With “Earth Day” in April, the month has become a catalyst for increased conversations on how we can make a more positive impact on this planet to protect our environment. It’s no longer a secret that the retail industry has not been kind to Mother Nature, but, thankfully, meaningful discussions and changes are being made within brands and companies. We have a long way to go, but the hard work has begun. However, that’s one side of the equation. As consumers, we are now asking ourselves what changes can we make in our shopping habits?
I sat down with Carly Ridloff, Founder and CEO of The Exchange Project, to learn more about her mission to inspire us to live more sustainably without compromising style.
What was the catalyst for your business venture?
First off thank you so much for interviewing me about The Exchange Project. We love Boca and have had many events here.
The Exchange Project started out of the combination of loving to shop and fashion but also deeply caring about the planet and the impact that we have. A few years ago, I watched the documentary “The True Cost” and it opened up my eyes to the extreme havoc that the retail industry has on the planet. I was SHOCKED that no one was talking about this! How can such a beautiful industry cause such exploitation and destruction? I had to do something about it.
In a nutshell, how does it work?
Great question, it’s a lot! The Exchange Project has evolved into multiple branches. Events, swap, and now consignment.
Our events started a little under three years ago and is how we launched our company. We have had over 20 events everywhere from Connecticut, New York City, and Florida. All guests have to do is purchase a ticket and then drop off their items prior to the event. We then curate and style all the racks before the event to give your old clothes a new life and provide a chic shopping experience for attendees. Each event is unique and offers a different experience. We love to add something extra to our events and have had everything from workout classes, sustainable speakers to sound bath healing for our guests. Guests have the opportunity to then shop as many items as they dropped off prior to the event, which helps us find a home for all items! All remaining items we donate to a local charity that helps get the clothes into the hands of people who need it rather than in landfills.
Our business has evolved into having the option to swap and sell with us. We offer appointments in our showroom, which allows guests who can’t join the events to have their own unique and personal styling experience. We also have started building our consignment inventory and uploading products daily to our website for people to shop, which is another great way to keep items in circulation. We love getting into the consignment world and are obsessed with our curated online inventory.
What is different from your platform when compared to others in the same space?
What puts us apart from other consignment resellers is that we offer a curated experience that helps our guests lead a sustainable lifestyle that makes a difference. There aren’t other businesses doing what we are doing and The Exchange Project has created a movement and community of like minded shoppers wanting to make an impact on the world. Every event we average about 200 items that we have diverted from landfills and instead into closets where they get the love they deserve. Our mission is to make a difference on our planet and help reduce the impacts of fast fashion on our planet. We are proud to say that we are only continuing to grow and the Exchange Project movement is helping others make an impact.
What’s the biggest misconception consumers have about fashion’s footprint on this planet?
I honestly do not think people know about what a tremendous impact they have on the planet. I had no idea about the havoc that the industry has on the planet before I watched the documentary. I was shocked! Unless you are searching for the information, businesses try to hide it from consumers. The Exchange Project has helped open the eyes of shoppers by sharing what they are doing to the planet and how they can make a difference without sacrificing their love for shopping and fashion. We give the opportunity to fellow shopping lovers to exchange their high-end clothing rather than continue to purchase items that sit in their closet. We aim to make it as easy as possible for shoppers to be sustainable.
Is it too late to make a positive and significant impact on the environment?
No way! You can start anytime, it just starts with being mindful about your choices. We always say small changes, BIG impact! My favorite example of that is if we all stopped drinking from plastic water bottles, and instead just refilled. It’s such a small change that can have a tremendously positive impact on the environment.
What has been your biggest accomplishment thus far in your venture?
My biggest accomplishment is helping people to realize that they can make an impact. Everyone thinks what they do doesnt matter, but if we all started making eco conscious decisions, our planet would be in a much different place.
And your biggest challenge?
Scaling, Making this model accessible to EVERYONE!
By partaking in one of your events, what do you hope attendees gain from the experience?
First off, we hope that they find incredible clothes that they love and enjoy wearing! It’s is UNREAL what our guests walk away with. We also hope that they find value in doing a closet cleanse beforehand. We hope that our guests leave our events feeling good from the inside out. We want this feeling to have a ripple effect out into their everyday lives. We also want our guests to leave feeling empowered to make a difference.
In three to five years, where do you see your business?
We hope that our events are happening nationwide. We also hope that our online curate resale/consignment blows up and that our customers know to come to us for an amazing dress, pair of shoes, and so on.
On that note, keep an eye out for The Exchange Project’s upcoming event in Boca Raton slated for September and be a part of this movement where sustainability and fashion meet. Follow @the.exchangeproject on Instagram.
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