Vintage Fashion Updates for 2010... A Look Into Retail

Having been in the vintage clothing slash recycled apparel industry going on 10 years now we have been able to see the fashion trends come and go. Each year we get further and further away from the classic 1950's vintage look, even further from the 1940's dapper look and closer to the grungy 1970's and 1990's look. Not the "Flower Power One Love" look, or the "Greg Brady Pant Suit" either...but raw "Rocker Style."

What am I talking about? Well think about it... each month a crafty mom or stylish boy feel that they should open up an online vintage store, and they began to attempt to source designer dresses from the 1950's or Rock Tees from the 70's. That doesn't mean that they are still not desirable, but face it, there is just not that much of it out there any more, especially to base a successful business plan on. Those of us who have been collecting and supplying recycled vintage apparel know that in most cases the Japanese kids bought up the pieces for most of the incoming fads long before hipsters in the US or UK had any idea what would be the next cool thing. It is safe to say that if it has been desired by an international market for over twenty years then it is going to be rare. It is not like you can just sit there and reproduce an actual vintage piece. Contemporary designers attempt to each season, but it not the real thing, not to mention it defeats the whole purpose behind vintage. So if you are planning on opening a vintage boutique this year and you want just the rare hard to find vintage, then keep on dreaming.

It is time to take your creative abilities and focus them on how to market a variety of recycled clothing products to a large market. And not one or two pieces to a fickle clientele. Vintage Retail Shops that understand this have been doing quite well though the global recession. All kinds of people from all walks of life wear and constantly urbanize designs from the past. Hip-hop artists like the Black Eyed Pea's and Erika Badu, to Folk artists like Jack Johnson and Donavon Frankenreiter continually add vintage recycled products to their wardrobe. How about up and coming artists like Lady Gaga Gaga and Cold War Kid's wearing vintage fashion pieces from the 1980's and 1990's. The sky is the limit. Why not let these guys do your marketing why you provide the recycled product?

Now that we are coming into a a new decade... 2010, we are twenty years from 1990, just as music recycles itself, so does fashion. Do not attempt to build a business off of hard to find rare items that will keep you looking for product instead of selling it. Remember there is plenty of other styles, outfits and pieces that are desirable and marketable just under your nose.

Shop Notes: Vintage Clothing Gift Certificates

So now you have a Vintage Clothing Retail Boutique of your very own and you are wondering why your sales seem to have gone backwards during this Holiday Shopping Season instead of moving forward. You notice that the other retailers in your area are claiming that they are selling allot more clothing and accessories than usual, yet you can't seem to understand why you are not. Sure it could do with the fact that no-one likes your store because your employees act like they are better then everyone else, if that is the case you should already know that by now. It may have to do with your lack of marketing or ability to make sure that you have a new selection of vintage clothing for your customers each week. It could have allot to do with a number of factors, but before you start changing everything up trying to figure out what is wrong, please don't forget the obvious. That is that people don't usually purchase vintage clothing as gifts. Sure we as collectors call it "Premium Recycled Vintage Apparel," but to the laymen it is still "Used Clothing"....and i hate to even say this but in most of their minds,"isn't that stuff you find in a thrift store?"

Sure they are off-base and hopefully you have trained your sales staff on how to answer such questions, however this does not mean that the consumer is going to get it and do all of their shopping with you. What you need to do is offer them incentive. Explain to them that each piece is unique and one of a kind, then give them an opportunity to purchase a Gift Certificate for their loved one. This way they don't appear "cheap" as they may call it, but instead a little cultured. The person receiving the gift certificate can redeem it for whatever they want.

You read that smart business owners offer gift certificates. You know from experience that you appreciate gift certificates. Now you're wondering how to create your own gift certificates.

No matter what your business is, even Vintage Clothing Boutiques can create their own gift certificates, with real value, and encourage your clients to buy and use them as gifts.

Suggestions on How to Create Your Own Gift Certificates

There are a number of different computer software programs that will assist you in making a gift certificate of your very own. If you know how to use a couple of different programs than you have way more options.

1. Microsoft Publisher: This program allows even a novice to create small business gift certificates. The software provides a gift certificate template to get you started. Simply start Microsoft Publisher. A "New Publications" window opens on the left. Click the top choice, "New Publications for Print" and then click "Gift certificates" in the new window. You will have a choice of 35 different small business gift certificates, ready for you to customize. Select a design you like, and click areas to type in your information. If you don't like the gift certificate color scheme or font, go to the task pane on the left and choose a new one.

2. Microsoft Word: This software, too, offers gift certificate templates. In Word, under "File" click on "new" and type "gift certificate" into the task pane on the right. These 30 templates offer all-purpose as well as specific occasion gift certificates. Select a line of text, and customize your small business gift certificates.

3. Adobe PhotoShop: This graphics program allows you to place a photo of your business or product on your small business gift certificates. In PhotoShop, under "File" click on "new" and enter the dimensions of your gift certificate. A common size is about 3.5" height by 7" width. Leave a margin of at least 0.25" on all sides. Color blocks are good, and can be added to your gift certificate easily in this program. Make it clear in writing that this is a gift certificate. Add your business name and address. Type the word "Number" with a line or box in which the number can be entered. Indicate that "This certificate entitles (space for a name) to (space for your offer)" or type the exact offer. You will also want a line that tells the recipient that the gift certificate is not redeemable for cash, and that its redemption value does not exceed a given amount. Provide authorization and expiration spaces, and print.

