Extending the Fashion Runway

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / May 3, 2023 / Regions Bank

Foto: Accesswire

By Kim Borges

As part of Regions Bank's Earth Day celebration, Doing More Today is highlighting ways Regions associates, customers and community partners are making life better by helping protect our environment. Here, we see the impact of clothing waste and two nonprofits helping keep textiles out of landfills.

Purge, purge, purge.

Many of us have streamlined our closets during the past three years due to changes in work attire.

Next time - consider this:

• The average American throws away more than 80 pounds of clothes every year, the weight of an 11-year-old child.
• The World Economic Forum cited the fashion industry as the world's third-largest polluter in 2021, contributing 1.2 billion tons - or 10% of annual carbon dioxide emissions - into the atmosphere.
• And the fast fashion trend of mass clothing production at cheaper prices is predicted to continue increasing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030.

But there are ways to reduce environment impacts - while enhancing community impacts.

One Regions Bank community partner extending the shelf life of clothing is Connections to Success in St. Louis, Missouri. The nonprofit provides people living in poverty with a comprehensive network of resources to become economically self-sufficient.

Regions associates are all-in, providing financial donations, teaching financial education, assisting with mock interviews and conducting clothing drives for the organization's boutique.

"Each client we serve receives an average of 10 items," explained Lynda Keeton, director of Resource Development for the nonprofit's St. Louis and Central Missouri region. "Many of our clients have to make hard decisions every day on how to spend the little amount of money they have and are not in a position to purchase professional interview clothing, whether new or from a thrift shop. Our workwear program empowers the self-esteem and confidence of our clients and can be the difference in them securing employment."

Linda Lockwood from Regions' Institutional Services group has been plugged in with Connections to Success for over a decade. Five years ago, she facilitated a connection between the organization and a large department store to provide thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise to the nonprofit's clients.

"One of the best things about this relationship is that it's expanded the reach of Connections to Success," said Lockwood. "The boutique has provided purses, and it's also provided undergarments, a need that is often overlooked. Those generous donations have resulted in increased self-confidence for clients."