‘Pop-up thrift store’ brings affordable, reused clothing to campus
A student looks at the various examples of zines located on the center table during the Zine Club’s Pop-up Thrift Store on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the El Camino College’s Library Lawn. The Zine Club sold pins, zines, handcrafted earrings and clothing redesigned by members of the club. Rosemary Montalvo/The Union
The Zine Club sold clothing with custom designs at its Pop-up Thrift Store on Library Lawn on Wednesday, Oct. 16, the club president said.
For the second time this semester, the Zine Club sold old clothes that members and others donated at an affordable price while keeping the environment in mind, Zine Club President Taylor Barbour said.
“People in today’s age can easily throw things away but we want to remind them that they can wear reused clothes,” Barbour said. “You can make something out of nothing.”
Barbour said the event is a “pop-up thrift store” where everyone is welcome to come. The designs on the clothing are from club members and can be customized.
The proceeds from the event will go towards the club’s expenses like printing mini magazines and supplies for other events. The Zine Club is known for creating mini magazines and drawings as it was recently brought back on campus in 2017 and events like this one help fund those projects, Barbour said.
Barbour said the event is to remind students and others that you can keep older clothing and don’t have to throw them away.
The inspiration for the event came from club member Jennifer Alcantar, 19, art major, who got the idea from the indy band 1975.
“[The] 1975 had an idea on a tour where people bring their own shirts and print the design on the shirt instead of having to use a new shirt,” Alcantar said. “It’s helping the environment and it’s great for the artists.”
The clothing at the event comprised of mainly be denim and jeans due to the material being thick and durable, but there will be artwork, zines which are mini magazines, and jewelry, she added.
“The culture of zines and fashion are similar. With D.I.Y, do it yourself, both have very youthful energy and try to step out of the norm,” Alcantar said. “It is very community-based, where creatures are excited to create.”
Alexia Jones, 19, art major, who is also a club member, said Zine Club attracts a lot of diverse artists with events like Fast Fashion.
“With using different mediums like clothing you can get a lot of different artists which is great and really interesting,” Jones said.
The Zine Club’s next event will a pumpkin patch for Halloween, Thursday, Oct. 31, where students can paint pumpkins for free at the Library Lawn and take them home.
Their next pop-up thrift shop will be Wednesday, Nov. 16.
Editor’s note: Story was updated for clarification Saturday, Oct. 19, at 10:24