4. PageMaker: For clearer type, you may want to design the graphics of your small business gift certificates in a program such as Adobe PhotoShop, and then import those into PageMaker. Add the copy in PageMaker and print. You can line up 3 on a page by copy/pasting your gift certificates.

5. Giftango: This is not software, but a website where you can download and modify free small business gift certificates.

Gift Certificates for Online Businesses

You can create gift certificates for online businesses, too. Check first to see if the shopping cart service you use makes provision for gift certificates. They will be able to tell you how to create your own gift certificates for online shoppers.

Uses for Small Business Gift Certificates

Small business gift certificates are appreciated by both the gift givers and the gift recipients. They are easy to give and fun to spend.

Use small business gift certificates to introduce your business to new customers. You can potentially bring in a loyal customer or client who will be with you for years. Say thank you to loyal customers with gift certificates Add gift certificates to your regular line of merchandise.

Use small business gift certificates for private bookshops, boutiques, beauty salons, nail salons, restaurants, spas, candy stores, flower shops, etc. Use gift certificates online for any kind of business you have.

Authentic Gift Certificates, Presentation

Think about the presentation of your gift certificate and how it differ from others. We have created gift certificates for Vintage Boutiques by laying out a design in Adbe Photoshop, then cutting out a shape out of an old recycled cardboard boxes, then gluing the GC to the cut out cardboard. This gives the Vintage Gift Certificate a card stock backing which makes it look very nice. We have also used old denim jeans pockets for envelopes to put the Vintage Clothing Gift Certificate in for presentation.

Generic Gift Certificates

If you decide not to create your own gift certificates, you can purchase generic gift certificates. They will be less effective as an advertisement, but can still bring customers to your store.

Build Your Own Dress...Like Legos

The people over at Ecoterre asked the question, "How cool would it be to be able to construct and reconstruct your clothing everyday according to your mood just like legos?" Refinity’s “Fragmented” clothing lets you do just that with their colorful and customizable snap-on pieces that let you decide how long, short, wide or thin your outfit should be – no sewing necessary! Besides being totally cool, the concept is definitely one that is taking center stage in the eco-fashion realm because it reduces textile waste and allows people to easily remodel their clothes instead of throwing them away.

Designers Fioen van Balgooi and Berber Soepboer created their Fragmented Textiles collection as an experiment in applying cradle-to-cradle principles to clothing production, use, and disposal. Made from Cradle to Cradle-certified wool felt in a range of vibrant colors, the Fragmented Textiles are based on jigsaw-puzzle-like zero-waste patterns that are designed to use every last scrap of cloth.

Fragmented Textiles was recently on display at the Beyond Green, Good Design symposium gallery at the World Fashion Centre in Amsterdam. Curated by Ingrid Horsselenberg and Annouk Post of I&A, the exhibit was further evidence that the Dutch are definitely the ones to watch when it comes to combining fashion-forward design and playful attitudes.

This is taking what recycling designers are doing over at Particle Clothing to a whole new recycled level of how clothing can be reconstructed and refurbished into new outfits.

Images & Information Courtesy of Inhabitat & Ecouterre

Shop Notes : Shoppertainment

Get ready for some crowd control! Shoppertainment — the fine art of running in-store events and promotions — is the perfect way to differentiate your store from your competition, build a buzz about town, and thrill your customers all at the same time!

Vintage Stores are staples for fashion in their communities, and often attract some of the cities creative types from artists, musicians and designers. Getting your customers involved with your promotions is an easy way to put together an event with minimal effort and great success. Many successful stores have number of different events that they run throughout the year to attract customers from all different walks inside their shops.

Putting together an event can be easy or difficult considering how organized the event planner is. Often employees can easily help with putting together the event, as well as some of the marketing and canvassing that is needed to get the event off of the ground. Most planners plan events 6 months out, but lets get real... aren't you looking for a way to increase sales yesterday. With that being said, you need a minimum of thirty days to market your event successfully using flyer's, radio plugg's, social marketing, event listings or whatever means you plan on using to get word out about your cool event in your cool store.

Don't forget about weekly events on specific days that could increase traffic on that slow Monday afternoon or Thursday morning. A special sale event, or donation day... bring in an old item for a charity and get 15% off an item from the store. Some shops even have mimosa's and coffee for customers on Sunday mornings, this is great way to show them that you appreciate them and get them to hang around your store for a while. Others have record listening parties on wed nights, recycle clothing workshops on Saturday morning, or a clothing swap every second Sunday...I think that you get the point, ,the sky is the limit.

Don't be afraid to think big and plan an event that could help out your neighbors or other shops in the area. Larger events attract larger crowds to your store. If you plan your event correctly often times you can get your neighbors and sponsors to cover the marketing costs to promote the event, while you do the planning and book the acts. Don't forget to think about adding a charity aspect to it either. A clothing or can food drive for a local charity can often attract musicians and artists that you thought would never come out of the woodworks to help out in the event. Don't forget to put together PR packages for each event you do and send them to your local radio stations and news organizations. they are often looking for things to promote and it could surprise you how much free press you can get for your store...I mean event.

