A college student-led clothes recycling program is satisfying the creative drive of university cohorts while helping to keep perfectly good apparel out of landfills.
As ABC affiliate WLNE detailed, Providence College student Mary Gifford, now a senior, turned her observations into action, pitching a business model for a thrift store to the Rhode Island school after researching other consignment shops and programs over the summer.
"A bunch of my friends and I would trade clothes and go back and forth. I noticed it was a trend to leave garbage bags of clothes outside," Gifford said of her freshman year, highlighting the large volume of unwanted clothes in circulation for rehoming.
As part of her pitch preparation, Gifford also chatted with colleges with similar businesses, and ultimately, the efforts paid off. Providence College approved the model, and Friartown's Closet has set up shop in an old classroom on campus, selling both men's and women's clothes.
The thrift store accepts apparel from students and the surrounding community, and if the clothing is in good enough condition to sell, donors can receive store credit. Gifford and her team have also launched pop-up events, providing free clothing to people in the area.
"It was really fulfilling to just give back to the people who need it most," Gifford told WLNE.
"Being able to give back is really important to us because there is something for everyone here, I think. We take everything, so the stuff we can't sell in store we will donate," added junior Emma Pszeniczny, explaining that it felt good to do something about fashion industry waste.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, discarded clothing is the top source of textile waste, which produces planet-warming gases like methane when it breaks down. The rise of fast fashion hasn't helped matters, with Earth.org explaining the number of times consumers wear garments has dropped by 36% over the past 15 years.
All in all, more than 101 million tons of textiles end up in dumps every year. However, shopping secondhand is a surefire way to help reduce some of this harmful waste while putting money back into your pocket. Many companies also have donation reward programs — not unlike the program from Friartown's Closet.
🗣️ Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics?
🔘 Giving me money back 💰
🔘 Letting me trade for new stuff 👕
🔘 Making it as easy as possible ⚡
🔘 Keeping my stuff out of landfills 🗑️
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
According to Providence College, Gifford received a grant for her venture through its Center for Engaged Learning, including a $4,000 stipend and another $500 for supplies. She hopes her store will ensure not only reduce waste from events like homecoming dances, during which students might wear formal attire one time, but also make professional apparel for interviews and internships more accessible.
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