Sarah Garner started Retykle because children grow out of clothes so fast. She says, “Children will speed through seven sizes of clothes in their first two years of life. The average child outgrows over 1500 articles of clothing before they are fully grown.”

She founded her company to provide pre-loved designer fashion for kids. This reduces waste – and also reduces costs for parents, with  prices 50 to 90 percent less than normal retail prices.  The platform also gives parents the chance to clean out clutter – and earn money. Retykle accepts clothes for newborns to 14-year-olds and will pick up the clothes from your home. You can see their accepted brands list here.

Rachel Teo points out the holistic benefits of sustainable clothing. “We mothers want our children to be able to grow and flourish on a green planet where they can still experience nature. If we continue our ways of consumerism, the future will be very different for our younger generation.”

When it comes to sustainable children’s clothes, both mothers are firm fans of natural fibres. Rachel Teo believes cheap clothes are a false economy, because they fade and tear too fast.

“Children’s clothes made out of natural fibres are more durable. In Singapore, you have to wash clothing after every wear due to the perspiration. But natural fibres will still hold their structure, and last longer than some other fabrics made of synthetic materials that easily fade and tear.”

She also deliberately produces designs in small batches to avoid overproduction and the waste that’s common with many so called “fast-fashion” companies.

While Retykle cannot control the materials of the brands they bring in, Sarah Garner is committed to choosing natural materials when she buys clothes for her kids. “Synthetics like polyester are cheap to produce because they’re made from fossil fuels like oil. Plus polyester fabric is not biodegradable and cannot be recycled, so it is often tossed into landfill.”

“Natural fibers are biodegradable, built to last and are much kinder on the skin, as well as our planet.”

Both mumpreneurs understand that it’s tempting to opt for so called “fast-fashion” brands  – but they prefer to see the bigger picture. Says Sarah Garner, “If you buy a top for $10 and it falls apart only after a few wears, the item will end up in the bin. Plus it has been produced in a way that damages the environment, and by a worker who did not earn a living wage. So that cheap top has a significant human and environmental cost.

“However, let’s say you buy a $50 shirt that was made in a sustainable manner. The top can be passed on, again and again. It will still look great. You get both environmental and ethical gain.”

Harper and Wolfie produce designs in small batches. This does increase the price of each individual item, but it significantly cuts down on waste and the considerable water pollution caused by fabric production.

Sarah Garner no longer buys brand-new clothes for her children, or for herself.  “There are are more than enough clothes in the world to clothe every child many times over,”  she says. “Consumerism starts at a young age and I think lessons in living sustainably will serve children well, over time.”

She adds, “I started Retykle to find solutions to the mounting environmental crisis caused by the fashion industry. To do something that can create a better tomorrow for my kids. Seeing them grow into individuals who are conscious about how their small acts can affect the environment fills me with hope and pride.”

Rachel Teo agrees that no actions are too small when it comes to being sustainable. She advocates starting where you can – whether it’s avoiding plastic bags, recycling or using eco-friendly washing powders. She explains, “Even simple changes in your day-to-day life can make a difference. I don’t downplay any effort that helps make our planet a better place.”

Sarah admits running an online business for secondhand clothing is quite different from a traditional e-commerce platform. “The whole retail and e-commerce model is built to support depth in SKUs or Stock Keeping Units.

“However, secondhand requires unique listings that need to be reproduced for each item that passes through our platform. We process hundreds of items a day, resulting in a huge inventory of SKUs. We have built pricing algorithms, automation and many other tech enhancements that create operational efficiencies. But it is certainly not as easy as mere e-commerce.”

Rachel Teo believes it’s important to keep an open mind about what can add value to your business.  As well as children’s fashion, she’s added handmade wooden toys, decor items and children’s books to her e-commerce platform, “Because books grow with children.”

Says Sarah, “To become a truly sustainable fashion brand is very challenging. Typically the biggest environmental impact happens at the production stage and requires the deepest consideration.”

She explains, “It’s very important to set sustainability goals and standards for yourself. Be transparent with consumers and accountable to certifications.” For example her business is now certified as a carbon neutral operation. 

As a guide, cotton is a very thirsty crop. Each cotton plant needs around 45 litres of water to maximise its yield. This is around 20-30 inches of water, so fields often have to be artificially irrigated. Cotton also needs a lot of water to process and dye – production contributes to between 0.3% and 1% of total global carbon emission in the world

Rachel Teo says, “Take baby steps towards your goal. It can be hard to find your way, but it will be worthwhile in the end.”

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