One unremarkable Tuesday in 2019 I got into a casual carpool with the VP of Sustainability for Gap, Inc. We spent the car ride to San Francisco talking about projects her team was working on. When I opened the car door in front of 1 Harrison, the home of Athleta and Janie & Jack at the time, my path was shaped. I would pivot out of clothing design and into sustainability.
Through Gap’s Tuition Reimbursement Program, and with the support of my Director, I enrolled in a master’s degree in Leadership Sustainability through the University of Vermont. I became the Sustainability Lead and initiated projects including our first run of 100% US-sourced and California-made sweaters using wool from a regenerative sheep farm in Dixon, CA.
A couple years (and a pandemic later), I was ideating on what my master’s thesis project would be, I began to reimagine what sustainable retail could look like – retail that didn’t extract from the environment, or the people involved in it’s creation.
Thrift was my answer. But thrifting differently.
We created a beautiful space – and put care into the donated items by cleaning & steaming clothes, fixing, mending and polishing. Our goal is to keep things in use and out of landfill while offering items at accessible price points.
In addition, we partner with Sierra Community House and individual community members to provide quality free furniture. Our larger goal, however, is to purchase and provide subsidized housing to our local workforce.
We’d love to see you in the shop and share with you what we created.
Kellee & Darren, xx
Yardsale & Co. 