QUICK LIST OF EVENT IDEAS

• Anniversary Party
• Concerts
• Art Shows
• Fashion Shows
• Instore Promotions
• Music Listening Parties
• Recycle Clothing Drives

Upcycled Onsies

So let's talk about baby clothes for a second. Babies get to wear their little outfits a few times and then they grow out of them within weeks. If you are lucky, you may get a photo of them in their said outfit, so you can remember it for years to come. It is a waste not to think recycled, when it come to babies cloths. Head product designer of vintage upcycled fashion line Particle Clothing, and soon to be a first time mother Lyndsey Coburn decided to launch a side project designing onsies for her soon to be infant son. She uses vintage t-shirts and cuts them down to a baby onsie pattern she designed.


Each piece is one a kind and simply awesome. Mothers nesting is cool phenomena in and of itself, mothers upcycling the babies fathers old shirts for their infant son to wear is epic!
She has a few for sale at her online store, but is more excited about taking custom orders for upcoming mothers. If you have a baby coming or know someone that is, contact LNDZ.

Before

After

Sourcing American Recycled Clothing

Over the years Dust Factory has bean the leading supplier of American recycled clothing, aka Vintage.

We cater to designers seeking inspiration, vintage boutiques and stores, remake companies, department stores in need of larger quantities, online sellers and exporters. Many of our accounts use our knowledge of the vintage industry to their advantage. By using us as a bulk supplier, they can better idea of what’s selling around the world, and how to price, merchandise and better push their vintage finds. It’s the combination of great clothes and knowledge that make store successful.

Dust Factory is unique in that we have the ability and knowledge to prepare orders for you. Family owned and operated we are an environmentally conscious fashion forward experienced and tested used clothing wholesaler with no appointments necessary come on by and check us out !

Tubeway Armies Arm Warmers

With winter moving in across most of the US and Europe, it is time to consider fashionable clothing and insulation options. We found these cute hand/arm warmers at alternativeconsumer.com that are worth mentioning. These arm warmers are eco-fashioned from an upcycled, 100% wool sweater and adorned with vintage, eye-catching, Bakelite buckles. Created by designer, gayeabandon.

$26 @ etsy.com


Source Courtesy of alternativeconsumer.com
Image Courtesy of gayeabandon

Reconstructed Men's Western Shirt

Particle Re-constructs an over-sized mens cowboy shirt to a nice fitted ladies top.

The Savanah can either be worn as a mini dress or with jeans or leggings. Particle Reconstruction line combines vintage materials from the past with the creative style of the present. Each piece is formed from recycled clothing which has been deconstructed and refitted together to create a unique and original garment.

Available $72 at particleclothing.com.

SAN DIEGO: Vintage Costumes BY the POUND

Halloween Costumes By the Pound? Hmmmmn Sounds entreating doesn't it. Well it should be because not only do we have tons of vintage clothing that can be used as great costumes, but we have got a bunch of great costume ideas as well.

FACTORY VINTAGE is opening their Vintage Warehouse to the public ONE DAY ONLY. Saturday October 11, 2008 between 11am - 6pm

All you have to do is decide what you want to be, then put together your outfit by sifting through our huge selection of authentic vintage clothing. Not only will your costume be 100% Recycled, but you will have a blast putting it together. Once you find what you need, throw it on a scale, pay up, and off you go.

Having Trouble What to be this Halloween How about going as:

Classics:

• Army Guy
• Army Girl
• 70's Roller Girl
• Hula
  Girl
• Mail Man
• Nurse
• Mechanic
• Police Man
• Park
  Ranger
• Milk Man
• Sailor
• Pirate
• 70's Pimp
• 80's
  Dude
• Wench
• Maid
• Old Dude
• Fire Fighter
• Party
  Animal

TV or Movie:

• Beatrice from Kill Bill
• Dwight
  & Angela From The Office
• Survival Player from Show
• Lieutenant
  Dangel Reno 911
• Colombo
• Obama
• Barbarella

If these don't work come by Saturday, we have many more ideas.

Come on down,
and BRING A FRIEND

Factory Vintage 4120 Napier RD San Diego, CA

http://factoryvintage.com

http://www.myspace.com/thevintagefactory

A back-to-school break: Cheap is in

"As fall approaches, thrift stores and bargain outlets are favored shopping destinations for the well-dressed teen. Back-to-school shopping is always fraught with peril for fashion-conscious teens. As they prowl the stores, they know that a summer blunder can mean a long fall stuck with stuff they don't want to wear."

Los Angeles Times reporter Leslie Earnest, just did a great bit in this weekends business section on Teens and Back to School Shopping that is worth pointing out.

"There's an added challenge this year, as higher gasoline prices and a sputtering economy have many teens and their parents keeping a closer watch on their wallets. A Deloitte survey set for release this week found that 71% of parents nationwide expected to spend less on back-to-school shopping this year than they did in 2007.

Luckily, the economic woes have ushered in the hottest trend of the season: Thrifty Chic."

See Entire Article at Los Angles Times
Photo by Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times

Go Green Go Shopping

There's no better way to go green than to go shopping! San Diego Living Green Scene reporter Erin Mikael did a piece this week on how to create your own signature style with recycled clothes. The segment was shot live at San Deigo's own Factory Vintage. This store takes a whole new look at Green design and products starting from the ground up.>

Watch Video

Shop Notes: Top 5 Sizzling Summer Vintage Items

Don't miss a single sale sitting around wondering what to buy when it's right under your nose.

