Haute Talk with Vanessa Sanchez | BONNEE: Clothing Swap App

What if the most sustainable thing in your closet isn't something new, but something already hanging there?

On this episode of Fashion That Gives A Damn, Lexy sits down with Vanessa Sanchez, co-founder of Bonnie, a clothing swap app built to help people refresh their wardrobe without spending money or feeding fast fashion. Vanessa has spent her career thinking about overconsumption, and Bonnie is her answer: a social, swap-first alternative to shopping and resale apps.

They dig into why most people only wear a fraction of what they own, the sentimental pieces we can't let go of, and how repair culture and thrifting fit into a bigger sustainable wardrobe strategy. Vanessa shares the story behind Bonnie, why she built a swap platform instead of another resale app, and why swapping feels more social and more fun than shopping ever did. They also get into closet clean-out strategies, no-buy challenges, and why overconsumption keeps winning even among people who genuinely care about sustainability.

By the end, you'll know how to start swapping instead of shopping, and why your next wardrobe refresh doesn't have to cost anything or create more waste.

Follow BONNEE on social media @SwapBonnee

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/

Transcript

Lexy- Vanessa Sanchez

[00:00:00] 

Speaker: Welcome to The Lexi Show: Fashion That Gives A Damn, where we expose fast fashion and celebrate the brands and products actually making a difference for our planet. I'm Lexi Silverstein, and today I'm talking with Vanessa Sanchez, founder of Bonnie, a clothing swap app designed to make sharing your wardrobe easier, more social, and way more sustainable.

If you're new here, head to lexisilverstein.com for information on sustainable fashion and eco-conscious living. And if you love what you hear, subscribe and share this episode. It helps more than you think. Vanessa, welcome. How are you doing?

Speaker 2: Hey, Lexi. How are you? Good. How are you? 

Doing well, thanks.

Speaker: Let's jump on into the podcast then. Let's start with Bonnie.

What inspired you to build a clothing swap app, and w- what gap did you feel like was missing in, in the way we currently shop or share our clothes?

Speaker 2: Yeah. So I definitely think that it was a frustration. So I have two other co-founders, so we are a team of three that started Bonnie. And we noticed that we kept looking at our closets and [00:01:00] seeing that we had so much clothes that we loved, but just weren't wearing. Yeah. And we know that a lot of other people kind of have that same problem.

And you know, over the years we saw that resale was growing so much, but swapping, you know, it really wasn't. Um, it's still really informal. It's, you know, lives in WhatsApp groups, Facebook groups, you know, kind of that sort of place, and there wasn't really, like, the centralized place online where people could swap their clothes.

So we thought that now's the moment for us to start Bonnie. Now is the moment for swapping to really become the next be- big thing and best thing. Um, you know, we find that swapping isn't really just about offloading a piece. It's about finding something that's new to you, extending the life cycle of clothes.

Um, it's all about that, so we thought that this is the right moment for Bonnie. 

Speaker: I love it. I think that that is definitely a common occurrence that people will find where they're, like, looking in their closet, and they gravitate toward, to- towards the same, like, few pieces. 

Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. 

Speaker: And even though the other items in your closet are super cool, you just, like, are noticing that you're [00:02:00] not wearing them.

Yeah. And so I think that that is such a great way to, to utilize that, 'cause I feel like, I feel like it's a common occurrence. I feel like it's something that we all probably do with our closet. 

Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. No, I was just gonna say that I saw a statistic a few years ago that really kind of stuck with me, and it says that, like, the average person wears, like, 20% of their clothes 80% of the time.

Yeah. So we're just wearing the same stuff over and over again. Yeah. And I'm so guilty of that. Like, I'll look at my closet and be like, "Oh, yeah, let me re-wear this T-shirt." 

Speaker: Same. 

Speaker 2: But, like, not that other one, for some reason. Like... 

Speaker: Yeah. No, that's, like, actually genuinely insane. I mean, I, I always am encouraging people to, like, shop your own closet and find, find ways of basically wearing your pieces in a new way or styling them- Mm-hmm

differently. But, like, also if there's good pieces, like, let other people wear them. 

Speaker 2: I know. I love that. 

Speaker: It's a great, it's a great option.

So can you walk us through how Bonnie actually works for someone who's never used it before, and kind of what makes it different from, like, resale apps like Depop or Poshmark?

Speaker 2: Yeah. So our app is available for iOS and Android, and it's pretty straightforward. So you just list pieces from your closet that you're ready to pass [00:03:00] along, and you get a Bonnie swap coin, so either silver, gold, or platinum. And the coin is really determined based on the brand and the value of that piece.

