Sustainability mindset leads BW student to launch online thrifting store

Noah Mowery '25 cut his teeth on marketing, retail and sustainability at age 15 when he launched his vintage clothing side gig. The budding business was a precursor to his current store and a savvy antidote to the environmental woes of fast fashion.

The concept is a win-win for customers, sustainability and Mowery, a BW management and innovation and human resource management double major from Medina, Ohio, whose online store, The Thrifting Tree, provides real-world learning for Mowery to utilize his creative, management and retail skills and champion the importance of sustainable fashion alternatives.

Side hustle that exploded in popularity

"I started this business with the idea of selling cool vintage clothing to my friends in almost a personal stylist way. This was before I knew about sustainability," said Mowery.

"I would go to the thrift store and get myself cool outfits, so I didn't have to spend money at the mall. It also meant I had more unique outfits than anyone at school. My friends eventually started paying me to get them things. This led to a business model I created back then to sell vintage clothes online," explained Mowery.

"I noticed the trend of dressing in vintage was becoming very popular online, so I began selling clothing on eBay. My middle school side hustle quickly became a full-time occupation for me in high school," he went on to say.

"During the summer between high school and college, I found out about the dangers of fast fashion and wanted to continue selling second-hand clothing under the mission of counteracting this wasteful industry," remarked Mowery.

"I wanted people to understand that the thrifting alternative was cheaper, more stylish and more unique. I used Instagram to gain a following surrounding this mission and slowly shifted from selling on eBay to selling on Instagram through direct messages and sales on social media itself rather than a website," he noted.

"On July 1st of last year, I rebranded my account and started a website around the name I have currently, The Thrifting Tree. I now sell mostly earth-tone clothing as a nod to the importance of sustainable clothing over fast fashion," he stated.

"I also released a newly made, yet sustainable product — a 100% recycled organic cotton tote bag — that was produced with fair labor in Turkey and screen printed with fair labor in the United States," said Mowery.

"The mission behind getting rid of fast fashion has expanded into selling newly made clothing that is socially, environmentally and ethically produced. I plan on releasing one or two more products before the end of the year that will fall under my sustainable clothing brand, The Green House," disclosed Mowery.

Blending BW with business

Mowery's success is a propitious case study of what it means to parlay one's passion with action. The e-commerce endeavor stands as a gold medal in entrepreneurship training that no textbook can match.

He credits BW faculty, staff and resources for providing mentorship, grants and support. Among individuals, Mowery cites Marsita Ferguson of the Brain Center for inspiring him to expand his involvement in campus activities and take on leadership roles.

Support also came via mentorship and two micro-grants from BW LaunchNET, an on-campus program — powered by the Burton D. Morgan Foundation — that provides free and confidential venture coaching, idea contests, pitch competitions, networking opportunities and education to the BW community.

In the classroom, Mowery wrote a paper titled "Tackling Fast Fashion with Sustainable Shopping" for his business communications course, where he highlighted the dramatic environmental and social impact of fast fashion and offered a plan for halting the industry in favor of sustainable clothing alternatives.

Around campus, he benefits from word-of-mouth opportunities to talk about The Thrifting Tree to his college peers, a demographic perfect for second-hand and sustainable clothing.

In addition, he hosted a pop-up for his business at the student union in April. The endeavor not only showcased his store and its mission but also put 150-plus pieces of clothing in the hands of faculty, staff and students.

Timeless way to create a personal style

His steadfast devotion to changing the way society purchases clothing is the pillar of The Thrifting Tree's mission. Mowery believes his store "stands as inspiration for those looking to combine their passions with entrepreneurial spirit."

"A closet filled with timeless and unique pieces offers people an opportunity to create their own personal style. The Thrifting Tree's mission is to curate the best selection of vintage clothing for our customers," noted Mowery.

"I've sold more than 4,000 items during my time in business. I like to think that my little niche in this type of retail is helping keep clothing from landfills and changing mindsets about what it means to be a socially conscious shopper," he said thoughtfully.