With the Sex in the City movie just released, girls are dying to get that Sara Jessica Parker look down to the last stroke of mascara, that you apply subtly enough as if not to show. The knee length wrap skirt is the perfect look for girls with a full figure at work or out for a prowl on the town. If your the Gidget type, strutting your stuff on the beach this summer, then why not try a one piece instead of those over priced mix matched two pieces. You still can't get enough of those cut off denim mini's skirts or short cut daisy duke's. Long boho dresses are all the rage this summer, as well as the strapless tunic style. Let's get real GIRLS, nobody want's to see your lawnchair branded buttcheeks after sitting in some furniture at a swanky little patio lunch joint all afternoon. Be tasteful
and Don't wear the skirts too short.

Shop Notes: 8 Ways To Increase Sales

Work with each employee on sales and promote good sellers.

Learn about your product and the story behind each piece or style. Share information with fellow workers and customers.

Merchandise the store in a new format each week. It will give your employees an opportunity to get involved, as well as show new looks and merchandise to your returning clientele.

Constantly turn product over. It is OK to put pieces on sale at cost in order to get new product in.

Work with each employee on sales and promote good sales people.

Start having weekly SALE'S with events attached to them. Like a T-shirt sale during an instore concert

Start giving away discounted product or promote with local hair stylists or bar tenders aka "connectors", anyone who makes a living talking while they work. Hook them up and they will most likely hook you up with allot of business.

San Diego Shop Sets the Pace with Trendsetting Eco Chic Boutique

SAN DIEGO – MAY 1, 2008 – Factory Vintage Store in San Diego, California is an eco friendly boutique that brings a whole new edge to green fashion and art. “We wanted to start out by making it easily accessible to everyone, so this way our eco conscience shoppers can walk or ride their bikes if they want.” say’s owner Sean Leonard. In order to this, they moved their shop to Bay Park right next to San Diego bike paths and just a mile down the road from the Old Town Trolley and Transit Station. It is safe to say that at Factory Vintage, location is only where their revolutionary concepts begin. After a brief look around the store, it becomes apparent that this independent San Diego shop might have a few things that they could teach the big boys.

Factory Vintage is located of Moreno Rd, in a space in that used to be an old warehouse and Dive shop. The store preserved much of the raw vintage warehouse feel yet stepped it up a notch by interlacing it with recycled fixtures, light boxes, organic displays and natural plants. They call it third world surf layout meets urban jungle, like what you may see in a beach town in the tropics, except they turn recycled materials into apparel and accessory displays. “We know that the product is what matters, with that in mind it’s amazing what you can get away with to display things on.”

Factory Vintage’s chic collection of eco-friendly clothing is what matters. They combine a mixture of recycled vintage clothing, re-constructed used clothing, and eco-friendly and responsible clothing brands. Half of their apparel collection is authentic vintage clothing consisting of hard to find vintage t-shirts, dresses, blazers, and a collection of Levis that would make a denim designer blush. Another 35% of the store is reconstructed vintage collections from, Particle Clothing, and Factory Vintage’s in-store label CCVintage. Each piece is a one of kind creation for both the fashion forward and eco conscience shopper alike. With the exception of a couple of other clothing labels uniquely sold at Factory Vintage, the rest of the merchandise in the store is recycled hand bags, boots, jewelry and more. Factory Vintage also features accessories and artwork from local area designers.

Originally coming from a Southern California and spending some time in both Dallas and Central America, when the founders of Factory Vintage were asked why they chose San Diego for their location, one said, “ We wanted to go somewhere where people would understand what we were doing so that we could make a difference.” I took note of an event flyer in Factory Vintage from a clothing drive they are doing for local homeless shelters, “Individuals throw away 67.9 pounds of used clothing and rags each year. Collectively, Americans discard two quadrillion pounds (that's a two with fifteen zeroes) of used clothing and textiles into the landfills each year.” With innovative shops like Factory Vintage mak setting the pace, the concept of recycled fashion might not be that far off from leading trends in the future.

Teens Turn to Thrift as Apparel Prices go Up

Another like-minded friend of ours turned us on to this Article in the Associated Press about Teens Turning to Thrift as Jobs Vanish and Prices Rise. The Article was written by ANNE D'INNOCENZIO, with contributions from Writers Lisa Cornwell and Marcus Kabel of the Associated Press. It touched on the subject of kids having to turn to thrift shopping and DYI projects to adjust to the flailing economy. You can view the article in its entirety at Yahoo Business News.

The Article states that, "The souring job market and rising costs of the usual teenage indulgences — a slice of pizza, a drive to the mall, the hottest new jeans — are causing teens to do something they rarely do: be thrifty.

It's a far cry from the freewheeling spending of recent years, when teens splurged on $100 Coach wristlet handbags, $60 Juicy Couture
T-shirts and $80 skinny jeans from Abercrombie & Fitch.

Now jobs for teens are less plentiful, and parents who supply the allowances are feeling the economic pinch themselves.

The stalwart retailers of teen apparel, such as Abercrombie and American Eagle Outfitters Inc., are reporting sluggish sales, defying the myth that teen spending is recession-proof: It holds up longer, but can eventually fold.

It's even becoming cool to be frugal.

Last week, Ellegirl.com, the teen offshoot of Elle magazine, launched a new video fixture called Self-Made Girl, which shows teens how to make clothes and accessories. The first video offers tips on how to create a prom clutch.

"It's a little tacky in the economic unrest to tote a big logo bag," said Holly Siegel, the site's senior editor. She said it's no longer about teens "one-upping each other," but rather where they can get it cheap.

Teen hiring has slumped by 5 percent since March 2007, with many mom-and-pop stores, which typically hire younger workers, laying off employees. Hiring in the overall job market fell by just 0.1 percent during the same period.

