If you’re looking for a stylish and affordable back-to-school wardrobe, Project ReWear might be the spot for you.
It’s dubbed, “a thrift store with a purpose”. The Thousand Oaks shop was opened by two moms who are on a mission to save secondhand clothing from the landfill.
“I’m a mom of two teenage boys…And when I cleaned out their closet a few years ago, I saw how half of it still had tags on and most of it was never worn,” said Project ReWear founder, Kim Lau. “When I heard that every second, a garbage truck of textile waste is taken to the landfill or sent overseas, I was like, ‘I need to do something about this.'”
Project ReWear was formed by two moms who saw too much waste and came up with the idea “to empower families to make more conscious choices with their clothing. And our hope is to do that by being impactful, stylish, accessible, and affordable.”
Lau explained that she and her team handpick and purchase high-quality clothing from thrift stores to curate a one-of-a-kind boutique.
“So, a family of three might be able to come in here with an elementary school student, middle school student, or high school student and be able to find items at more than half retail price. So, you’ve got a nice pair of jeans at $17, tops between $7 and $10,” said Kate Kennedy, Project ReWear customer expert.
As shoppers prepare to check-out, they get to see the impact their purchase makes.
“At the heartbeat of our mission is the Landfill Project. And then soon to come, the Don8 Project. But the Landfill Project is where we want customers to feel part of the experience. And so, we weigh every single item that is purchased so they can see real-time their contribution,” explained Lau.
According to Lau, the goal is to reduce textile waste in landfills, fewer microplastics in oceans, more clothes reused or repurposed and to prove circular fashion works.
Kennedy demonstrated how one purchase makes an impact. “If you had a family with three students going back to school and you wanted to buy these backpacks, again, somewhere between $10 and $17, almost new, we’re going to click on our scale right here. We’re going to place them in, and then we’re going to let you know that you saved over three pounds that were going to go into the landfill, total at the end of the day,” said Kennedy.
You can shop Project ReWear online. Or at their Thousand Oaks location, 2940 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Unit C Thousand Oaks, CA 91362, Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.