Exploring sustainable shopping in Alamance County
Sustainable fashion has made its way into stores in recent years. This sort of fashion can consist of clothing made with environmentally friendly materials such as organic cotton, repurposed materials and any other sort of clothing made to last long. Fortunately for Elon University, there are some local businesses offering sustainable options.
Elon U Thrift
Elon U Thrift is a consignment shop founded by junior Jakob Reuter and senior Grace Granger. The shop originally started as a class assignment in 2020 for their ENT 2500 course, Creativity & The Doer/Maker Mindset. After the class ended, the two chose to continue with the project.
“We decided we were both passionate about the idea and decided to make it a real business,” Granger wrote in a statement to Elon News Network.
Granger found thrifting to be a beneficial thing to the environment, as it reduces the amount of clothing waste and is important to our culture. This passion is part of why she continued with the project and continues to sell sustainable clothes.
“I love that thrifting is becoming more popular and I hope to see even more of it… and recycled clothes in the coming years,” Granger wrote.
Students can purchase items from Elon U Thrift at Marketplace Under the Oaks or on their website, elonuthrift.com.
Simply Oak
Located in downtown Elon, Simply Oak Boutique carries clothing, accessories and gifts. Melissa Troutman, owner of Simply Oak Boutique, said the shop’s main mission is to carry unique, fun pieces that will make everyone feel confident.
“We take pride in choosing one of a kind pieces that you wouldn’t typically find in other stores,” Troutman wrote in an email to Elon News Network.
Troutman opened the store in January 2017 — two years after receiving her bachelor and master degree and bachelor’s degree from Elon University.
The sustainable clothing sold at Simply Oak Boutique comes from local vendors, so when someone purchases clothes, some of the profit goes back to the vendor.
“We try our best to order and carry as many local products as possible in order to help reduce our carbon footprint,” Troutman said.
Along with carrying sustainable clothing, Simply Oak Boutique also has sustainable packaging in the form of recyclable paper shopping bags. Customers also have the option to purchase a reusable Simply Oak Boutique bag.
Troutman said the boutique’s clothing is inspired by current trends and are closet staples — appealing to the college student population.
Wearology
Wearology is an eco-friendly boutique that opened five months ago. The shop is located in Gibsonville and owned by former public school teacher, Brittany Pate. Through Wearology, Pate has been able to give back to the community — specifically to public schools.
Wearology carries a wide array of sustainable and eco-friendly clothing items that are primarily targeted at a younger audience. Pate said she has always loved fashion, but never knew where her clothing came from or how it was made. With Wearology, she said she can make sure the clothing is sustainable and local.
