Thrift Store Aid: Infinite Threads Popup Helps MIT Community and Earth's Environment
Hear Ye, Hear Ye! The Thrifty Revolution Hits MIT
Three years ago, Massachusetts made a statement by passing a law banning the disposal of used clothing and textiles. With sustainability in mind, the MIT student-powered force, Infinite Threads, cheered the new rule.
Originating from the Undergraduate Association Sustainability Committee, Infinite Threads took a leap in the green arena, transforming from holding a few pop-up sales annually to hosting up to nine events per semester.
A team of students collects gently-used apparel from the MIT community and slashes the prices for an all-campus yard sale extravaganza held several times each semester. These sales go down in the heart of the high-traffic Student Center. Anyone can grab a bargain, and Infinite Threads warmly welcomes donations at these events too.
Student leaders Cameron Dougal '25, a former urban science and planning whiz with a dash of computer science, and mechanical engineering prodigy Erin Hovendon fronted the fun-loving squad for the 2024-25 academic year.
"We aim to reduce material waste by collecting a boatload of clothing leftovers when students scoot out of their dorms at the end of the spring semester. See, we then sell basic stuff like shirts, jackets, pants, and jeans for just $2 to $6. We even dish out free MIT-branded goods like T-shirts from dorm events and career fairs," Dougal shares. "These campus-focused items rarely travel far, maximizing the chances they'll find recycled homes."
Hovendon, a fervent eco-warrior pursuing a career in renewable energy, joined the gang after spotting an invitation on DormSpam. "The chance to dive into sustainability leadership and lend a helping hand to the MIT community was just too good to pass up. Our goal is to offer cheap, inspiring clothing options, and we continually hear heartwarming testimonials from students who've scored dazzling threads from our thrift sales," Hovendon adds, grinning ear to ear.
"The funds we raise at our sales go towards paying our student workers and covering rental costs for the U-Haul we need to cart our stored items from MIT's Furniture Exchange warehouse to the Student Center," says Dougal. "Our mission is clear: we strive to keep clothing out of landfills, and our efforts support our crusade to protect our dear planet."
Experts back up their noble fight, asserting that each pair of cotton jeans takes up to an entire year to decompose, while jeans and items made of polyester may persist in landfills for up to 200 years. Shockingly, jeans consume 5 percent of landfill space[1]. Infinite Threads flicks jeans and textiles away from landfills to contribute to a greener future.
Hovendon nods in agreement. "Moolah isn't our endgame. Our purpose is to save our planet. We received some startup funds from the MIT Women's League, the Office of Sustainability, and the MIT Fabric Innovation Hub."
Infinite Threads partners up with the MIT Office of Sustainability (MITOS) to keep people informed about their ongoing efforts.
"Infinite Threads exemplifies the potential of student action, ingenuity, and collaboration to create real-world, positive change. By fostering a reuse culture, Infinite Threads showcases what MIT students, like Cameron and Erin, are capable of as they take aim at sustainability challenges - both academically and beyond campus[2]," says Brian Goldberg, assistant director of MITOS.
By the close of the 2024-25 academic year, Infinite Threads had sold an impressive 1,000 clothing items. Any leftover garments not snapped up at the thrift shop are passed on to Helpsy, a forward-thinking organization dedicated to keeping clothing out of trash cans and landfills. The dynamic duo, Dougal and Hovendon, affirm they've repurposed around 750 pounds of textiles to Helpsy in the 2024-25 year alone.
Lauren Higgins, a fervent political science enthusiast preparing for her final year, took the reins managing Infinite Threads from Dougal earlier this year. "I jumped on board as an Infinite Thread staffer and have enjoyed contributing to waste reduction and sustainability actions on campus since the start. I'm thrilled by how much impact we've had so far, and I hope we continue to make waves this upcoming year," Higgins shares.
Sources:1. Environmental Protection Agency2. The Tech3. MIT Office of Sustainability
- The Undergraduate Association Sustainability Committee, the birthplace of Infinite Threads, proudly supports innovation in sustainable living, promoting lifelong learning about personal growth and education.
- The MIT Office of Sustainability, in partnership with Infinite Threads, is dedicated to fostering a vibrant ecosystem of sustainable practices, including energy conservation, waste reduction, and home-and-garden ecofriendly solutions.
- Infinite Threads, an exemplary student project, demonstrates the impact of mental health awareness and lifestyle choices on sustainability, proving that engineering solutions can extend beyond space exploration.
- By championing sustainable-living initiatives, campus groups like Infinite Threads inspire a new generation of graduates to take their passion for environmental protection, climate action, and science into various fields, including engineering and education-and-self-development.
- As a beacon of funding opportunities, the MIT Women's League, the Office of Sustainability, and the MIT Fabric Innovation Hub, endorse invaluable start-up grants specifically designed for projects driving positive change, such as Infinite Threads.
- Sustainability at MIT extends beyond classrooms and laboratories; a crucial component of a well-rounded education, it encompasses essential skills like leadership, collaboration, and holistic thinking, instilling in students the importance of these values in their future careers.
- Infinite Threads proudly embraces the appeal of secondhand goods, shifting the minds of students to prioritize fashion consciousness, contributing positively to climate change mitigation and the environment.
- In a remarkable display of sustainability efforts on campus, Infinite Threads successfully sold over a thousand clothing items, saving an estimated 750 pounds of textiles from landfills during the 2024-25 academic year.
- Diversifying its network, Infinite Threads partners with forward-thinking organizations like Helpsy, showing dedication to eliminating waste and promoting the circular economy within the broader community.
- Erin Hovendon's fervent advocacy for renewable energy extends beyond the realm of science, inspiring students to embrace greener lifestyles in their mental health, daily routines, and interactions with the environment.
- The Thrifty Revolution at MIT represents more than just recycling clothing; it serves as a catalyst for change, empowering students to take ownership of their future and the planet's sustainability through learning, collaboration, and lifelong initiative.
