Flea and Thrift Club is shaping futures in sustainable styles
Photos by Trinity Johnson, Photographer
Racks of pastel tops, vintage denim and tables of handmade jewelry lined the Piazza as students passed through to stop and shop at Chapman Flea and Thrift Club’s monthly event.
This club is more than just a hot spot for students to spend their money, but a student-run organization that promotes sustainable shopping, personal marketing and community engagement. Flea and Thrift organizes a number of thrift events, clothing swaps and workshops where students can learn more about the reselling industry.
Club president and senior strategic corporate communications major, Katie Conway, leads this monthly thrift event in the Piazza.
As president, Conway is responsible for organizing flea events as well as approving the vendors that sell their products. Prior to events, she works with School of Communication professors to educate vendors on marketing products, utilizing communication theories and sustainability.
With Conway being in her last semester of college, this club has given her hands-on experience for her hopeful future in fashion marketing.
“It is really important to me that the company I work for upholds my values,” said Conway.
The main reason Conway wanted to get involved in this club was her motivation to promote sustainability in fashion.
“It can change so much in how climate change is heading if we all just shopped a little more sustainably,” said Conway.
Shopping this event is accessible to all. With the middle of the campus covered with great clothing finds, the Piazza is more than just a path to your next class, but a way for friends to browse together or for vendors to get to know each other.
Senior business administration major Ryann Sax was one of the vendors selling their own clothing pieces.
“It was so easy,” said Sax. “I saw them at the club fair and went to a meeting where a professor came in to talk about sustainability.”
Sax was showcasing clothing straight from her closet. The rack held a number of colorful tops, her table covered with a variety of bottoms and even a pair of wedge heels. There were also separate bags with an assortment of clothes she was offering for just five bucks apiece.
“It is something I have always wanted to do since freshman year,” said Sax. “I bought a clothing rack on Amazon yesterday and just took a bunch of my stuff here.”
Conway herself tables at these events too, and thrifts for unique, up-to-par styles.
“Since it’s spring, I have been looking for a lot of floral and colorful pieces. I try to find things that are unique, but still comfortable for students everyday, going to classes or walking around campus,” said Conway.
One of Conway’s favorite monthly vendors is her own friend Nicole Hicks, a junior liberal studies major, who sells unique thrift finds as well as her own handmade crochet pieces.
There were many resellers with curated tables, each one exhibiting a variety of different clothing styles.
The club continues to bring together a number of different vendors and shopping experts, allowing students to get involved in the community and experience second-hand selling and shopping. Another bonus is gaining real world experience in the marketing and business world.
“Everyone should come and shop,” said Conway. “It is a great way to shop sustainably and you meet so many cool people, it is such a great community.”