That's still not as bad as the 13 percent drop in teen hiring in the early 1990s. That means that if the larger job market mirrors the last teen hiring slump, "we're not out of the woods," said Michael P. Niemira, chief economist at the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Secondhand clothing chains have seen business surge this year as teens and their parents buy popular brands like Gap, Banana Republic and Juicy Couture at a fraction of the regular price.

"It is way cooler to get a super deal on that shirt rather than being able to spend the most money on something," said Anna D'Agrosa, director of Consumer Insights at The Zandl Group, a market research company focusing on teens. "Kids are becoming really aware of what is happening to their economy and to their families."

Perhaps something good can come out of this, that will stick with he teens in to their adult life.

-MILO

From the Ground Up :: Part 1

These notes are the beginning stages on how to take an average building and turn it into a Sustainable Vintage Clothing store.

First off you have to locate a building that will cater to the purpose. It is much easier on the budget if you can find a building that has little or no finish out needed. As far as major electrical and plumbing go. In this case we found a building that needed a little work, but not so much that we would have to take out loans just to turn on the electricity. We were choosing between two buildings we found that both had their pros and cons. One building was taking over a year lease in a high foot traffic shopping district in an artist neighborhood. The other building was quite a bit larger with a great rental rate next to the beach communities. We opted for the second location with the better rate. Because the building had sat vacant for the past few months we decided to negotiate early off in the lease to have the land lord bring the building up to code with Certificate of Occupancy. In order to get the land Lord to go along with this we agreed to pay a slightly higher rent to help subsidize the land lords expense. We also wholesale vintage clothing as well, so we needed a slightly larger location in order to have space to work in. We opted for a location outside the shopping districts but with with easy access from all directions, and good visibility. This first picture is what the building we found in Mission Bay San Diego looked like when we found it.

Once we got everything worked out with the lease we gave the land lord a little time to finish up what was left of the plumbing and electrical while we started collecting and processing our merchandise, and getting the inside ready.We have learned in the past that it is important to start collecting your product as soon as possible. When you get you shop ready you don't want to have to wait on a vendor to get your order ready last minute. You don't have to go rummaging through estate sales and border towns either. You can use a intermediate supplier like Dust Factory Vintage to locate and supply all your product, but you will still need time. You should start collection and washing you product a month or two before you plan on opening the doors.

After the walls were finished we started picking out the color samples,
and then began painting. (not our green)

 

 

 

A Pretty N.E.E.T. Magazine

N.E.E.T. Magazine captures the essence of recycled fashion and jewelry as a new form of art. They put eco-garage hipster style artists on the map with their creative and intuitive sense for trash can aristocracy.

Purchase Bulk Vintage Clothing on eBay

How about buying bulk vintage clothing for your shop or friends through eBay? Well now you can. Dust Factory vintage just started listing some of their world class DFV12pcks on eBay Auctions.

These DFV12 Packs are

Great for the Ebay Seller looking for new product to increase revenue.

Great for the Individual seeking out a new eco-friendly t-shirt collection for self or friends.

Great for an Event Planner looking to do a sustainable Event t-shirt

Great for the Band looking to do something new with merchandise.

Great for the Boutique looking for a new supplier.

Great for the Store/Business looking for a new shop tee.

As if that is not enough you can now get whatever you purchased form them screen
printed with your shop, band or party logo through their s(eco)nd print service.

check out http://dustfactoryvintage.com for more information.

 

Part Vintage Part Innovative

Particle Reconstruction out of San Diego California, is always coming out with new ways of reconstructing old clothing. This piece called the Blues, combines and old recycled Vintage T-shirt and a recycled plaid western shirt for a one of a kind creation. To minimize their waste they take the leftover scraps to create another piece called their House.

Particle Reconstruction line combines vintage materials from the past with the creative style of the present. Each piece is formed from recycled clothing which has been deconstructed and refitted together to create a unique and original garment. Every article is cut from a standardized pattern, while simultaneously allowing natural style and wear variation through fabrication, further ensuring that each piece is a one of a kind.

You can find the Particle Blues and other Particle Pieces at Counter Culture Store

Dallas Boutique Revolutionizes Shopping Experience

For the entire month of August Counter Culture Store at Mockingbird Station is having a donation drive called "PROJECT JUXTAPOSITION". Individuals throw away 67.9 pounds of used clothing and rags each year. Collectively, Americans discard two quadrillion pounds (that's a two with fifteen zeroes) of used clothing and textiles into the landfills each year. Fortunately, they can make sure they reach the people who need them rather than find their way into already-bulging landfills.

They are making it as easy as 1,2,3 to make a difference.

1. You drop off your old clothes in our donation bin

2. They give you a 10% discount on new, vintage or refurbished clothes

3.They make sure your old clothes make it to those in need through local charities.

Take the train, ride a bike, skate or drive a friend. They guarantee that once you revolutionize your shopping experience, you will want to teach others how they can.

Counter Culture Store is located at 5331 E. Mockingbird Ln. Suite 110 Dallas, TX 75226

Vintage T-Shirts 101

"The t-shirt is a symbol of freedom, but also a rebellion to society". Rin Taken. Did you know that the t-shirt is as North American as apple pie and blue jeans.

