For my BFA thesis show project I created a non-profit slow fashion company titled, SmallWorlds. The brand redesigns curated vintage & second-hand clothing, marketing on the creative talents of the colorful youth. Through brand activism students and teenagers alike will be able to become better involved in fashion design practices at a young age through education on sustainable methodologies, implementing a viable future for fashion leaders.

After thinking and researching the various ways to redesign the fashion industry, I found the main barriers when it comes to textile recycling is most commonly weak business policies, limited public participation, non-availability of recycled material, technological limitations and poor coordination. SmallWorlds is able to combat many of these challenges through its strong online presence, donation reward system, educational pathway program, influencer marketing, brand collaborations, user-designed systems and transparent brand responsibilities. 

When creating SmallWorlds I wanted to combat the main barriers associated with a sustainable fashion future, which I originally believed to be a lack of education. Growing up I didn’t have access to a lot of money, so second-hand or cheap apparel became the means of defining my style. While thrifting was originally seen as a poor people’s sport, it now has different connotations. My past experiences have driven me to design a brand that values sustainability, affordability and education.