Sustainability Spotlight: The Niche Shop
When thinking of sustainability, reusable shopping bags, metal straws, and picking up litter on the street may come to mind. While individual participation in environmental improvement is important, industries and corporations around the world are some of the largest contributors to the declining condition of our planet—with the fashion industry at the top of that list.
“The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of all global emissions, more than the aviation and shipping [industries] combined,” reveals BBC.
Due to the several garment production processes that utilize toxic chemicals, such as weaving, dyeing, and transporting, water and air sources are being polluted more and more every day. Considering the fashion industry is necessary and used by almost every person in the world, it is crucial that people are aware of its impacts and do their best to make smart shopping choices to help make an environmental difference.
Andrea Kennedy, sustainability and fashion strategist, sourcing specialist, and educator at LIM College, spoke about some industry details that happen outside of the public eye.
“I knew first-hand about the impacts of fashion on climate change because of an experience that occurred while working in textiles,” she explains. “The company imported 3,000 yards of an Italian fabric that costed $18 per yard, but it came in the wrong color. Since there wasn’t room to store it, the warehouse manager sent it to an incinerator to be burnt which made me realize how my actions in fashion were directly contributing to air pollution and climate change.”
From there, Kennedy conducted loads of research to learn more in-depth about the industry’s waste patterns and to find solutions to this issue.
“The waste rate is insane,” she says. “I found that incineration is a very common practice when there is excess stock, but if something is heavy and won’t float, like buttons, plastic, nylon, or zippers, it is often just dumped into the water.”
In a study conducted by the Department of Biology at York University, it was revealed that 20% of all global water waste hails from the fashion industry alone.
“The way everything travels and how we farm, extract, soften, and finish all of the material is done with toxic chemicals that are also rinsed out into nearby water around the factories, dyeing houses, and farming facilities,” Kennedy says. “That then contributes to the water being less drinkable, swimmable, and bath-able for all types of life in those areas.”
Aside from the water, Kennedy notes that air quality, biodiversity, resources, and food quality are all at stake since everything around us, from the soil to the oxygen, is affected.
While we cannot directly stop the fashion industry from practicing these unethical waste methods, we can shop from stores or brands that promote sustainability and ethical consumption. One of these options is a small shop on East 81st street called, The Niche Shop.
All images were taken by author
The Niche Shop is a women-owned secondhand vintage shop in Manhattan’s swanky Upper East Side neighborhood. Founded by Nichole Sesti in 2021, this carefully curated boutique was established with the goal of creating “a space where you can connect with others who share love for sustainability, style and self-love.”
Sesti, a Pennsylvania native, decided to take a leap of faith and move to New York City after college, where she developed a love for social media and fashion. To further pursue her hobbies, Sesti started a blog in 2018, NYC Nichole, where she shares articles about thrifting, fashion tips, and sustainability.
Once her blog started to gain traction, she opened The Niche Shop as a pop-up shop that offered small selections of vintage clothing on the weekends. In 2022, after receiving an overwhelming amount of support, Sesti and her partner Nick, made the decision to invest in a permanent location for The Niche Shop.
Now, almost a year after its official doors opened, The Niche Shop continues to grow as one of Manhattan’s most affordable and stylish secondhand shopping options. With a wide variety of clothing and décor items ranging from as low as $10 to as high as $250, there is something for everyone despite size, aesthetic, or budget.
By sourcing from wholesalers and thrift stores all over the country, Sesti actively works to fight against the traditional, harmful sourcing methods. To put the cherry on top, she selects some of the most stunning and one-of-a-kind pieces to make their way around the fashion cycle another time.
As someone that believes there is history and personality behind every garment, Sesti encourages people to not only shop secondhand for the environmental benefit but also to broaden their style and add their story to the piece.
Although its brick-and-mortar is located in New York, The Niche Shop now offers shipping on the website to give everyone the opportunity to shop its items. Staying true to its sustainable roots, in-store pick-ups are preferred however, all shipping is done with eco-friendly materials to make it as clean as possible.
Although the Niche Shop is one of the best options for sustainable shopping, consider making a difference by changing your fashion habits as well. For example, donating items after use, wearing items in between washes, and investing in staple pieces to avoid overconsumption are all great ways to help the sustainability movement little by little. After all, it takes a village to make a change!
How will you change your fashion habits? Leave a comment below.