So silver, we like to say, is kind of for, like, your everyday basics, so brands like American Eagle or The Gap. Then we have gold, which are slightly more elevated, so, like, Anthropologie or Alo, Lululemon, that kind of clothes. And then we have platinum, which is really your luxury pieces and your luxury brands.

So once you have that swap coin, you get that, and you request an item that's got that same swap coin. Uh, once the swap is confirmed, the item is shipped directly to your door. Um, so it's pretty simple. Uh, I think that what really makes us different from, you know, resale platforms like Poshmark, like Depop, is that there's no price negotiation, so there's no buying and selling.

You don't have to worry about, you know, waiting to see if someone's going to try to negotiate the price that you listed or, you know, wait to see if someone even buys it from you. It's a completely different mindset. And honestly, we built Bonnie because we wanted it to [00:04:00] be fun and personal. We wanted to kind of take away that pressure of buying and selling that you see so often on those apps.

Speaker: That is so incredible. I think that that's such a great system, and I think that... I mean, that's just so cool, and I'm excited to try it myself. I'm, like, gonna... I've been looking at my closet recently, and I think I'm just, like... I'm feeling like I just think I have a lot of stuff right now, and I'm just like, "Well, that's so nice and amazing that I have the privilege to be able to feel that way."

I, I just am like, "Oh, I kinda-" I kind of wanna, like... I don't know. I, I feel like i- I am at this point in my sustainable jour- journey where, like, everything, I want everything in my closet to be pieces that I want for the rest of my life. Mm-hmm. And so, like, having the opportunity to swap them for a piece that maybe more resonates with me that I'll wear again.

I just, the statistic that you said was actually, like, so ridiculous. Like, I cannot believe that we, uh, you said 20% of our closet? 

Speaker 2: Yeah, 80% of the time. So we're wearing that same 20% over and over again. That's,

Speaker: like, sitting with me now. I'm like, "Oh, that does not [00:05:00] rub me in any of the right ways." 

Speaker 2: And I think especially now as we go into summer, it's, like, the perfect time to try out swapping.

Like, some- Mm ... of that cold weather clothes, those sweaters that you probably aren't gonna be wearing unless you're going to a place that's very chilly or, you know, the AC really high, now's the chance to kinda swap that out for your, like, summer looks. 

Speaker: Yeah. And I think, you know, a lot of people default to selling their items and not swapping them.

Why do you think that, that swapping is such a kind of, like, underrated solution when it comes to sustainability?

Speaker 2: Oh my goodness. Swapping is so underrated. I feel like so many people are missing out by not swapping their clothes. Um, I think for us, you know, as humans, a lot of, like, fashion has kind of really trained us that once we are done with a piece of clothing, we really only have two options.

You either kinda throw it away or you try to sell it and make money. But there's, like, this huge middle ground where swapping lives- Mm-hmm ... and we're really excited to kind of be unlocking that behavior in people. I think that, you know, at Bonnie we're always talking about how there's so much value in the clothes that we already have.

We like to [00:06:00] say that our clothes is currency. Um, and the average person just owns so much clothes, but we still feel like we have nothing to wear, and I'm, like, 100% guilty of that. I'll have an event or I'm gonna go to brunch with friends and I'll be like, "Oh my goodness, I have nothing to wear," but I have, in reality, a closet full of clothes- Mm

that for some reason is just not speaking to me anymore. And the great thing about swapping is that it's really just extending the life cycle of clothes. Just because it's something that you're not wearing anymore, you know, it's no longer your size, it's no longer your style, doesn't mean that it's not the perfect piece for someone else.

Um, so swapping is really great about that. Um, we're al- we always talk about how swapping gives you access to new to you clothes. 

Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 

Speaker 2: Um, because the piece isn't brand new doesn't mean that it's not new to someone and that they're not going to love it. And, you know, I think historically swapping has really kind of been, like, an informal thing.

You know, I used to swap clothes with my sister all the time- Mm ... with my friends, but there really wasn't a platform for me to do that at kind of a greater level. You know, just because I'm based in Miami doesn't mean that [00:07:00] my style twin isn't based in New York City or- Mm ... you know, in Texas, anywhere across the country.

And Bonnie kind of really unlocks that and lets people be able to connect for all of, all across the country, all different types of styles, sizes, everything. 

Speaker: Yeah. No, completely. I, I'm, I really, I think that that's so great. I think that's something that Like, I've been doing a lot of clothing sw- in-person clothing swaps lately.

