Ditch fast fashion and grab free fashion.
It’s a simple swap Bradley’s Sewsation Apparel Sustainability Club hopes the community will make.
The organization hosted the grand opening of their Campus Clothes Closet last Thursday, introducing a makeshift thrift store where your wallet never has to leave your bag.
The Campus Clothes Closet, located in rooms 413 and 414 in Burgess Hall, is a way for students, faculty and staff to gain new pieces of clothing. Whether it be scarves, socks, pants, shirts or even shiny dresses, the closet has a place for formal, casual and business wear.
Sewsation’s president, sophomore theatre performance major Gina Ruiz, stresses the importance of being a dependable resource for students preparing for interviews and internship events, as well as anyone who needs a new piece for their personal closet.
“I think one thing that the campus closet will do is help people be able to find things that fit their style without spending money, because stores are getting more expensive, and sometimes people can’t go off campus because of transportation,” Ruiz said.
All resources were donated, including a new sewing machine from an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) member and clothing hangers. To spread the word about the club and its purpose, members send emails and host events so students and staff can learn more and possibly donate as well.
“There’s always someone who has something they want to get rid of, and I think it’s great being able to find something or someone else to give it to,” Ruiz said.
The Campus Clothes Closet is another step toward Sewsation’s goal of eliminating fast fashion and keeping clothing in circulation.
For college students, thrift stores can be a powerful way of expressing your style while saving money. Thrifted clothing was, after all, first purchased off the rack anyway.
“My hope is for Bradley to become a zero-apparel-waste campus and for our ‘Campus of Repair’ model to spread to other colleges and into our communities, especially Peoria,” community liaison and former president of Sewsation Diane Lewis said. “If we lead by example, we can help change how people think about clothing waste.”
In the future, Ruiz hopes to integrate some of the other rooms in Burgess Hall to gain more storage and possible fitting rooms.
To support Sewsation and the Campus Clothes Closet, visit the closet from 4-6 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, or attend their Fix-It-Friday events in the Michel Student Center Atrium.
