Perpetual rags of the second-hand clothing market

article originally published in phsicsmag's A Universal Language issue available for download here

Much of the commentary around the secondhand clothing market seems to be content with continuing on with the current secondhand clothing business model provided clothes in Western countries don’t pile up at landfills. Fashion is increasingly becoming disposable because of the way conventional retail has diminished what used to be considered as one’s ‘basic capsule’; a pair of jeans, a coat, a few dress shirts, and so on. Fast fashion retail isn't the sole contributor to the issue of unwanted clothes.  In the secondhand market, charities collect clothes from donors and sell them to secondhand dealers at a profit. The dealers determine among themselves, the market prices for the clothes without any economic references. When you factor all that in, along with the imported clothes from low income sourcing destinations which drive up the demand for secondhand items by contributing to contractions in domestic textile industries, the secondhand issue is enormous. 

I would like to respond to some critical questions on this topic which aren't being answered. Do we need a secondhand clothing market? Yes, I believe people should be given the right to choose to buy secondhand goods or otherwise. Should we regulate it? Yes, especially in countries where domestic industries are hurt by it. Does it add value? Sadly not; even though affordability is certain, the economic considerations for producing brand new clothes through stimulating local economies are far much greater. Even the people employed by the secondhand clothing market would  be better off benefiting from established, transparent, regulated industries where things such as retirement plans and social benefits actually exist. What should retailers do to prevent stockpiles of unwanted clothes? Perhaps fast fashion’s next drive should be to recycle clothes. You return an old unwanted item to a Zara or H&M and they top up your purchasing credit with it or something similar. This will be more aboveboard and less stringent on resources. The secondhand clothing market is a present day reality.

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Private icon: Japanese selvage denim

Hiroki Nakamura & Diane Pernet

 Here's a preview article which focuses on the origins of Japanese selvage denim. Fashion icons such as Hiroki Nakamura, Nigo, Pharrell all subscribe to the true provenance of high quality denim. PhsicsMag's Private issue in the works. Thank you - Tebs

Japanese selvage denim

The Japanese city of Okayama, the capital city of Okayama Prefecture situated about 540 km south west of the country’s capital, is renowned for its mysterious 400 year old castle, which sits on the banks  of the Takahashi River. The fall of the Meiji government and the subsequent post World War II reconstruction meant that Japan’s cities saw rapid economic growth and exponential industrial expansion. Denim production only reached Japan in the 1950s. This was due to a decline in the demand for imported denim from the U.S and Europe, which led to the purchasing of traditional shuttle looms from American denim milling facilities by Japanese denim manufacturers. It’s fair to say that Japanese selvage denim actually originates from the States, well… the technology thereof. 

denim dying process

 A shuttle loom is a piece of machinery that is used in the weaving process of yarn. The first loom was patented by John Kay in 1733, which was known as the Flying Shuttle. Between the 1930s and 1950s, an increase in the demand for denim in America meant that milling facilities had to adapt their machinery to meet the growing demand. A lot of facilities chose to let go of the traditional shuttle looms, which are said to have been inefficient and cumbersome. Letting go of these shuttle looms paved the way for automated projectile looms, which produced in mass, and allowed for an effective economies of scale. Japanese milling facilities bought the shuttle looms at the time. 

shuttle loom

Today, selvage denim is perhaps the most desired denim fabric due to its superior texture and authentic feel. What’s the difference, you may ask? In the weaving process of a traditional shuttle loom, the horizontal edges of the thread loop continuously, without leaving any edges which would have to be stitched once the entire process is complete. This quality feature means that your denims last longer.  Selvedge denim doesn’t fray, nor shrink. The craft element is perhaps the most distinguishing factor behind authentic Japanese selvage denim, one which makes it a Private icon. People who appreciate fine craft understand that we are all connected; whether it’s a selvage denim weaving craftsperson in Okayama or a denim enthusiast in South Africa.