Mm-hmm. And I think that that, in general, is just something that I... Like, what I was saying, I think it's underrated. Like, I think that not enough people are talking about this. I think also, like, re-gifting things. Like, if you get something and you just, you know, you're not gonna wear it, you don't use it all the time, like whatever it might be, like, it is still an, a new-ish item.

Like, it is gonna be new to someone. And I think that that, if you think that it's fits someone more than it fits yourself, like, there should be no shame in a, in a little re-gift. 

Speaker 2: 100%. Yeah. 

Speaker: And- 

Speaker 2: 100% ... 

Speaker: I think it's like what you said. Like, you- so many of us are already swapping. I mean, I swap stuff. I don't really swap it.

I more just take stuff from my mom's closet- ... without her knowledge, but whatever. Um, I, you know, I swap with my friends. Like, we're, we're, we're practicing this, but this [00:08:00] is a, a way of bringing it on a bigger level. And I think that a fun activity to do with friends is, like, hosting a clothing swap where it's just you bring like five items or something, and then you all hang out like how you would usually hang out.

But you put the items down, and you swap them for five other items. And like, I've- I'm always encouraging people to do that. Um, and I've been hosting a lot of clothing swaps lately. But I think that having an app version is, like, so beneficial. And I think that a big thing that I talk about or that we, we in general in the sustainability industry talk about is, like, how do we make sustainability more accessible?

And I think that this is such a great way of doing so. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. And I love an in-person swap. You know, I'm fortunate enough to have friends and to live in a city where that is kind of a normal occurrence. 

Speaker: Mm-hmm. 

Speaker 2: But not everyone has that, like, access- Right ... to in-person swaps. So I think being able to swap online and connect with other people is also really a really exciting thing and a great thing for people to have access to.

Speaker: Yeah. No, [00:09:00] completely. I mean, the, it's, it's, it's so cool. And when... I feel like it's, in general, like, it's just another thing that we kind of already practice where it's like, okay, well, I'm getting rid of things from my closet so that I can bring new things into my closet. Uh-huh. Which hopefully we're not all doing that.

Hopefully we just don't consume as much. But re- uh, r- in the realistic world, like, how I'm assuming a lot of people think is, like... And I know that it's a big, big shopping thing where it's like, okay, if I bring one thing into my closet, I must get rid of another thing. So if, if you're already kind of in the habit of like, okay, I'm getting rid of things to, to get new things, like, why not make it sustainable?

Speaker 2: Yeah. 

Speaker: Why not swap it for something that is already out there? 

Speaker 2: And something that you'll actually wear, too. 

Speaker: Yeah. You don't have to spend money. Like, it's so great 

Speaker 2: And that's the best part too. You just take something that you already own, something that you already paid for- Yeah ... and get something new in return without having to buy something new.

Speaker: No, that's like literally, like it's a perfect [00:10:00] practice. It's, it's perfect. It's like what more could you ask for? It's a new-to-you item at a price that you already paid, and in my mind, if I already paid for the item and I'm getting a new one, it's free. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, girl math right there. Girl math. 

Speaker: Like, I know it's not, but like it is.

But like that's free. If I paid for it like months ago... 

Speaker 2: Yeah, it's basically free. 

Speaker: Literally free.

Similar to what we're, we're talking about. But fast fashion thrives on kind of convenience and this instant gratification, so how do you make swapping feel just as easy or even more rewarding?

Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that's one of the biggest challenges that we have with our platform is that fast fashion has just made it so easy and convenient for people to buy something, and sometimes even get it the next day, you know- Mm-hmm ... directly at their house. So when we were creating Bonnie, we wanted to make sure that the swap felt truly like it could compete with online shopping without it feeling [00:11:00] complicated or feeling like you had to compromise.

We want it to feel exciting and intuitive. So when we were building Bonnie, we actually just launched the second version of our app less than a month ago. Mm. So we worked specifically with... Thank you, specifically with a UX designer who had experience when it came to resale and retail because we wanted it to feel, online swapping to feel just like you were shopping.

We wanted the exchange process to be smooth. We want it to be, for you to be able to post an item really easily, to be able to find new items for you in a really fun and exciting way. Um, and you know, I mentioned that we like to say that your closet is your currency, which is why we decided to do swap coins, 'cause we wanted to play kind of on that currency, um, which is really exciting.

So you could, like, unlock thousands of items immediately from your phone, you know? Um, and for us, what we really found is that we wanted to make sort of that emotional shift for people to be able to move away from shopping and move into, like, this new world of shop- of swapping. Um, you know, instead of having guilt [00:12:00] about impulse buying or you know, having clothes that's piling up in your house, in your closet that you're just not wearing.

We want people to feel excited about extending the life of the fashion that they already own. So it's really all about a sense of participation and contribution, so you're part of this movement instead of just, you know, doing another transaction. 

