The Fashion Foundation Makes New Use of Excess Clothing
The matter of excess materials and clothing in the fashion industry has long been a prevalent issue faced by many brands, from designer to discount.
- Photo Credit: The Fashion Foundation
More than often, excess clothing ends up in landfills. Amanda Munz, founder of The Fashion Foundation, recognized this issue early on and has dedicated her career to rectifying the issue with a positive solution.
Munz jumped into the fashion industry early on in her life, which ultimately led her to pursue a career in the field, beginning with her undergraduate education at the Fashion Institute of Technology and later, a Masters of Public Administration from Baruch College.
As she progressed through her career, she realized her dream of starting a non-profit fashion business of her own. Simultaneously, she learned of the abundant clothing waste produced by designers creating a surplus of items. The idea for The Fashion Foundation was born out of these realizations, along with a goal to create positive change in the fashion industry.
“We overproduce in fashion, there is always extra merchandise no matter what company you go to. Samples are laying around their showrooms that nobody knows what to do with.”
Quote from ABC7 (original article)
- Photo Credit: The Fashion Foundation
And so, upon receiving her Masters degree, Munz got to work with her vision. She began humbly, reselling unwanted items she collected from friends and family online.
Since The Fashion Foundation’s beginning in 2014, Munz has expanded the non-profit to partner with 40 designers to collect and resell their excess clothing, and redistribute the profits to buy New York schools and kids the supplies they need.
“The schools we work with don't have the funds to provide their students with school supplies all year round. We provide our partner schools with clean uniforms, new backpacks, notebooks, pencils, art supplies, gym equipment and all other tools their students need to succeed,” The Fashion Foundation wrote on their site. “We never hand a school a check. We work directly with the school's staff to provide their students with the exact supplies they need, shipping them new supplies as they need them.”
Munz plans to continue her work at The Fashion Foundation, giving forgotten clothing a new, meaningful purpose, and making a positive impact on New York schools.
Visit The Fashion Foundation’s website to learn how to donate, or check out their inventory of amazing pieces available to purchase online!
