Makayla Roumph
A&E EDITOR
It is not too late for spring cleaning, and UNO alumna Mallory Bart has proven that you can do so sustainably.
Pivoting from fast fashion at Pacsun to sustainable fashion, Bart started her Depop business “Mallory Bart Media” in August of 2016 when she had a closet full of clothes taking up space.
“I had a ton of clothes taking up space in my closet and wanted an eco-friendly way to free up space for new clothing,” Bart said. “After I gained a bit of traction selling clothes from my closet, I decided to put my thrifting skills to the test and started finding clothes other people might want to buy.”
Mallory Bart Media’s mission is to find unique vintage clothing that buyers cannot find themselves secondhand or do not want to spend the time to find them in a thrift store.
“My mission is to make vintage clothing accessible to anyone who wants it, no matter where they’re located,” Bart said. “I try to keep my prices lower than a typical retail store, even if that means I’m not making as much as I could.”
Bart started using eco-friendly packaging from betterpackaging.com and reusing Amazon boxes in 2019 to further implement sustainability within her business. She uses compostable mailers and garment bags to ship all Depop items, and customers can expect a bonus with the new packaging in that it can be reused multiple times. The mailers can also be placed in a compost garden and will biodegrade in 3-6 months.
Not only does Bart promote sustainability through her packaging, but through sourcing locally.
“My business is sustainable by sourcing only from local second-hand shops in Omaha,” Bart said. “Shopping second-hand also keeps clothing out of landfills and gives it a second life with someone new. Preventing clothing from entering landfills by reselling it is one of the most impactful things we can do to help reduce textile waste.”
Bart said shopping second-hand locally is the best of both worlds because consumers can support local businesses while fighting fast fashion waste, all while finding unique clothes and starting fashion trends.
“Omaha has so many unique vintage pieces waiting to be found at second-hand stores,” Bart said.
Beginning to thrift in 2010, Bart has had ample practice and experience in what brands to look for as well as developing an organized system to run her business. She makes 2-3 sourcing trips per month and spends five hours looking through every rack and shelf in the store to guarantee the best finds. The clothes are then placed in giant bags and transported home, where she washes with allergen-free detergent in big loads to save water.
Bart then begins to categorize and begin the measuring process. To do so, she organizes the price, weight, short description, size, measurements, condition and fabric content within Google Sheets. She believes in maintaining organization and taking detailed notes to assure the best customer experience and preparedness if any questions arise.
When all items are organized, the clothes are ready for their photoshoots. Bart recently invested in a backdrop with softbox lights for a studio experience in her home, where she models all of her own items. However, she is interested in hiring models to help with the inclusivity of all sizes.
To support and shop Mallory Bart Media, visit https://linktr.ee/mallorybartmedia https://linktr.ee/mallorybartmedia for her socials and https://www.depop.com/mallorybartmedia/ for her Depop.