Speaker: Yeah. Completely. I love that. I think, as I kind of already said, but, like, um, sustainability I think seems sometimes hard to do.

Like, "Where do I start? There's so much information out there. Like, how, how do I go about doing this?" And I think that this is such a great way of, like, if you're trying to get into it, like, it's accessible, it's easy, it doesn't cost money, and you're, you're, you're learning about sustainability, you're doing it in, like, a very- straightforward way, but then it's such a cool thing where, like, I can so see that being, like, someone's like, "Oh, I like your shirt."

And then I'm like, "Oh my God, thanks. I got it on Bonnie and I swapped it [00:13:00] with someone i- in Texas, and- Yeah ... they sent it to me, and then I sent them something I wasn't wearing anymore." And, like, that's such a cool story to tell. And then I can already see, like, that person, like, being like, "Wait, that's the coolest thing ever.

Let me, let me get this." And then you're, like, you're, like, getting people on this sustainability thing, but in a fun, in a fun way. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. And w- you know, every piece of clothing has a story. Whether we know it or not, it has a story. So when you post an item on Bonnie, we actually have an option for you to put in a little bit of history of the piece, like why you're letting go of it, your favorite memory with it, just so that story can kind of continue with the next person and they could know.

Like, I have this button-up shirt that I thrifted years ago that I absolutely love, but it's got, like, the initials sewn in on, like, the sleeve, and I always wonder, like, who was this person? Like, what's their story? You know? So being, being able to kind of see the history of your piece that you're swapping is actually really cool, too.

Speaker: Oh, that's the coolest thing ever. I'm obsessed with that. I am gonna take advantage of that. I'm gonna be like, "Oh my God, I got this here, and here's the image [00:14:00] in my brain of who owned it before me, even though that's probably not what it was." "But this is the story I, I picture when I wear this item, um, and some of the amazing cool things that I've done while wearing it."

Mm-hmm. That's so cool. I love that. Yeah. There's a company that, I can't remember what they're called right now, but they have, like, a similar thing where they, um, take stuffed animals, and it's stuffed animals that kids have already, like, played with, and they, like- basically n- like repair them. I was gonna say upcycle, but no.

They repair them to be, you know, bought again and for kids to play with them again. And then you can go on, like, the- their... They have a similar, like, they tell the story of what kid owned the toy beforehand. Oh, I love that. Yeah. And I'm like, "Oh, that's the cutest thing ever." 

Speaker 3: It is. Like- Oh, I love 

Speaker: that ... I could add my story to...

It's like... And I think that that is genuinely so important when it comes to, and I talk about this all the time, but, like, we need to appreciate the things we own more, whether that's our clothes or just, like, our food or, or just anything. Like, we have... There's fast fashion now, and we're really in this mindset of just, like, buying, wearing once, disposing, buying something new, that we're not [00:15:00] appreciating the things that we own.

And I think having that storytelling aspect is so important, 'cause again, it's like a fun way where I'm not necessarily thinking about the sustainability aspect of it. I'm just talking about, like, "Oh, I wore this to a really cool event, and now you have the chance to wear it." Mm-hmm. But then, you know, if- A- again, if I'm speaking or someone, like, compliments my outfit or something and I tell the story about Bonnie, and then I'm like, "And this person wore this to this event, and now I'm wearing it," like, it makes me appreciate the item even more.

And we just need to appreciate our things, because if we, the more we appreciate them and invest in them, the, the longer they're gonna be in our closet, and the less, you know, waste and, and overconsumption we will contribute to. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean, I think I see a lot of... You know, when I go thrifting, I see a lot of old concert tees from, like, the '70s and '80s.

And I always like to think, I'm like, "Who was this person that bought this?" You know, like, Bob Dylan, like- Yeah ... concert tee, and [00:16:00] is now, like, giving it up. I'm like, "What happened?" You know? I just love to think about the clothes belonging to someone else and the history of it. 

Speaker: Right. That's why I am, like, such a stickler for every time I go to a concert, I buy a T-shirt.

'Cause there was a time that I think I was, like, shopping, it was vintage shopping with my mom or something, and she bought a Def Leppard shirt, 'cause she, like, loves that band or whatever. And she spent way more money than a person needs to spend on, like, a, a, like, r- really old T-shirt. Mm-hmm. Like, it wasn't that expensive, but, like, for a T-shirt, like, it was- Yeah.

Like, it was like, why are we spending $40 on this T-shirt? Like, no reason to be doing all that. And so I... W- which to say, like, the fricking concert tees is 100%, are, like, $40 or more. But I always buy, I always buy w- a, a concert tee when I go, my future children are gonna be like, "What the heck?

