Thandie Newton has criticized in no uncertain terms the throw away society brought on by “out of control manufacturing”. The British Style Goddess called upon fashion icons to help the environment and buy second hand clothes as an example – something the folks of Lake Providence have done for decades.

Newton spoke frankly about how “out of control manufacturing has become, and the excess and pollution that’s caused by it… “Vintage (clothing) is not only glorious and stylish, it’s also the way forward in terms of recycling. Whenever I go out to vintage stores, I wonder why we ever buy new things.”

As a fashion icon, Newton has rightly used her image to direct attention towards an industry which she can have greater influence over. However, her environmental principles closely match what trade 2 save advocates for the consumer electronics industry.

With design and style now playing dominant roles in the development of consumer electronics, products are now seen as fashion accessories as opposed to functional items.

The rise of the throw away society is a comparatively new phenomenon, and has provided many benefits to the global economy in terms of productivity, international trade, and the rise from poverty of now prosperous nations such as India and China through manufacturing exports.

Though second hand clothing in the UK is limited to the confines of charity shops, in the US, second hand clothing stores are big business, with profitable outfits such as Crossroads Trading Co. and the Buffalo Exchange now having dozens of stores between them.

We’ll try to contact Thandie Newton’s press secretary to hear her views on pre-owned electronics and the growing crisis of e-waste.