Bulk Collector

Organizations (both non-profit and for profit) that collect clothing through various collection methods; such as donation bins, scheduled residential pick-ups, clothing drives; in order to generate revenue through the sale of apparel to organizations such as secondhand stores, or sorter-graders that sort and sell the clothing to various local and global end markets

Carbon Neutrality

A term used to describe the state of an entity (such as a company, service, product or event), where the carbon emissions caused by them have been balanced out by funding an equivalent amount of carbon savings elsewhere in the world.

Chemical Recycling

A process to break down polymers into individual monomers or other chemical feedstock that are then used as building blocks to produce polymers again

Circular Economy

A framework for commerce which looks to minimize impacts to the environment while maximizing profits by using resources more effectively through the employment of circular product design and circular business models. (eg. product as a service, repair, lease)

Circular Fashion

A framework for delivering fashion to consumer which looks to minimize the impacts to the environment while maximising profits by using resources more effectively by employing integrated product design and business models (eg. rent, repair, reimagine, closed-loop recycling)

Circular Fibre

A fibre for clothing that can be mechanically or chemically recycled into a fibre which can be used to make clothing from the recycled fibres

Closed-Loop Recycling

Processes that produce new yarn and fabric suitable for garment production

Clothing Provider Charity

Charitable organizations that distribute collected apparel directly to persons in need, typically at no cost to the recipient. Clothing provider charities may only accept specific items to support their charitable mission (eg. winter coats, professional work wear, prom dresses)

Collaborator

An organization that co-produces events or materials with the TLC. For example, an organization we co-publish a paper with.

Corporate Sorting and Certified Destruction

A sorting and destruction process whereby branded and proprietary products, including those that pose a security risk, are disposed of securely.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

A company’s commitment to manage the social, environmental and economic effects of its operations responsibly and in line with public expectations.

Cradle-to-Cradle

A design framework focused on "eco-effectiveness" and positive impact of the product while reducing the negative impact

Downcycling

(Also see Open-Loop Recycling) Use of secondary materials that results in a lower economic value of that material that cannot be recovered 

Fairtrade

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. Fairtrade certified products have followed these guidelines along their supply chains. 

Fashion Seasons

The number of new collections a brand produces annually

Fast Fashion

The supply of clothing based on lowest production cost and fastest production time often resulting in low-quality mass-produced apparel with short lifespans

Feedstock

A material or substance which is used as an input to a product or process

Funder

Foundations and other donees who provide funding to the TLC in the form of grants. 

Industrial, Commercial & Institutional Waste

Waste generated from the industry, commercial establishments or institutions that is managed by way of collection and delivery to a facility that handles municipal solid waste.

Landfilling

The disposal and burying of solid waste. The degradation of the waste results in the creation of local air and water pollution

Life Cycle

All stages that a product goes through in its lifetime (raw material extraction, processing, manufacturing, use, end-of-life, transportation)

Municipal Solid Waste

Refuse that originates from residential, commercial, institutional, demolition, land clearing, or construction sources as outlined in the Environmental Management Act.

Open-Loop Recycling

(also see downcycling) processes by which textiles are deconstructed, shredded or otherwise processed and used for the manufacture of lower value products, such as insulation or fill. 

Post-Consumer Waste

Waste arising from products that have reached the consumer

Pre-Consumer Waste

Waste arising from industrial, commercial or institutional establishments that does not reach a consumer (eg. offcuts)

Recycling

The action of taking a product or material and breaking it down so that it can be made into a more valuable (upcycling), same value (recycling), or lower value (downncycling) material

Residential Waste

Waste arising from buildings where people live (eg. single family homes, apartments)

Reverse Logistics

The coordination and planning of how to get products back from consumers in order to extract the maximum value of collected products, through reselling, recertifying (repair), or recycling the returned products into new products

Slow Fashion

High quality, well made apparel, which often carries a higher price tag but typically extends wearability; apparel designed with longevity in mind

Social Innovation Labs

A global movement. They tackle complex societal challenges requiring deep systems change by working cross- and inter-sector in new and disruptive ways, for groundbreaking results.

Sorter-Grader

A company that purchases large quantities of used clothing or unwanted clothing and sorts them into various categories based on demand from global second hand clothing and recycling markets. They differ from second hand clothing retailers because they sell clothing by the bail not by the individual item. Sometimes referred to as a used-clothing broker. 

Take-Make-Waste (Linear Economy)

A resource intensive mainstream approach to commerce popularized in 1950s through the economic theory of planned obsolescence which aims to maximize profits by minimizing the amount of time between consumer purchase of new goods. 

Upcycling

Use of secondary products, components or materials that results in a higher economic value of that material

Zero-Waste Manufacturing

The artful use of patterns which use almost all materials, or additive manufacturing which results in almost 100% of the raw material used in the manufacturing of the product to go into the product itself resulting in little to no residual material