You have, like, an original Justin Bieber-" I know, right? "... shirt?" And I'm gonna be like, "Yeah, I do, 'cause I saw [00:17:00] him 2026 Coachella." Like- ... wasn't I cool? 

Speaker 2: I know. Oh my goodness. I have a T-shirt like that, my Spice Girls concert T-shirt that I- 

Speaker: Obsessed. Yeah. Okay, wait, that's tea. Yeah. Like, yeah. Like, I, I, I'm like m- I don't even...

I have so many T-shirts at this point, I'm like, I don't even know what to do with them. Like, I, I d- I only, like, sleep in them. Like, I'm not a T-shirt wearing girly. So I branched out and I started buying sweatshirts sometimes. But I have- Oh, good. Yeah ... I have... I'm like, ugh, this is a lot of, um, buying T-shirts for future kids that might think-

they're cool, might not. 

Speaker 2: I actually gifted a tote bag once that was made from old vintage tees, which is really cool. 

Speaker: Okay. I'm obsessed, because I have been, I've been having a bunch... I think I've, like, talked about this too many times with too many people, 'cause I've been having a lot of people sending me, like, things that you can do with- Uh-huh

vintage tees. And, like, even just using the gr- like, if you like a T-shirt and you like the graphic on [00:18:00] it, you can straight up just, like, cut out the graphic and then use it as, like, a, um- 

Speaker 2: Like a patch? ... patch. Okay, yeah. 

Speaker: On your clothes. And I'm like, "That's genius." God, people- That's very cool ... are so creative.

Everything- I've 

Speaker 2: seen, like, quilts too from, like, old concert tees. I don't know if you're like... 

Speaker: That's what I ha- I have a quilt from my cousin and my aunt, I think. This was a really long time ago. I think they made it for me. Um, they made me a quilt out of, like... When I graduated high school, they made me a quilt out of, like, all of the old T-shirts I had from, like, things I had done from elementary school to high school, and I still have it now.

Oh, 

Speaker 2: cute. Yeah. I love that. 

Speaker: But it's so cute, and it was like, I was never gonna wear those T-shirts again. Mm-hmm. Like, they're, like, high school T-shirts. Like, I have no reason to wear my, like, dance uniform T-shirt. 

Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. 

Speaker: Um, but now I have, like, a fun little blanket that I'll, I'll keep, or a quilt, that I'll keep, like, forever.

Um, but yeah. Yeah, I'm sending you- I think I have too much- ... people like a patch ... attachment to them- Yeah. ... being actual T-shirts right now, 'cause I'm like, what if I cut it and then it, like, lessens, how cool it is? They're like, I don't know. I don't know. [00:19:00] See, I have the opposite issue of, like, I value my things too much- Me too

with, like, my things. 

Speaker 3: I'm with you there. 

Speaker: I'm, like, way too sentimental with it. 

Speaker 3: All of my, like, graduation dress, I still have it because it has 

Speaker: my- Oh my God ... name I, low-key, uh, my parents might have gotten rid of it, but I had my bat mitzvah dress from when I was 13 years old. I'm not fitting in a dress that I- Yeah

from when I'm 13 years old. Are you kidding me? That's a joke and a half. But I still, I, I don't, they might have got, they, we, like, had it in our, we just sold our my childhood house. Um, and so I'm like, they low-key might have gotten rid of it and just not told me.

But I was like, but, like, literally what's the reason? Like, there's no reason for me to have that dress anymore. I'm never gonna fit in it. I was 13 years old. It's 

Speaker 2: crazy, because those styles are coming back. Like, I look at the stuff that I used to wear in high school. When I look at those photos I'm like, "Oh, it looks so dated," but I'm like, "No, people are 

Speaker: wearing this stuff now."

Everything comes 

Speaker 2: back. 

Speaker: Everything comes back. There is no trend that, like, in fashion, that has not- 

Speaker 3: Mm-hmm ... 

Speaker: already been 

Speaker 3: done. Existed. 

Speaker: Yeah. Which makes me, like, not wanna get rid of anything ever, 'cause I'm [00:20:00] like, "Ugh." I remember my lovely mother had, like, such cool pieces, and she had gotten rid of, like, all of them when I was younger.

And so I would, like, look back at pictures of her when she was younger, and I was like, "Where the heck is this piece at? Like, that's so sick. I wish you kept that." And she was like, "No, I got rid of it." And I'm like, okay, again, what if my future children are like, "Mom, this was the coolest thing ever. Why'd you get rid of it?"

