Goodwill’s Eco Couture turns donated clothes into runway fashion
by Laura Garber Goodwill Southern Los Angeles County will hold its annual Eco Couture fundraiser Saturday, November 7, in El Segundo. Design students from Cal State Long Beach and El Camino College will transform donated clothing into high fashion and streetwear for a runway show. The evening also includes a luxury brand pop-up shop with donated goods, silent and live auctions and dinner and drinks. “At Goodwill, we believe in second chances,” said Paul Reiner, the nonprofit’s CEO and a Leadership Hermosa board member. “When donated clothing and household goods get a second life, they stay out of landfills.” Goodwill expects to divert about 25 million pounds from local landfills this year, Reiner said. Most people know Goodwill for its thrift stores. Fewer know where the money goes. About 89 cents of every dollar from sales funds career training and job placement for people with barriers to employment, according to the organization. Goodwill trains and places more than 1,000 people each year in healthcare, technology, security and maritime jobs. After a decade of stagnation, the nonprofit has grown its stores and revenue by 25%, Reiner said. Its mission impact grew 50% with the…
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