It wasn't until after the fighter pilots in the South Pacific returned home from WW2, in the 50's, that it was finally acceptable to wear an undershirt as a t-shirt. The first Surf Board Shapers had no idea that screen printing their logo on a t-shirt would change North American fashion forever. In the 80's T-shirt branding evolved from a grass roots marketing tool, to a billion dollar industry. Before a sneaker logo could sell a t-shirt, it had to have a great print or be a billboard and say something only a t-shirt could get away with. From Novelty tee's to brand tees no one could resist the comfort of a cotton tee

The first thing to look for when searching for authenticity of the perfect vintage tee is the tag/label. Before the store brand sold a tee, it was the brand on the blank itself that sold it. Knowing what to look for will save a lot of time during the hunt. Different tags can tell you about the era you tee come from. Current day American Made t-shirt manufactures continuously try to match the one of a kind comfort and feel found only in a 80's Screen star t-shirt blank.

Rock concert tees tell others that not only did you support the art of rocking by purchasing the newest 8 track released by your Rock Mentor, but you attended these ground breaking rock services yourself. Beware these are not to be mistaken as current day overprinted reproductions sold to the squares at urban corporate mall stores; but a genuine rare black market concert tee. Only recognizable traits are in the original print, date, tag and quality of blank. Some concert T-shirts will sell for well over $1000 in the dealer trade. The authenticity and timeless prints set these apart.

Find Vintage Tee's Retail :: CCVINTAGE.COM

Find Vintage Tee's Wholesale :: DUSTFACTORYVINTAGE.COM

 

 

JOIN the REvOLUTiON

Retail Vintage Clothing :: Open A Store Yourself

With an estimated 1 million tons of textiles being thrown away each year, anyone with dedication can start making a difference in their city or town. Weather it be from just wearing vintage or recycled clothing, or by providing the option to find it easier to their friends and neighbors. Our years of retail experience with vintage clothing have led us to a formula that is easily transferable to someone wanting to run their own Counter Culture Store. This combined with our unique ability to provide inventory makes it a very profitable business for the right investor.

Our passion is educating people about sustainable business and lifestyles. Our business is selling vintage clothing, eco conscience brands and accessories; including jeans, T-shirts, corduroys, boots, dresses, sunglasses, jewelry and related items; much of which can be supplied by our wholesale division. The daily operations are easy by comparison with a minimal number of employees and relaxed business hours.

Broad support will be offered in terms of a detailed operations manual, sales and operations training, proactive idea sharing between stores, and 10 years of retail experience just a phone call away. Our experience includes extensive merchandising and buying knowledge, as well as, expertise in public relations, marketing, sales and vintage clothing.

With retail mark ups being the highest in the clothing industry, opening a vintage clothing store is an excellent business venture. If being your own boss and working in this profitable, fun environment appeals to you, this just might be for you.

If opening a store is something you always wanted to do, but never knew where to get started click here to view our Retail Start Up Questioner

Rag & Bone "Textile Recycling 101"

The folks over at Waist Online have a detailed page with allot of useful information about Textile Recycling. They note that textile recycling originated in the Yorkshire Dales about 200 years ago. These days the 'rag and bone' men are textile reclamation businesses, which collect textiles for reuse (often abroad), and send material to the 'wiping' and 'flocking' industry and fibres to be reclaimed to make new garments. Textiles made from both natural and man-made fibres can be recycled.

Why Bother:

It is estimated that more than 1 million tons of textiles are thrown away every year, with most of this coming from household sources. Textiles make up about 3% by weight of a household bin. At least 50% of the textiles we throw away are recyclable, however, the proportion of textile wastes reused or recycled annually in the US is only around 20%.

Although the majority of textile waste originates from household sources, waste textiles also arise during yarn and fabric manufacture, garment-making processes and from the retail industry. These are termed post-industrial waste, as opposed to the post-consumer waste which goes to jumble sales and charity shops. Together they provide a vast potential for recovery and recycling.

 

Recovery and recycling provide both environmental and economic benefits. Textile recovery:

• Reduces the need for landfill space. Textiles present particular problems in landfill as synthetic (man-made fibres) products will not decompose, while woollen garments do decompose and produce methane, which contributes to global warming.
• Reduces pressure on virgin resources.
• Aids the balance of payments as we import fewer materials for our needs.
• Results in less pollution and energy savings, as fibers do not have to be transported from abroad.

Reclaiming fiber avoids many of the polluting and energy intensive processes needed to make textiles from virgin materials, including: -

• Savings on energy consumption when processing, as items do not need to be re-dyed or scoured.
• Less effluent, as unlike raw wool, it does not have to be thoroughly washed using large volumes of water.
• Reduction of demand for dyes and fixing agents and the problems caused by their use and manufacture.

How, what and where of recycling textiles:

The majority of post-consumer textiles are currently collected by charities like The Salvation Army, Good Will and Chalk. Some charities, for example Good Will and The Salvation Army, sort collected material selling it on to merchants in the appropriate sectors.

Some postindustrial waste is recycled 'in-house', usually in the yarn and fabric manufacturing sector. The rest, aside from going to landfill or incineration, is sent to merchants.

Collection Method's:

At present the consumer has the option of putting textiles in 'clothes banks', taking them to charity shops or having them picked up for a donation drive.

The Salvation Army is the largest operator of textile banks in the US. On average, each of these banks is estimated to collect about six tons of textiles per year. Combined with door-to-door collections, The Salvation Army's textile recycling operations account for the processing of in excess of 17,000 tons of clothing a year. Clothes are given to the homeless, sold in charity shops or sold in developing countries in Africa, the Indian sub-continent and parts of Eastern Europe. Nearly 70% of items put into clothing banks are reused as clothes, and any un-wearable items are sold to merchants to be recycled and used as factory wiping cloths.

