budget-friendly prices in one of six Newlife stores across the UK.

“By diverting this ‘waste’, we turn rags to riches for disabled children whilst offering retailers an easy way to manage their environmental responsibilities and improve their stock control” sums up Brown.

This article has been amended after publication to focus on organizations related to the fashion industry