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Carle BroMenn Resale Boutique teams up with ISU's Fix-It Friday clothing repair team

Fix-It Friday
Jayla Johnson
/
WGLT
The Fix-It Friday team at the Carle BroMenn Resale Boutique in Normal.

The Carle BroMenn Resale Boutique in Normal has partnered with Illinois State University’s Fix-It Friday team to help restore clothes that will be put up for sale.

Fix-It Friday is a student repair service that offers repairs at no charge. Depending on the student’s ability, they can mend clothing and nontraditional items such as stuffed animals, comforters, and more. Their mission is to promote sustainable fashion.

The Carle BroMenn Resale Boutique is located at 1322 S. Main Street, Normal.
Jayla Johnson
/
WGLT
The Carle BroMenn Resale Boutique is located at 1322 S. Main Street, Normal.

Purchasing secondhand clothing is a good way to maintain an eco-friendly closet because they won’t be thrown away. Any discarded clothing will end up in a landfill that will pollute the air, water, and land while undergoing the decomposition process, which can take up to 200 years, according to the Boston University School of Public Health. Donating secondhand clothing to places like the Resale Boutique will give it a new life.

“Everybody has the item in the closet that needs a little seam or button fixed,” said ISU professor of marketing and member of the Carle BroMenn Service Auxiliary Jeri Beggs. “If we can get that fixed then people will use their own clothing or here, make a donation, and then those items come out to our floor and get a second life.”

The Resale Boutique has been a part of the Carle BroMenn Service Auxiliary for over 70 years. The team is made up of volunteers and staff who share the same passion for repurposing products.

From the moment you walk in the store at 1322 S. Main Street, Normal, there are countless items to choose from by category. There are household items, décor, clothing, footwear and far more valuables that will catch your eye. It’s more than a thrift store, expressing significant history in each display.

What students and community members might not be aware of is how damaging the fashion industry can be to the environment, said Fix-It Friday program coordinator Hannah Oesch, an ISU student.

She said partnering with the Resale Boutique will have a bigger impact.

“It kind of shines a light on the industry and how yourself at home can even do these small repairs if you learn," Oesch said. “Or bring it to us because we are pretty accessible to help preserve your clothes and keep them for years to come.”

The Resale Boutique will continue to serve the community and sell quality items at reasonable prices. Any student with an ID will receive 10% off their purchase.

Jayla Johnson is a reporting and audio intern at WGLT. She joined the station in 2022.
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