Processing and Outlets for Waste Textiles

All collected textiles are sorted and graded at a "Rag House" by highly skilled, experienced workers, who are able to recognize the large variety of fiber types resulting from the introduction of synthetics and blended fiber fabrics. Once sorted the items are sent to various destinations as outlined below:

Post industrial waste is often reprocessed in house. Clippings from garment manufacture are also used by fiber reclaimers to make into garments, felt and blankets.

Some selected items will be sold to the "Vintage Market" and reused by designers fashioning garments and bags from recovered items. Companies like Dust Factory Vintage grade the textiles even more to produce mixes that will sell in trendy Vintage Shops in te US, Japan and Europe, however this is a very small sector within the overall destinations of textiles. For more information on what happens with Vintage Clothing click here.

What You Can Do:

• Take your used clothes to a textile bank. Contact the recycling officer in your local authority if there are no banks in your area and ask why; they may collect textiles through other means. Alternatively you can take used clothing to local charity shops.
• Give old clothes/shoes/curtains/handbags etc. to jumble sales. Remember to tie shoes together: part of the 6% of textiles which is wastage for merchants are single shoes.
• Buy second-hand clothes - you can often pick up unusual period pieces! If bought from a charity shop, it will also benefit a charity.
• Buy things you are likely to wear a long time - a dedicated follower of fashion can also be a green one if items are chosen carefully.
• Look for recycled content in the garments you buy. This should be on the label, though at present there is no conventional marking scheme and some companies do not always advertise the recycled content.
• Buy cloth wipers instead of disposable paper products as the product can be used repeatedly.

 

Reconstructed Vintage Clothing

After years of wholesaling and recycling vintage, Dust Factory embraces the next step in the natural evolution of the vintage clothing market with vintage reconstruction. Along with it's ability to meet the growing demands for and popularity of authentic vintage pieces, Dust Factory's fashion team has created a line for both men and women that bridges the gap between old and new and unifies the vintage boutique with the specialty boutique. Particle Reconstruction clothing line combines vintage materials from the past with the creative style of the present. Each piece is formed from recycled clothing which has been deconstructed and refitted together to create a unique and original garment. Every article is cut from a standardized pattern, while simultaneously allowing natural style and wear variation through fabrication, further ensuring that each piece is a one of a kind. The collection, born from the creative minds of artists, designers and vintage enthusiasts alike, captures the artistic and timeless inspiration derived from vintage clothing and utilizes innovative and enthusiastic designs with a high fashion style and green appeal.

How to Go Green In Your Wardrobe

Here's the irony: fashion is short-lived while fabric and pollution are not. After all of the inspiration, design, and excitement pass, the clothes remain. Heavy Flannel, Acid-washed denim, Break dancing pants. They're out there still, in closets, thrift stores, and land fills. Eco-savvy fashion choices mean not only reducing post-consumer refuse, but also pre-consumer waste and pollution. After its origins on the farm, forest, or oil field, each jacket spent some time morphing into its present form. What chemicals were used to grow it? Were the dyes safe? As more designers and manufacturers create with eco-concerns in mind, it's easier to find satisfying answers. Through smart wardrobe management and consumer choices, you can cut down on closet clutter, support clean industry, and look fabulous.

The FAQs below provided by TreeHUgger will help you navigate all of the terminology and find the best ways to green your wardrobe.

1.Shop with a plan

When you bring an article of clothing into your life, it’s kind of like adopting a dog or cat. That cute little number has to have a place in your wardrobe, and you’re agreeing to provide for and give it the longest possible life with you. Abandoning the impulse buy may sound boring, but how exciting is a closet full of stuff that doesn’t work? In the long run, knowing what you're looking for before you shop will save time and eliminate clutter. You'll get more use out of a piece that looks and feels great: What colors work for you? What fits work the best? How will the piece get along with everything else in the closet? If the answer to "Will I still want to wear this rhinestone-studded bustier in two years?" or “Can I eventually find a way to use it in a craft project?” is no, skip it

2. Love your duds

Whatever you've chosen, take good care of it. When you get home, change out of work gear and into your famous dressing gown or leisure suit. Don’t cook or check the tire pressure in clothes you want to wear in public. Learn how to sew a button back on, or how to coax a nimble friend into doing it for you. Get the name of a local tailor or seamstress for major repairs or alterations.

3. Don't go dry

Though the industry has improved much since 1992, there is still a high likelihood that your trusty corner cleaner uses
perc (tetrachloroethylene), a known carcinogen. See if there is a local green cleaner employing "wet cleaning" or liquid CO2 techniques. Many articles whose tags ask for the dry clean treatment can actually be hand washed, especially silk, wool and linen.

4. Buy vintage or used

People unload clothes for all types of reasons, and you know that adage about trash and treasure. From Oscar-worthy vintage dresses to Freecycled denim, you can likely find the piece you’re looking for second hand. You’ll be giving a cast-off garment a second life, and possibly supporting charitable work in the process. See Counter Culture for more.

5. Wash well

Washing wreaks the most havoc of all. It requires lots of water and energy, so only do it when you absolutely need to and have a full laundry load. Turn articles inside out and use the lowest temp possible. If you know you glowed all over a piece,
make a thin salt paste and soak the affected fabric for a half hour before washing. Choose phosphate-free and biodegradable detergents and line dry as much as possible. Treat stains quickly with nontoxic removers. If you're buying a new washing machine, look for one with an Energy Star label.

