“Koreans tend to wear their clothes cleanlier than others.”
A nonprofit organization has launched a campaign to collect clothes and shoes worn by Koreans.
US Again, the campaign organizers, began the efforts within the Korean community in the U.S.
“There are more clothes and shoes thrown out by average people than one may realize,” said US Again division manager Christine Wong. “We have a recycle bin that donors can drop their clothes and shoes into.” The donated goods from Koreans are especially deemed as quality clothing as those have generally been kept clean despite the wear and tear.
After collecting the items, US Again export them abroad. The revenue generated from the project is directly donated to providing water to impoverished countries in Africa.
“If a church or another community organization volunteers to install one of our bins, a part of our revenue will be rewarded to them,” Wong said. “The bins are installed in safe areas.”
Wong added: “The goal is to protect the earth by saving the items we often throw away. Tennis shoes that you don’t wear could be the biggest gift for someone else.”
Lucy Xiao, Happy Village’s Chinese PR manager, said: “This is an effort anyone can participate in. It’s an opportunity to provide more water in Africa while saving waste in this country.”
▶Inquiry: (213) 368-2679 Happy Village Mark Lee
By Byung Chang
