Thank you for your insightful article on the potentially misleading maze of "green" consumer choices ("Green clothing not always what shoppers expect," Dec. 15, page 9).
In a country like Taiwan, where cheap, mass-produced clothing fills every street stall and shopping mall, it's good to raise awareness of fashion's environmental impact. I strongly agree with the article's conclusion, "the greenest clothes ... are the ones you already own."
I would like to add that in addition to clothes you already own, buying second-hand, retro or vintage clothing is one of the best ways to be environmentally conscious and yet fashionable at the same time.
Sadly, there are not many outlets for second-hand clothing in Taiwan, and the vintage phenomenon is not yet as wide-spread as it is in Europe and North America. Still, there is hope yet if some vestigial trace of that Chinese virtue known as frugality can be revived.
Hong CHIEN-CHUN
Taipei County
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