At sixteen years old, I learned in my high school AP Environmental Science class that the vast majority of the clothing Americans donate or discard does not simply disappear, or get rehomed via charity organizations. There is simply too much mass-production, overconsumption, and as a result, textile waste for that to be a reality. Instead, roughly 90% of these garments get shipped overseas, where they overwhelm local waste systems. The improper disposal, open burning, and dumping of these clothes expose vulnerable communities to toxic chemicals and airborne carcinogens, leading to heightened risks of cancer, respiratory disease, and other severe health issues. As the daughter of a Punjabi-American immigrant, I was particularly disturbed to learn that countries like India frequently bear the burden of textile waste generated elsewhere. What Americans often discard without a second thought can become environmental, and therefore, human killers.
And that realization changed the way I viewed both fashion and business.
Around this same time in high school, my weight began to fluctuate due to medication changes. I could no longer fit my clothes. Rather than accepting waste as an unavoidable consequence of fashion consumption, I taught myself how to sew – purchasing a $20 used sewing machine on Facebook Marketplace, and watching YouTube tutorials. I began tailoring and redesigning the clothing that no longer fit me.
What started as a personal creative outlet evolved into VUpcycled, the sustainable clothing business I founded to give unwanted garments a second life. Through sourcing, repairing, photographing, and selling thousands of pieces of clothing, I witness firsthand how much value is discarded simply because our systems prioritize convenience over protecting the planet.
My experience as a young entrepreneur has taught me that environmental problems are rarely caused by a lack of awareness. Most consumers don’t go out seeking to contribute to pollution or overflowing landfills, but the reality is that we are guilty of doing so. But…why do we do it? The challenge is that sustainable choices are often more expensive, less accessible, or more time-consuming than unsustainable ones. This is why I believe sustainability must be at the center of business models themselves. Businesses determine how their products are manufactured, how resources are used, and whether items are designed to be discarded or designed to last – not just for the sake of growing profit and building credibility, but for the sake of consumers' lives.
At Fordham University’s Gabelli Graduate School of Business, I aim to develop the strategic, operational, and leadership skills necessary to address textile waste challenges on a larger scale, but also participate heavily within Fordham’s Responsible Business Center, advocating for more sustainable and ethical business practices, particularly within the fashion industry. I am ready to further my knowledge on how to build organizations that make sustainable choices easier, more affordable, and more accessible for consumers.
My long-term goal is to create scalable solutions that reduce textile waste and advance a circular economy. I envision a digital platform that simplifies repairing, reselling, donating, and upcycling clothing, helping keep usable garments out of landfills. I also hope to develop partnerships that transform discarded textiles into stuffed animals and furniture that benefit underserved communities, creating environmental and social impact simultaneously.
When I think about the future, I do not simply want to participate in the transition to a more sustainable economy – I want to help lead it. Because for me, sustainability is not just a professional interest. It is a responsibility, an opportunity, and the legacy I hope to leave behind.
As an UGA business student studying economics that also has a passion for backpacking that developed as an Eagle Scout, I approach business from an environmentalist background. I believe that it's especially important for businesses to implement sustainable practices because of how much impact they have on the world. When compared to individuals, businesses have a much larger potential to influence the natural world through pollution, usage of natural resources, and encroaching on ecosystems. Business sustainability is crucial not only to protect our natural resources for future use, but also to preserve natural beauty for future generations to enjoy.
One simple method that businesses can implement relatively easily is using energy saving measures. These can include energy efficient light bulbs, automatic timers on lights and air conditioning, improved insulation, and adding more windows. These relatively simple methods can decrease their energy consumption in the long run. As of currently most electricity produced in the United States is from fossil fuels this will help reduce their carbon footprint in a simple way. While this may have a big upfront cost for the business, it will also save them money in the long run by reducing their energy demands.
Additionally, businesses can even take this a step further by replacing physical offices with virtual remote employment. While having manufacturing plants and warehouses are a necessity for businesses, the recent Covid-19 pandemic has proved that many office spaces are not necessary and virtual work can replace the office environment. Today many businesses have continued using remote work either completely or partially with a hybrid work environment. Businesses that become virtual not only remove the need to illuminate and air condition office spaces, but they also eliminate the need for employees to commute to work. This would indirectly decrease the carbon footprint through eliminating their employees daily commutes to work.
Lastly, companies should prioritize waste management. Waste from companies often ends up in landfills which overtime decays and releases carbon dioxide. While backpacking, I practiced sustainability and care for the environment through the three R's: Reduce, reuse, and recycle. These three R's also apply over to sustainable business practices. Companies can reduce their waste at the start, by redesigning products to use fewer materials. Using digital documentation rather than paper documentation also reduces needless paper waste. Permanent packaging that can be reused can be implemented to eliminate the need for plastics. Many grocery stores already adopted this sustainable practice by selling reusable bags instead of plastic ones. They can also prioritize recycling by producing their finished product from already recycled materials or recyclable materials. This ensures that consumers can dispose of their used product sustainably.
Because of my passion and experiences in backpacking, I plan to bring what I've learned about sustainability into the world of business. After my education, I plan to approach business responsibly and advocate for policies such as these to be implemented into the workplace in order to preserve natural resources and beauty for future generations.