And then I'm like- I have to curate my- ... cool vintage wardrobe for my future children. Like, gosh, I 

Speaker 2: have- I know, I know. I look at my mom's clothes from the '70s too, and I'm like, "Oh, my goodness, this was so amazing." I don't know if I'd fit in it, but, like, it would've been nice to have 

Speaker: that option. Like, it would've been nice.

It would've been nice. Yeah. I did have one piece that, like, my aunt found i- deep in her basement one time. It's, like, a really cool fur jacket, and I have it now. And she- Oh, my 

Speaker 2: goodness. That's cool ... 

Speaker: I was very [00:21:00] lucky because no one, no one, like, on that side of my family kind of dresses quite as, um, hmm, insane as I do.

So it, it... I was very lucky that her daughters did not want it and that I got to, got to have the piece. But then again, it's like I, I, I value it so much, and then when people compliment it I'm like, "Oh, thanks. It's, like, my aunt, that aunt's that she got in high school from a boyfriend of hers or whatever, and she kept it and gave it to me."

And it just makes me appreciate- A story within 

Speaker 2: a story. 

Speaker: A story within a story. Like, it just makes us appreciate our clothes and our things so much more- Mm-hmm ... and we need to be doing more of that. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, we definitely do. If only everyone could be that way. 

Speaker: Right?

Well, what have you learned about kind of like consumer behavior with people who are using Bonnie?

Are they... Are a lot of people, you know, already swapping? Are they new to swapping? What's kind of like... What... Anything surprised you? 

Speaker 2: I think it's kind of been a mix of people. We have the people who have done the in-person swapping before, and they absolutely love it, so, you know, when they hear about Bonnie they download it immediately and they're like, "Oh, my God, yes."

You don't have to explain anything to them. And then we have the [00:22:00] people who, like, just don't even understand what a swap is. Mm. You're like, you're trading your clothes. So it's really been a lot about, like, educating people and explaining that there is a way to get clothes without having to buy, you know, something new or even go to a thrift store.

Mm-hmm. So that's been a really cool e- um, you know, something that we've learned. And whenever we do in-person events, we've found that people who grew up in the '70s and '80s, they like... They get it immediately. They're like, "Oh, my goodness, I used to do this with my friends back in the day." Oh, I like that.

You know? So that's really cool to see as well. You know, most of our users are, like, Millennials or, like, Gen Z, so when we meet someone who's, like, kind of outside of that demographic and they get it immediately and they're like, "Oh, my goodness, I'm gonna tell my daughter," "I'm gonna tell my niece," "I'm gonna tell my nephew," you know, about the app, that's really cool for us.

Speaker: Yeah. That's so cool. Again, I mean, you brought up a good point of, like- Not having to go into a thrift store, 'cause I, I think I get that comment a lot where, like, people are like, "I don't want to go in person to a thrift store. That's so overwhelming." 

Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. 

Speaker: And I'm like, "I totally get it. Unfortunately, that is where I thrive the most."

Um, but- Oh, 

Speaker 2: really? [00:23:00] 

Speaker: Yeah. I'm like, "Mm, I cannot... I, I so get you, but I cannot relate. I love a thrift store." Um. 

Speaker 2: Oh, so funny. So I used to work for many years at Goodwill here in South Florida. Oh, yeah? I was 

Speaker: like on 

Speaker 2: the fitting team. And you know, as much as I love a thrift store, some of them have gotten so expensive nowadays.

I 

Speaker: know. Oh my God, 

Speaker 2: they're so- And like thrifting is like no longer like accessible to so many people. 

Speaker: They're really expensive, and I, it pains me so much, but they are so ridden with fast fashion. 

Speaker 2: Oh, I know. 

Speaker: And it like genuinely sends me into like a little bit of a spiral, 'cause I'm like, oh my God, when I get to- when I come to a thrift store in like five years, it's not gonna have...

It's just gonna have like Shein. Ugh. Mm-hmm. God, I can't, I can't talk about it. It's a sensitive 

Speaker 2: subject. No, I know. And now you saw the news that Everlane got bought 

Speaker: by Shein. Oh my God. 

Speaker 2: I was like, oh, this is like, oh, this is like very- 

Speaker: These are dark days. But I think that, again, like- It's so, it's so nice to have...

'Cause that's something that I recommend to people is like, okay, if you don't, you know, wanna go to a thrift [00:24:00] store, start online. There are so many places to find things secondhand. Go to Facebook Marketplace- Yeah ... go to Depop- Mm-hmm ... Poshmark, whatever. Like, this is such a great opportunity, again, to like make sustainability more accessible.

