We hear a lot about recycling and the importance of sustainable waste streams, but very few people know why it is that important. Because it reduces our dependence on new raw materials, it is a great way to conserve natural resources such as water, oil, organic fibers, minerals, and more. And, it is a positive for the economy, too. When an item is recycled or upcycled and given a second life, we recapture the economic value of that material. This is a type of circular economy, a system in which we use waste materials as inputs in new items.

Unfortunately, only 1% of clothing materials are recycled and repurposed, equal to a loss of more than $100 billion of value each year. For example, when a wool coat is sent to a landfill or incinerator, we lose the value of the wool material itself as well as all of the labor efforts put in to make a finished product.

Most apparel items are thrown away, but even in countries with high collection rates for reuse and recycle (like Germany), most clothing waste is eventually sent to lower income countries with little recycling infrastructure, where it rests in landfills and pollutes local communities. That’s an economic waste, as well as an environmental pollutant.

We don’t believe being fashionable has to be synonymous with hyper consumption, and waste. Our mission is to offer you beautiful and timeless high performance pieces that will escort you through life, and when it’s time for something new we will help you discard your beloved handbag in a responsible way. 

Through the Bag Recycle Program, you can return any Jenah St. item you’ve loved for a 30% discount on your next treasure piece! We’ll either freshen up the bag or use the hardware and high-quality vegan leather for making smaller items like cardholders. That’s slow (and sustainable) fashion in action!