The hum of machines and chatter of students fill the air in Lehigh’s Wilbur Powerhouse Design Lab. Denim scraps, patterned T-shirts and corduroy pants sprawl across worktables, yet to be reimagined into something new.
For members of Lehigh’s Thrift and Upcycling Club, these aren’t just old clothes — they’re canvases for creativity and sustainability.
The club was officially launched last spring by co-founders Lily Wu, ‘27, and Bryn Fayle, ‘27, who turned their casual weekend thrift trips into a campus-wide effort to make sustainable fashion accessible and fun.
Wu said she sees thrifting as a tangible solution to offset the cost of living and the fast-fashion industry’s environmental toll.
92 million tonnes of textile waste is produced globally, with 11% of plastic waste coming from clothing and textiles, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.
“Clothing is a huge contributor to waste in landfills, so being able to repurpose used clothing can contribute to sustainability,” Wu said.
The club has a GroupMe chat of around 350 members, with around 30 students who are consistently active. Wu said people don’t have to be interested or have previous experience in thrifting to join.
From brownies and bracelet-making at their first general body meeting to monthly trips to Goodwill and the Salvation Army, the club blends social events with sustainability. In September, members traveled to local thrift stores, swapping style tips and sharing their finds.
For Fayle, the club’s vice president, these outings are her favorite events.
“It was super sweet to have our first actual meeting to go thrifting as a group,” Fayle said.
She said thrifting is also about self-expression. Last winter, Fayle found a perfectly-worn leather jacket at a thrift shop located at a Bethlehem church — a reminder to members of how it’s easy to stumble upon something great.
The executive board is currently planning a fundraiser where students can submit Pinterest boards to receive personalized thrifted bundles. They’re also organizing workshops in partnership with Wilbur Powerhouse, where students can learn sewing, embroidery and T-shirt printing.
Arusho Tewari, ‘27, the club’s secretary, manages communications and event feedback. She said she wasn’t familiar with thrifting prior to coming to Lehigh, recently taking up the hobby after realizing how accessible it is.
The executive board has also faced hurdles with funding. Last year, the club received $100 in Student Senate support.
“Funding is difficult,” Wu said. “It’s made us be creative and have events that don’t really cost any money, which has been really nice and aligns with the mission of the club that these things don’t have to be expensive.”
Club member Gavin Santiago, ‘27, has immersed himself in upcycling since joining. His favorite event was the workshop at Wilbur Powerhouse where he learned embroidery.
“After the Wilbur meeting, I went back throughout the semester and kept using the machines and made a bunch of stuff,” Santiago said.
For Tewari, the ultimate success of the club is hearing about students who leave workshops with new skills and their closets growing with secondhand finds.
She said this facilitates important broader campus conversations about sustainability.
“We’re all just trying to get through classes, and being able to thrift and find things that are more accessible or sustainable and cheaper is an avenue for everybody,” Tewari said.
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