Fashion With Purpose: How 1% of Our Rework Collection Supports Sustainability projects
Fast Fashion’s Hidden Cost
Every year, millions of garments are discarded, piling up in landfills or flowing into rivers and oceans. Ghana’s coastline is one of the most visible reminders of this crisis — where mountains of secondhand clothes, often shipped from abroad, spill into markets, streets, and eventually the sea.
Fast fashion isn’t just filling closets. It’s polluting ecosystems, destroying local economies, and leaving behind a trail of waste that communities must live with. At Kalamazoo Vintage, we believe fashion should never come at the expense of the planet. That’s why we built our brand on sustainability, connection, and memory — and why we created the Kalamazoo 1% Rework Pledge.
Who We Are
Kalamazoo Vintage is more than a clothing brand — we’re a movement bridging fashion, sustainability, and culture.
Founded in London and rooted in Ghana, we source ethically from across the globe — Ghana, Japan, South Korea, and beyond. Our mission is simple: rescue garments from landfill, give them new life, and connect people to clothing with real stories.
Our collections celebrate the bold energy of the 80s and 90s — an era of music, culture, and innovation that still inspires today’s fashion. But we go beyond nostalgia. Many of the pieces we source need “just a little extra love.” That’s where our invisible mending and rework studio come in — transforming what others might discard into golden, one-of-a-kind fashion.
The 1% Rework Pledge
Every item in our Rework Collection carries more than a new story — it carries purpose. 1% of all sales from the Rework line goes directly to good causes, starting with ocean cleanups in Ghana.
This pledge isn’t an afterthought. It’s stitched into the heart of who we are. And it’s open: anyone can apply for funding from the pledge. From grassroots beach cleanups to youth-led sustainability projects, we want to shine a spotlight on changemakers. Selected projects will be featured on our website and socials, creating visibility and inspiring global action.
When you wear Kalamazoo, you’re not just making a style choice. You’re actively supporting cleaner oceans, job creation, and a circular economy.
Why It Matters
- Protecting oceans: Textile waste contributes to microplastics, dyes, and toxins in the sea, threatening marine life and coastal communities. Cleanup projects help reverse this damage.
- Reducing landfill: Choosing vintage and reworked clothing extends a garment’s life, slowing down the destructive fast fashion cycle.
- Creating jobs: By sourcing and mending in Ghana, we generate meaningful work and skill-building opportunities for local communities.
Your purchase is more than a transaction. It’s an investment in a sustainable future. With every rework hoodie, jacket, or pair of jeans, you’re proving that fashion can have both style and impact.
On-Trend and Sustainable
Reworked fashion has become one of the most relevant style movements of 2025. Why? Because it sits at the sweet spot where trend meets responsibility.
- Reworked denim → A hero of both sustainability and streetwear.
- Oversized fits & patched graphics → A nod to 90s nostalgia, still dominating today’s fashion cycle.
- Invisible mending → A luxury-level craft that upgrades B-grade clothing into premium, wearable art.
At Kalamazoo, we’re not just following trends — we’re reshaping them by proving that reworked and upcycled fashion can be premium, desirable, and timeless. When you wear our pieces, you’re tapping into the cultural DNA of the 80s and 90s while actively fighting waste.
How You Can Get Involved
- Shop the Rework Collection → Every purchase directly funds our pledge. Browse now.
- Apply for Funding → Running a sustainability or ocean cleanup project? Apply here and join our pledge network.
- Be the Connector → Share our mission, tell friends about your purchases, and tag us on socials. Together, we amplify impact.
Fashion doesn’t have to be wasteful. It can inspire, connect, and heal. Every Kalamazoo rework piece is proof that style and sustainability can walk hand in hand — and that your wardrobe can be part of something bigger.
