Lost Stock, a UK-initiative launched to support garment workers impacted by Covid-19 in Bangladesh, has made a number of new national charity and clothes swap partnerships to encourage its customers to reduce waste.
Launched in May, Lost Stock was created by online clothing retailer platform Mallzee to help support Bangladesh’s clothing manufacturing industry and its workers through the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the sector lost over US$3bn in cancelled or suspended orders during the crisis. The Lost Stock venture is selling these clothes at half the price in boxes based on customer’s preferences.
Lost Stock is now outlining three suggestions for its customers receiving clothes through the initiative they do not want to keep: Donate it, swap it, or upcycle it.
Through a partnership with the British Heart Foundation, customers will be able to make use of a free postal service where they can donate unwanted Lost Stock items and support national fundraising efforts.
Customers can also exchange their items with other UK and Ireland shoppers via partnerships with swap platforms The Nu Wardrobe (Nuw) and Swopped, which are offering reduced memberships to encourage more sustainable ways to shop.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataLost Stock is also collaborating with upcycling experts for a series of video tutorials to illustrate ways to repurpose and be creative with clothes. Steel and Stitch kicked-off the tutorials on the Lost Stock Instagram channel.
“The concept of Lost Stock means customers are putting their trust in us to deliver clothing they’ll love, and while every piece is high quality and matched to style preferences, we, of course, understand that not everything will always be to their taste,” says Cally Russell, CEO of Lost Stock and Mallzee. “So instead of throwing it away, we’re working with some amazing partners to encourage us all to make better choices, reduce waste, have fun, be creative and continue the positive impact of all of our collective work to help those most in need during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Karen O’Donoghue, head of retail partnerships at British Heart Foundations adds the collaboration will not only prevent the items from going to landfill but also help provide much needed stock for the charity’s 560 clothing and accessory shops across the UK.
Lost Stock donates money from each box to the Sajida Foundation; each box sold will support one Bangladesh worker and their family of four for a week. The Foundation works in 26 districts of Bangladesh.
