Founder and CEO of Reborn Clothing Co., Emily Neville, is expanding her student-run sustainable fashion business in Boone, North Carolina.
After its launch in Raleigh, North Carolina in November, Neville, 20, decided that the next step for Reborn was to extend its services to campuses across the state.
Reborn’s purpose is to transform textile waste into new articles of clothing and accessories ranging from laptop sleeves to denim updates. The company also offers a service by which customers can send in an article of their own clothing and have it transformed into a new product that will be mailed back to them.
Though Reborn was initially founded to serve a nostalgic demographic who wanted their old clothes renewed, Neville said that she soon realized that the majority of her customers were college students who weren’t necessarily looking to have their own clothing repurposed.
“It seems that college students are drawn to our products made from textile waste,” Neville said. “Most students we’ve talked to wear everything they own or they haven’t had enough defining experiences for their clothing to have sentimental value, but they’re still sustainability-minded and like our products and what we stand for.”
Neville said that she thinks Reborn will be embraced in Boone, especially at Appalachian State University, as the university is known for its sustainability efforts.
The first step in bringing Reborn to Appalachian State and the Boone area was to hire brand ambassadors who hold the task of spreading the word about the company via social media and word of mouth.
Reborn’s first brand ambassador from Boone is Appalachian State junior and fashion blogger Olivia Remsberg. Remsberg said that she has been interested in the company since its conception and has followed it closely on social media for months. Remsberg’s excitement about the company stemmed from the fact that it’s dedicated to sustainability and operated solely by college students.
“The fact that it’s run by college students alone is pretty amazing,” said Remsberg. “I think it’s safe to say that being a student is a full-time job and adding anything on top of that is a big deal.”
Remsberg also said that Reborn’s products and services are unlike anything else on the market.
“I think it’s one-of-a-kind right now. With fast-fashion having such a big moment, I don’t think many companies actually believe sustainability is that important,” she said. “So much of our waste comes from clothing, so there really needed to be a company like Reborn.”
Images courtesy of Emily Neville.