And if a thrift store is not your calling and, um, you know, like you were saying earlier, like maybe you're, you live in an area where hosting or, or doing a, a swap with friends is harder, like being able to have an app is so, is so great. And I just think it makes it so much more accessible, and it's fun.

Like, I think that is such a big thing for me is how do we make sustainability fun? How do we make it sexy? How do we make it hot? Like, I think as much as I love, um, like talking to people and getting down in the nitty gritties and talking about like stats and, and the truth of everything, and I can, and I will go on a tangent for hours and hours and hours.

It is also great and like, I think, honestly more appealing to people when you talk about like the fun side of things. Yeah. And you're just like, "Oh my God, you like my outfit? [00:25:00] Great. I have an app for you." 

Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean, it's all about making things fun. I think it's kind of like that dopamine like fix that people are after when they go online shopping.

They want something instantly. So it's all about making everything as fun and simple as possible so people realize that like swapping is cool. 

Speaker: It is. Exactly. It is cool. Um, well,

what do you think are some mistakes that people make when trying to make their wardrobe more sustainable, so that w- we can maybe point them out so that people can maybe avoid doing them?

Speaker 2: Yeah. Um, I think that people try to be perfect when it comes to sustainability, and there's really no such thing. I think when people kind of start this like sustainable journey, they want to stop shopping completely. They wanna throw out everything that they own. They want to suddenly start buying these like, you know, expensive ethical brands.

And there's just so much pressure in that, um, to try to make- sustainability, like, your, your big thing. Um, and I think that's really inaccessible and really unrealistic. I think [00:26:00] that one of the simplest things that you can do is actually just wear what you have longer and be more intentional about what you get next.

You know, extending the lifestyle, the life of your clothes, whether it's through thrifting or swapping or repairing it, re-wearing it. That really has such a huge impact. Um, so I think that's kind of the biggest step that people, people can just take, that simple thing. Wearing the stuff that they have a little bit longer.

I think that repair is really underrated as well. I think that a lot of people see a hole in their clothes or a tear, whatever it is, a stain, and they immediately think that they need to get rid of it when that's not really the case. You know, if you have a stain, you can put a nice patch on it. You can...

You know, there's so many channels on YouTube, on TikTok, that are showing you cool stitches that you could do on your clothes to repair them. Um, so I think that's also really underrated. 

Speaker: Completely. I'm a big fan... I just love talking about this. I'm a big fan of taking my shoes to the cobbler because all of my shoes are thrifted, which means they last me maybe, like, one, one wear, and then they're falling [00:27:00] apart.

And then I'm like- Mm-hmm ... "Ah, now I understand why this really cool shoe is at the thrift store." Um. But I still love the shoe, and they're super, super cool, and so I take them to a cobbler. I'm, like, besties with my local cobbler. They, like, give me their, like- If you find, like, a local business, I think, which I, I feel like I can't think of any, like, cob- cob- cobbler chains, shoe repair chains 

Speaker 3: I don't know if any ex- exist, actually.

Like- 

Speaker: I'm like, I feel like it's such a lost art that, like, there's no way. I know. But I could be wrong. My local guy, he's so nice. He'll be like, "I... Lexi, you're the, you're the best, but this shoe is not worth the $100 you're about to pay to get this fixed." And I'm like, "I appreciate you telling me that.

Thank you." Um, but if it is worth it, and it's, like, a shoe I'm really obsessed with, getting the bottom of it fixed is, like, so easy. It's done in, like, a week. I, I supported a local business, and I have a shoe that I can now wear again and again and again, and it's so great. Um, 

Speaker 2: and the same- I feel the same way about seamstresses, [00:28:00] actually.

That's an issue of 

Speaker: mine. Yeah. I was gonna say, same with seamstresses. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. I've recently discovered that I'm like, you know what? I just need to get my clothes better fitted. I don't need, you know, to get something that's new to me. I can actually just get this fitted, or I can get this whole, you know, repaired.

Yeah. I've got the best sewer, so I'm outsourcing that to a local business, you know? 

Speaker: Yeah. No, completely. I have a whole bag that has been sitting by my door for, like, months now.

I should definitely take it to my seamstress. But it's of pieces that I'm like, I love and obsessed with, but I just want it to fit, like, low-waisted instead of high-waisted, or I want it to be tighter, shorter, whatever. Um, and- It's like 

Speaker 2: magic, the work that they do ... 

Speaker: literally, it's, like, so incredible. It's like, again, it's gone for maybe, like, maximum a week out of my closet.

