unnu helps men find the perfect secondhand outfit and protect the planet
By Cristina Holtzer
Caleb Brown wants you to store secondhand. In actuality, he’s eager to choose out the apparel for you.
Brown, a Sharpsburg world wide web developer and startup founder, has launched unnu (pronounced un-new), an outfit-in-a-box shipping and delivery assistance exclusively for secondhand clothes. Probable consumers define their type and sizes. Then Brown goes to work obtaining the fantastic items from thrift merchants and estate sales in the Western Pennsylvania region.
The enterprise started with an fascination in vintage apparel but grew after Brown did much more analysis about the destructive consequences of the trend sector on the setting. A lot more than 11,300 tons of garments and textiles finished up in landfills in 2018 by yourself, in accordance to the Environmental Security Agency, up from 6,280 tons in 2000 and 2,320 in 1980. The world style sector accounts for about 10 % of the world’s carbon emissions and consumes additional electricity than the aviation and transport industries put together, in accordance to the United Nations. The business generates 20 percent of wastewater around the world.
unnu is an outfit-in-a-box supply assistance exclusively for secondhand clothing. Image courtesy of unnu.
As a way to battle these developing figures, the UN suggests purchasing from thrift stores to give clothes for a longer period life. Brown hopes unnu can be a further way to store in an environmentally-aware way.
“If we split that stigma about purchasing secondhand, it is a way we can make a dent in these not so good studies like drinking water usage and CO2 emissions,” states Brown. “My individual wardrobe is most likely 90% secondhand.”
As consumers have become additional mindful of the hazardous impression of the trend business, secondhand browsing has grown in recognition. On the net resale of vintage outfits discovered in thrift suppliers has exploded in new years, which is where by Brown obtained the thought for unnu.
Picture courtesy of unnu.
Resellers usually seem for identify brand or even designer merchandise from thrift suppliers, but a great deal of higher-high quality “everyday” outfits was not producing it out of the outlets.
“There’s so considerably good things that even now will get still left on the racks,” he claims. “I recognized that a ton of this nice garments was nevertheless ending up in landfills. [unnu] is a way to deliver these awesome dresses that are not essentially classic grails into people’s households.”
Though there is an solution to subscribe to unnu and acquire a “new” outfit on a regular monthly foundation, Brown says that isn’t actually the target as a lot as creating secondhand browsing simpler.
unnu delivers men’s clothing with a concentration on casual and small business relaxed looks. Picture courtesy of unnu.
At present, unnu only delivers men’s outfits with a aim on informal and enterprise casual appears, although Brown claims he’d appreciate to get started curating gender-neutral collections shortly. Women’s clothes boxes may perhaps be even further on the horizon, even though, if he can find some aid.
“I’m chatting with folks that are smarter than myself about how to handle other marketplaces,” he states.
No issue who wears the dresses, convenience is the major priority. “Cozy cabin,” but nonetheless place of work-suitable, is the goal.
unnu’s thriller bundles — collections of four shirts, either graphic T or polo — have been some of the additional popular orders to date. Thriller bundles value $65, and 1 curated outfit sells for $80. Selling prices for solutions like Stitch Deal with range but generally start out at about $50 for every product.
A curated outfit from unnu sells for $80. Photograph courtesy of unnu.
At the moment, unnu is in the early stages, but Brown suggests he is searching for strategies to raise consciousness and funding for this new venture, which launched in mid-February. For now, Brown is a one-person procedure. He spends hours each individual 7 days scouring thrift outlets for the excellent products, laundering them and sending them to shoppers by means of the mail.
“It should not be that mad to place with each other nice outfits that are pre-owned,” suggests Brown.
Cristina Holtzer is a Pittsburgh-dependent freelance writer and social media producer. When she’s not laughing far too tough at TikTok, Crissy can be observed crafting screenplays with her husband or walking her doggy about Sharpsburg. Browse her operate in Day to day Well being, The Kitchn and Pittsburgh Magazine.