Greener Living
Would You Compost Your Underwear?
Resale isn’t an option for most intimates, so established brands and startups are experimenting with solutions to keep underwear out of landfills.
Underwear might seem simple, but they’re emblematic of the challenges facing companies looking to repurpose used clothes.
Photographer: Dhiraj SinghThis article is for subscribers only.
As apparel brands face pressure to curb fashion’s enormous waste problem, many are turning to resale programs that let consumers cash in on used duds. But companies that make intimates don’t typically have that option: When underwear is past its prime, the obvious solution is to toss it, adding up to billions of pounds of textile waste over time.
What if there was another way?