Second-hand shopping helps reduce the need for resources, reduces water waste, helps lower fast fashion demands, lowers pollution, and more. BHS alumni and Northeastern student Emily Gualberto has helped reduce these problems with her company, Neighborhood Thrift Co. Gualberto’s company sells second-hand clothing for several communities beyond Cape Cod. 

“I established NTC last May 2020. It started off as a platform where my friends and I could sell some of our clothes during quarantine,” said Gualberto.

Gualberto noticed a growing demand for an account where people could purchase second-hand clothes locally and feasibly, so she decided to execute it. 

“My mission for the company is to serve as a brand that normalizes and promotes second-hand and socially conscious shopping, all while being affordable and tying together communities,” said Gualberto. 

Last summer, NTC had nine collaborators and as of now, the company has six collaborators and six associates. 

Gualberto’s goal is to make second-hand and socially conscious shopping something all types of people enjoy doing. Gualberto said she found that people often don’t take pride in second-hand shopping as it doesn’t live up to the reputation of buying something expensive. 

“My vision for NTC is to create a strong brand that people find appealing and desirable and thus providing outlets where the community can come together to find affordable pieces — all while taking pride in it,” said Gualberto. 

NTC sells brand apparel, and it is not second-hand. Although, the apparel is made with a percentage of recycled materials, and 15% of every sale goes towards different charities, many of which promote sustainability. 

NTC sells a variety of affordable apparel for both men and women! Check out neighborhoodthriftco.com to see the latest second-hand and thrift items!

BHS Senior Audrey Sawyer is also executing second-hand shopping as Vice President for the Students for Sustainable Fashion Club. Sawyer established this organization during quarantine with another girl from Georgetown, Massachusetts. 

“We got in touch and decided we wanted to spread awareness about the unsustainable fashion industry and what we can do as humans to work against this,” said Sawyer. 

Students for Sustainable Fashion grew to over 50 members from 14 different US states and seven countries, all helping to educate their followers and members on how to become a more sustainable clothing wearer. 

“We got articles published in multiple newspapers and gained over 300,000 likes on TikTok,” said Sawyer. 

Check them out on Instagram @students4sustainablefashion to get educated about sustainability, ethics, impacts on body image, and corruption in the fashion industry.