Free Clothes from Big Brands: E-commerce Cleaning the Atacama Desert and Raising Awareness

Mar. 21, 2025

Zero. That’s the price to acquire a garment discarded by major brands in the Atacama Desert (Chile). The Atacama RE-commerce project – an initiative transforming fashion industry waste into an opportunity – allows pieces from renowned brands, some never worn and in excellent condition, to get a second chance. The action draws attention to the issue of textile waste, enabling consumers to access these clothes online and free of charge, with only the shipping cost to cover. In other words, the person is paying to remove the piece of clothing from the desert. Developed by Artplan - the largest Brazilian agency with 100% national capital - and powered by VTEX, in institutional partnership with Fashion Revolution Brazil and Desierto Vestido, the project highlights the environmental impact of the fashion industry and encourages reflection on current models of overproduction and consumption.

Clothing disposal in large volumes has become an environmental issue in the Atacama. It’s estimated that around 39,000 tons of clothing are dumped in the region annually, forming a massive mountain of waste. This phenomenon is a consequence of the fast-paced production model of the fashion industry, which generates excessive disposal of new or barely used items, most of which come from the ‘fast fashion’ markets in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Mariano Gomide de Faria, CEO of VTEX, the company responsible for the project’s digital platform said:

"We believe that every piece has a story and a purpose. Our mission is to rescue these items and give them a second chance, promoting awareness about the excessive consumerism driven by the fashion industry today."

 

The Atacama RE-commerce operation involves a careful process of selecting and restoring the garments. A specialized team curates the items, ensuring they are in good condition for resale. The pieces are cleaned, organized, and made available on the digital platform. Consumers can visit the site, choose the products, and only pay the shipping cost – the clothes themselves are offered for free.

Angela Astudillo, co-founder of Desierto Vestido, a non-profit promoting awareness and circular economy in fashion, said:

"Initiatives like Re-Commerce are essential for rethinking the way we consume fashion. The environmental impact of the textile industry is enormous, and promoting sustainable alternatives is a way to reduce waste and preserve natural resources and local communities, which are affected by these issues."

 

Fernanda Simon, executive director of Fashion Revolution Brazil, part of the world’s largest fashion activism movement commented:

“We want to go beyond e-commerce: our initiative invites reflection on the impacts of our current model of production, consumption, and excessive waste. We are living in a Climate Emergency, and the fashion industry needs more robust commitments. This action is a way to draw attention to what lies behind the clothes and provoke new ways of relating to them."

 

According to Rodrigo Almeida, Monte, CCO of Artplan, creativity goes beyond design or aesthetics.

Almeida said:

"We took a real problem and turned it into a story that connects, engages, and raises awareness. Atacama RE-commerce is not just a reuse project but a way to give a voice to discarded items, to tell the story of these clothes, and at the same time, provoke a more critical look at consumption. The campaign proposes a new meaning for what is considered waste, showing that each piece carries value, memory, and potential for a new beginning."

 

The website can be accessed via link Recommerce | FastStore. The first drop sold out in less than 5 hours - being distributed to more than 10 countries - and new drops will be provided so that the site remains in existence.