Fashion culture emphasizes individuality: Clothing is a form of innovation, meaning and personal expression. And with that, many Middlebury students have used their clothing to express their ideals about sustainability and environmental justice.
Patagonia is an extremely popular clothing brand here at Middlebury. The founder Yvon Chouinard recently gave away the company to a trust fighting climate change. Their outdoor apparel balances comfort and style, making it a popular choice among Middlebury’s hikers and campers.
Anna Doucet ’26 is an avid Patagonia fan and believes in the importance of self-expression through fashion.
“I do think that continuing to shop from the brand and supporting the nonprofit is important and demonstrates that one cares about where they are shopping from and acknowledges how important supporting sustainable clothing brands is,” Doucet said.
Thrifting and shopping second-hand is also on the rise. Y2K and ’90s fashion are trending, and many garments from those eras can be found in local thrift stores. Shops like Buy Again Alley and Neat Repeats Resale Shop are popular local thrift stores for buying statement pieces to create funky outfits or finding timeless staples.
Charlotte Cebula ’25 loves numerous clothing trends but also considers the impact of making new purchases, aiming to shop sustainably.
“I care about style and tend to change wardrobes often, so in order to do that with minimal impact on the environment, I prefer to thrift my clothes,” Cebula said.
If not thrifting, shopping local and for sustainable brands is an alternative some students use to cut down on their carbon footprint. One of the many supporters on campus of shopping locally is Joshua Wayland ’25.
“I believe it is extremely important to uplift small businesses to help our communities thrive and give less money to big brands,” Wayland said.
Some Middlebury students create and sell their own clothing through Etsy or their own personal social media sites, often upcycling existing clothes. Eden Horton ’26 is one of the many small business owners living right on campus. She specializes in embroidered clothing, specifically sweatshirts and bags.
“Embroidery is a super fun way for me to spice up pieces I already have and make them fully unique. My most popular item is my floral lettered sweatshirt. I don’t know how to sew quite yet, but in the future, I hope to learn so I can add my embroidered elements to them,” Horton said.
Recently, the college store even made an effort to let people shop sustainably on campus. On Sept. 23, Middlebury hosted a vintage clothing and record pop-up shop outside Proctor Dining Hall. With a wide selection of chunky sweaters for the colder weather, graphic tees for a casual day of classes and a variety of dresses and skirts for weekend partying, there was something for everyone.
Maya Alexander ’26 was one of the many customers at the pop-up where she found a pink knit sweater and a white slip dress.
“It’s definitely not always the most convenient or affordable option, but I try to limit ordering clothing online if it’s something I don’t necessarily need,” Alexander said. “And aside from environmental motivations, I love knowing that I am curating a closet specific to me.”
