Dead stock- What is it, Who does it, and Why does it matter? -

Dead stock- What is it, Who does it, and Why does it matter?

What Is Dead Stock?

Dead stock refers to the inventory that has not sold and does not have a high likelihood of selling in the future. A caveat is that dead stock pieces has never been sold to a customer, so returned items do not count as dead stock. Seasonal wear is the most likely item to become dead stock. When brands produce a lot of pieces for specific seasons, or holidays, once that time of the year is over brands are left with quite a bit of left over inventory. The leftover inventory will more often than not sit in backrooms and warehouses where it will eventually be thrown out. And that is where reusing it comes into play.

Who Does It?

I have been researching companies that create pieces from dead stock for a bit of time now. I am trying to purchase a majority of my clothing items from companies that are actively participating in cleaning up the fashion industry. Companies that find creative ways to produce items while not further contributing to waste. There are quite a few brands out there now using dead stock but I wanted to highlight three companies whose pieces I really appreciate.

Deadwood: A Stockholm brand that creates pieces from leather from tanneries as well as recycled leather from vintage pieces.

Deadwood Suede Jacket dead stock — A beautiful 70’s inspired safari style suede jacket.

Deadwood leather pants dead stock — I am imagining so many outfits I could put together with these gorgeous wide leg leather pants.

Christy Dawn: Creating dresses from dead stock fabric left behind by other companies. The dresses from this company are absolutely gorgeous and you can rest assure each piece was made with sustainability in mind.

woman wearing Christy Dawn Ruth Dress dead stock — The style of this dress is timeless. It is feminine, but also something that you can easily go through your day wearing.

woman wearing black Christy Dawn In Sable Dress dead stock — This silk dress would so beautiful for a multitude of events. I love the delicate nature of the lace overlay.

Scout: Creating vintage inspired vest, pants and shorts from dead stock fabrics. The company believes in creating pieces you wear forever and then pass down to future generations.

woman wearing Scout Tencel Pant and Vest dead stock — I recently purchased these silky tencel pant and vest set and I absolutely adore them!!

woman wearing Scout Store Chambray Vest and Short — This chambray short and vest is the perfect summer uniform. I imagine wearing the vest with a pair of jeans in the cooler months.

Why Does It Matter?

The average consumer throws away 70 pounds of clothing per year. Globally we produce 13 million pounds of textile waste per year, of which 95% of that waste could be recycled. Let’s take a moment to think about that for a second. It is critical we find ways to cut down on our clothing waste. I love clothes and I also love nature. Those two loves should not, and cannot be, mutually exclusive.