New project

The Pannonische Tafel goes among the fashion designers

Andrea Roschek (right) and her team with T-shirts from the "PanTa Fashion Rebel" collection.(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

In Austria, around 221,800 tons of clothing and textiles end up in the garbage bin or in the used clothing collection every year. The premises of the "Tafel" food banks in Burgenland are also overflowing with donated clothing. This is why the social organization is now launching its own recycling label. 

In order to dispose of clothes sensibly and do something good for others, Burgenland residents who are happy to donate cart countless bags and boxes of clothes that they no longer wear themselves to the Pannonische Tafel every day. A considerable proportion consists of high-quality branded goods. Many products still have price tags attached, and some are even handed over in their original packaging. This is why the goods quickly find new owners. However, the oversupply is causing capacity problems.

"Whether in Eisenstadt, Oberpullendorf or Oberwart: we are bursting at the seams at all locations and no longer know where to put the many pants, shirts, blouses, skirts, jackets, coats, sweaters and shoes that can be bought from us at a bargain price of three to four euros per item," says Andrea Roschek, Managing Director of the social institution.

This mountain of clothing alone was handed in at one of the three Tafel locations within 24 hours.(Bild: zVg)

The root of the problem
In order to get the vast quantities of clothing to people outside the market halls, the Tafel is now organizing pop-up gift markets where anyone can pick up clothes for free. Clothes stands are also set up at food and flea markets. Children's and homeless shelters in Hungary and Romania are also supplied. But all these campaigns are not enough, says Roschek and points to the root of the problem:

"Hardly any other industry wastes our planet's resources as unrestrainedly as the fast fashion industry. Despite this, cheap fashion is still being produced every day. Highly toxic chemicals are used, which endanger the health of the exploited workers and also the environment. All the junk that is not sold is incinerated in huge landfill sites. The smoke pollutes the air and is responsible for up to ten percent of harmful greenhouse gases every year."

The new recycled collection is a clear statement against disposable fashion.(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

Sloth as a recognition feature
To raise people's awareness of the global damage caused by superfluous disposable fashion, the Tafel launched a sustainable textile project with the Packaging Coordination Office a few weeks ago. With the funding it received for this, a sustainable fashion label called "PanTa Fashion Rebell" will be launched tomorrow. Donated T-shirts, hoodies and jackets will be provided with a special logo. It was designed by art director Elke Marksteiner from Eisenberg. Graphic designer Jürgen Giefing from Baumgarten is responsible for the printing.

The logo features a sloth. But what's it all about? "Sloths live a very resource-conserving life and are therefore the ideal mascot for our awareness campaign. Anyone who buys a piece from our collection not only gives worn clothing the chance of a second life, but also commits to mindful clothing consumption and becomes an ambassador for our brand - in short, a PanTa Fashion Rebel."