Seven months after going viral on Instagram, a laundry run by an octogenarian couple in central Taiwan has taken its next step in redefining fashion — finding new homes for unclaimed clothes from laundries across the country.
The grandson of Want Show Laundry owners Chang Wan-chi (張萬吉) and Hsu Hsiu-e (許秀娥), both 84, said the family hopes to turn the support of 650,000 Instagram followers into a platform dedicated to social welfare.
“I hope we can bring attention to more social issues and do some good while we still have a voice on the Internet,” 31-year-old Reef Chang (張瑞夫) said.
Photo: CNA
Want Show Laundry, in Taichung’s Houli District (后里), received worldwide attention in June last year when Reef started posting pictures of his grandparents posing in creative outfits made from forgotten or unwanted garments.
The idea to set up the “wantshowasyoung” Instagram account grew out of Reef Chang’s efforts to help his grandparents deal with boredom during the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a slowdown in their laundromat and dry-cleaning business and deterred them from going out.
With the overwhelming feedback and encouragement the family has received, Reef Chang started a crowdfunding campaign, which aimed to raise NT$200,000 (US$7,046) to promote “circular fashion.”
“This initiative aims to redefine the value of abandoned clothes,” he said.
The crowdfunding project, which runs from Dec. 2 to Feb. 15 and has so far raised NT$700,000, would first list select leftover garments from participating laundry houses, he said.
Customers can purchase items, which would be cleaned and reconditioned by the laundry before being shipped to their new owners, Reef Chang said.
The platform would also invite stylists and columnists to share their ideas on redefining chic with vintage garments and accessories, he said, adding that the platform would hold discussions on issues such as the environment, recycling and social welfare.
The platform would use part of its profits to outsource cleaning services to charity groups, which help people with disabilities find employment, he added.
The clothing cleaned by these groups would be delivered to other people in need, such as seniors who live alone and disadvantaged families, who might rely on donated clothing, he said.
Having already secured the support of the laundry services trade union in Taichung, which has about 500 members, Reef Chang said that as many as 10,000 abandoned garments in the city could find new homes.
Individuals can also participate by donating their used clothes, creating a circular economy, he added.
The project, which cost about NT$1 million to build, would cost about NT$1.5 million annually to operate, he said.
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