The international development cooperation NGO J Foundation (지파운데이션) announced on September 30, 2026 that it has signed a business cooperation agreement (MOU) with Giseok Trading (기석무역), which has committed to regular second-hand clothing donations. Under the agreement, Giseok Trading will donate an average of 1,000 second-hand garments per month through J Foundation from August 2026 to December 2027.

Key Points

  • Giseok Trading has committed to donating approximately 1,000 second-hand garments per month to J Foundation from August 2026 to December 2027
  • The donated categories cover a variety of apparel including men's and women's clothing
  • The donated used clothing is sold through J Foundation's "Vintage" and "같이상점" (Shared Shop) channels, with proceeds used to support vulnerable groups

The donated goods consist of various types of clothing including men's and women's wear. Unlike the traditional charity distribution model, the donated used clothing is not handed out directly to recipients but instead enters J Foundation's second-hand circulation channels to be monetized: one is "J Vintage," which accepts clothing and household goods donated by companies and individuals, raises funds through sales, and directs them toward assistance for vulnerable groups; the other is "같이상점," operated by J Foundation in partnership with welfare institutions, which likewise sells donated items, with sales proceeds going toward local welfare programs, balancing resource circulation with community support.

Giseok Trading CEO Song Yeon-hee said at the signing that she hopes to use the company's own resources to contribute what it can where help is needed, and stressed that this cooperation is not content with a one-off donation but is moving toward long-term collaboration, with support to continue in various ways going forward. J Foundation department head Jeong Ji-min noted that regular donations are a great help to the stable operation of Vintage and 같이상점, and that the sales proceeds will also strongly support assistance work for vulnerable groups; the foundation will do its utmost to ensure the goods reach the neighbors who truly need help.

From a vintage fashion perspective, this cooperation presents a link on South Korea's domestic demand side: a trading company re-injects used clothing into the consumer market through NGO channels, and the sales proceeds flow back into charitable causes, forming a "donation—resale—funding" cycle. While extending the lifespan of clothing, this model provides NGOs with a stable source of second-hand merchandise and offers traders with used-clothing resources a compliant disposal channel.

Source: 기석무역, 지파운데이션과 업무협약…매월 중고의류 정기 기부 · Originally published 2026-09-30