LG Electronics USA and designer Nicole McLaughlin recently unveiled a limited edition capsule collection featuring one-of-a-kind apparel, accessories and home goods made entirely from unwanted clothing collected as part of LG’s Second Life campaign. A leader in laundry innovation, LG launched “Second Life” to raise awareness of clothing waste and inspire consumers to take responsible action for clothing through improved fabric care, donations, and upcycling.
To kick off its efforts earlier this year, LG embarked on a seven-city West Coast road tour raising awareness of textile waste and collecting unwanted clothing with the purpose of responsibly recycling 100 percent of items received. More than 5,000 pounds of clothing were collected and passed through LG’s wash center in Los Angeles where they were sorted, thoroughly cleaned and refreshed using LG’s #1-rated, ultra-capacity LG washers and dryers and LG Styler steam closets that deliver the best in fabric care. For her collection, McLaughlin hand-selected donated garments and unsalvageable pieces to be repurposed, and all remaining clothing was donated to communities in need through local beneficiaries including the Los Angeles LGBT Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central New Mexico, Central Arizona, and Southern Nevada.
The LG Second Life capsule collection is a synergy of LG and McLaughlin’s shared goal of reducing clothing waste through fabric care and upcycling. LG’s dedication to clothing care inspired McLaughlin to delve into the home goods space, yielding some fun results. In addition to clothing and accessories, the Second Life capsule also features functional, laundry-centric home décor, including a hamper made from repurposed button-up shirts and cargo shorts; a first-of-its-kind plant holder using color blocked pieces of old anorak jackets; a camp chair made from scraps of vintage track suits; and a foldable stool and carrying pouch that McLaughlin created using pieces of puffer jackets. Apparel and accessories include patchwork fleece pants and a separate but matching shoulder bag, complete with netted pockets and carabiner hardware. Standout – and likely sought-after – pieces include a skirt, which was upcycled from a pair of motocross pants; and a netted coach’s jacket created using leftover laundry bags – for both form and function.
“I’m partnering with LG for their Second Life Campaign because we’re both trying to help reduce textile waste and their efforts to educate and inspire people really speak to my mission as a designer,” said McLaughlin. “The most sustainable fashion item is the one you already own, and caring for your clothes – including how you wash and refresh them – is the best way to reduce your fashion footprint. LG is definitely the expert when it comes to fabric care and their washers and dryers make it easy to better care for what they wear.”
The exclusive “LG Second Life Collection by Nicole McLaughlin” is not for purchase but rather available for a limited-time via a global raffle on nicolemclaughlin.com now through Sept. 22, with all proceeds directly benefitting Slow Factory to further support its mission to transform socially and environmentally harmful systems by designing models that are good for the Earth and good for people.
While LG plans to announce another Second Life Tour this fall, U.S. consumers are invited to get involved in giving their clothes a “second life” now through better laundry care with the help of LG, creating upcycled pieces with the help of McLaughlin’s how-to tips, and “closet clean out kits” with the help of LG and thredUP. Simply fill any shippable box with unwanted women’s and kids’ apparel, shoes, and accessories and mail for free to ThredUp to be responsibly recycled, reused or resold. Visit www.LGSecondLife.com to print a free mailing label – plus, LG and thredUP will donate $5 to a select charity of the seller’s choice for every donation kit received.
