About Reclypt
+ TONIGHT: swapping circular tips & May happenings!
Tonight, some Reclypt community members are getting together for our monthly “Circular Salon” where we will discuss circular fashion tips. (Hope to see you there!)
Our monthly salons bring circular thought leaders, like yourself, in one room to connect, discuss, and build the Circular Economy, together. Picture hanging in Reclypt’s living room with your friends, role models, and new faces while we create the future we all want!
This had me thinking…
How did we get here?
Reclypt started as a blog for upcycled fashion, which then turned into a marketplace for local NYC upcycled brands.
From there, it truly snowballed into pop-up events around NYC to make circular fashion more accessible! Now we’re hosting 3 monthly events, bi-annual Playgrounds, upcycling workshops, and more!
Let’s dive into how Reclypt got here, but first…
Why is there a Reclypt?
Reclypt is here to build a collective that helps you navigate how to create impact.
MISSION: Reclypt is a hub that explores how we create change in the circular economy.
VISION: Engage with communities and use our platform to explore circular economy structures.
Reclypt hosts events in NYC that educate you on the essentials of circularity and allow you to access it in a way that works for you. We’re here to help you navigate the nuance and ever-changing landscape of "sustainability" while building community along the way.
But what are “circular practices”?
TLDR: Limiting anything new by reusing, repurposing, and repairing what we already have. It’s part of the larger circular economy, which is a system where resources are created and [re]used efficiently to minimize waste, social injustices, and environmental impact. It aims to create a closed loop cycle where products and materials are kept in use for as long as possible. Both consumer and producers participate in the circular economy, Reclypt helps make it easier to access and understand for both!
A little about me…
I’m Rachel, I started Reclypt 3 years ago. I grew up in a don’t-throw-that-away household, even teasing my dad when he’d deem a can “good” or for adding to his shelf full of jars; but joke’s on me, because I now have a drawer full of jars… that always comes in handy (some of them are being used for Reclypt's mending kits)!
It wasn’t until volunteering with the Peace Corps in Uganda that I experienced, first hand, the incredible amount of fashion waste circulating the world. At the time I just loved going to the market every Tuesday to search through the dozens of piles of clothes for the chance at finding a treasure or two (I did find an Hermes scarf that I will always cherish!). I didn’t realize the social, environmental, political, and economic implications of those clothes until studying and working in sustainable finance.
Seeking more grassroots and communal reach, I sought out ways to reduce waste in my own life. Like many others, I quickly learned that fitting all of my garbage in a mason jar was out of the question, but I did start composting and shleping reusables, but I really enjoyed the work I was doing in the sustainable fashion community.
Why this? Why now?
The closest thing I have to a fashion background is playing with paper dolls, but as I dove deeper into the sustainable fashion community, I learned, what we wear (or don’t) directly impacts people and the planet, and I wanted other people to understand that too. Trying to understand what clothes are sustainable, or ethical, or just don’t do harm is an impossible task. Trust me, I tried to do it, felt overwhelmed to the point of apathy, then I quickly relied on the community to help me understand.
This is where Reclypt comes in. Using Reclypt, I have and am continuing to navigate the nuances and complexities of building a less-harmful wardrobe, so you don’t want you to go through it alone!