6.Wear organic

Though cotton is marketed as clean, fresh, and natural, conventional varieties are anything but. It takes a third of a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to produce the cotton for one T-shirt! That means lots of direct, unhealthy exposure for farmers and nearby wildlife, and heaps of unnecessary pollution. Luckily, organic cotton is becoming easier and easier to find. As mega-stores get into the game, however, it's important to stay vigilant about what organic means, so you know you're really getting clean clothes. Also know that though the cotton may have been organic to start with, your T may be full of processing chemicals and metal-laden dyes. See below for more info on labeling and certification.

7. Find a re-construction

A re-construction garment used to be another or many other articles. Designers all over the globe have taken on this transformative challenge in recent years, with very wearable results. This means a one-of-a-kind look for you, a new life for old fabric, and a livelihood for maverick re-users. See Particle Clothing for More.

8.Approach new fabrics with skeptical enthusiasm

No doubt you've heard the hype around bamboo, soy, or even corn fabric. The idea of finding alternatives to petrochemical-based and conventionally grown options makes us all perk up and we see why many eco-conscious designers are excited about them. Bamboo, for instance, sounds great: it's a fast-growing plant, not reliant on chemicals, and beautifully drapes the human form. Trouble is, bamboo plantations can displace native forests, and the harvesting and fiber processing are often polluting and unregulated. As with soy, corn, and Tencel (which comes from trees), the processing from plant to fabric is energy and resource intensive. For now, approach these as alternatives to poly, nylon, acrylic or conventional silk and await more info. As always, shop with a plan: don't fill multiple shopping bags just because the labels say "eco." Read more about fabric choices below.

9.Choose clothes that work for you

It's hard to feel beautiful in your raw silk dress when it's likely that children's scalded hands were part of the production chain. Conventional clothing might not say it, but clothing made under fair-wage and labor practices will usually advertise it. SweatShop Watch and Behind The Label are good sources of info. See more resources below.

10.Don't throw it all away

Finally, a stain, a tear, or changing fashion threaten to separate you from your favorite dress shirt. Don't just abandon your old friend to the waste-stream! If the condition is perfectly good, you can always donate or Freecycle it (see below for donation resources).

DO MORE

1. Speak up

Tell your favorite boutique or department store that you want clean fabric or re-used options.

2.Get it re-made

Once you have a tailor or seamstress, take in last year's clothes for an overhaul. That stained sweater could become a cardigan, and that too-tight dress, a skirt.

3.Swaporamarama

Get together
with pals for fizzy drinks and a clothing swap. If it's new to you, it's new.
Find out if there's a Swapormamarama in your area. If not, start your own!

4. Activate

Join the Organic Consumers Association's Clothes for a Change Campaign.

5.Make donating a snap

Planet Aid places bins in convenient places to make donating old wearables easy. Is it easy for people to donate in your community?

THE FACTS

1. The average American throws away about 68 pounds of clothing and textiles per year.

2. 10% of all agricultural chemicals and 25% of insecticides in the U.S. are used to grow cotton.

3. It takes almost 1/3 of a pound of chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers) to grow enough cotton for just ONE T-shirt

4. Seven of the fifteen pesticides used on cotton are considered "possible", "likely", "probable", or "known" human carcinogens (acephate, dichloropropene, diuron, fluometuron, pendimethalin, tribufos, and trifluralin) according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

5. Some studies have shown that organic farmed soils have a better ability to absorb and retain carbon, which would be beneficial in the fight to reduce global warming.

6. Organically grown crops also use less fossil fuel than conventional crops, another benefit in the fight to reduce global warming.

7. Pesticides are suspected to be responsible the severe drop in honeybees, the increase in frogs with extra legs and eyes, and annual death of 67 million birds.

8. The U.S. textile "recycling industry" (which actually re-purposes rather than recycles), with some 2,000 companies, removes annually from the solid waste stream 2.5 billion pounds of post consumer textile product waste.

1.What makes clothing organic?

Organic clothing comes from all-natural materials (no synthetics like polyester or rayon) and there are no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, radiation, or genetically modified organisms used when growing the cotton/hemp/linen, or whatever plant we're talking about.

Organic certification is complicated. According to the Organic Trade Association, organic cotton is grown in 12 countries, with Turkey and the United States leading the pack. There are a number of certifying bodies around the globe including: Demeter (Europe), KRAV (Sweden), Naturland (Germany), SKAL (Netherlands), The Soil Association (England), The Japan Organic Cotton Association, The International Natural Textiles Association (Germany), the USDA, and more. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) strives to create international standards, and certifies the certification schemes of individual nations.

The Institute for Market Ecology provides on-location certification on behalf of many of the organizations listed above, and according to the Organic Cotton Blog, is certifying Walmart's and Sam's Club cotton.

The Organic Trade Association has developed certification for fiber processing. What does this mean? Clothes certified organic will arrive having been processed, dyed, transported, etc. in the most non-toxic manner possible.

What are the various meanings of "sustainable" and "organic" clothing? Check out this informative examination from the Organic Clothing Blog. The Fiber and Fabrics section in general is a great place to learn about hemp, wool, bamboo... And the associated Lotus Organics Clothing, Fiber and Fashion glossary contains most of the fiber definitions you would ever need.

So now you know.