Mind you, these, these clothes have been sitting next to my door for, like, months now, so I, I, I think I can stand for it to be gone for a week. Um, and then when you... Again, it's just like the, when you in- when you invest in something and you invest in your pieces, like, if I know that these jeans, I [00:29:00] would wear them 100 times more if I just, if they were just, like, the tiniest bit tighter in this one area, like- I'm, I'm gonna spend the money to get them i- tighter in that one area, and then I'm literally gonna...

I'm, I'm not gonna have to buy another jean, pair of jeans for, like, ever 'cause they fit me perfectly. Um- Oh, 

Speaker 2: the perfect fitting pair of jeans. It's like chef's kiss. Like, nothing better. 

Speaker: H- have, I've yet to actually find one, but- I have a pair of jeans that I'm, like, obsessed with, and I have no idea where they have gone, and I have been like- Oh, no

I'm just, I'm so confused. I low-key feel like I've left them at my friend's house and I'm gonna have to text her. But I'm like, I feel like I would've... I wear them all the time. Like, I am so confused as to where they go. But even then, they don't fit perfectly. In fact, they're very baggy and which is why I like them.

But, um- Did you 

Speaker 2: leave them at, like, a laundry mat? 'Cause I feel like a lot of people get their clothes laundered, and then they, like, forget about it. 

Speaker: They're not, they... I, I do my own laundry- ... and I, I'm just, I'm genuinely, like, baffled. I'm so confused as to where they've gone. You will never 

Speaker 2: forget 

Speaker: this 

Speaker 2: pair [00:30:00] of jeans either.

Speaker: No. It is, like, my missing pair of jeans, and I, like, cannot... They're, like, my Roman Empire. Like, I cannot stop thinking about where the heck they are. So I'll keep you posted on that. I'm a- I'm like... I feel like they're gonna, like, show up one day and I'm gonna be like, "Oh, duh." "Forgot I put them there." 

Speaker 2: I'm invested now.

You're gonna have to tell me. 

Speaker: I'll keep you posted. I'll keep you posted. I'm gonna text. This reminded me that I should probably text my friend and see if they're at her house.

Well, I feel like the, the question about common mistakes kind of goes hand-in-hand with this, but I always do like to ask what are your top rapid fire tips for someone who's starting their journey to a more sustainable lifestyle?

Speaker 2: I think you have to remember that every little bit counts. Mm-hmm. I think sometimes we put pressure on ourselves or believe that, you know, us making this change from shopping to swapping is really not gonna make a difference. But it really does if we all kind of think that way. Um, you know, one person swapping turns into 10 people swapping, because you start sharing it with people, and they get really invested into it.

So, like, one can become 1,000 people, and 1,000 people making small shifts really does make all of the ch- difference. Um, and I think it's all about really just starting one day at a time. You know, when I started my kind of sustainable journey, I decided that I wanted to [00:31:00] get organized, so I kind of separated my clothes into stuff that I wear every day and stuff that I don't, and really sat with them, and really was like, "Okay, am I gonna ever re-wear this?

Is this still my style? Is this still something that I wanna hold onto?" And just kind of looking at your closet first and seeing what pieces are actually missing and what you don't actually need to get because you have, oh, 10 black shirts in your closet that you forgot about. Mm. You know, things like that.

So making those small changes, I think, is a really great way to start. 

Speaker: Yeah. Completely. That's what I think... I think I need to do a r- a little refresh of that, 'cause I'm like, "Why do I have this many white T-shirts? I don't think I need this many." 

Speaker 2: Oh, it's like me with blazers. I am addicted to vintage blazers, and every time I see- 

Speaker: Okay, so fair

like, 

Speaker: I see 

Speaker 2: another one- So fair ... and I'm like, "How many brown plaid vintage blazers does a girl need?" 

Speaker: Does, how many do I really need? That's actually, I feel like my kryptonite is, is brown boots. Oh, really? Okay. [00:32:00] I'm looking at my brown boots. I have six just looking at me. 

Speaker 2: Oh, wow.

Speaker: Who needs that many brown boots? Literally, literally not me. But it's 'cause I just go to a thrift store and I'm like, "Ooh, I know I wear a brown boot all the time. Let me get that one," and it's ever so slightly different than the other one that I... And I... But it's like, okay, I really... This is where I think I'm getting better at it, but there are still things that are my kryptonite where I'm like, I go to a thrift store and I'm like, "Do I really, really need this?

If I leave the store am I gonna be, like, butt hurt that I didn't end up getting that piece?" And I think I'm better at it now, so I have not purchased a brown boot in a while. 

Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 

Speaker: I'm reformed.

I am, but I do still have six pairs looking at me, so I just feel like maybe I don't need all those pairs. 

Speaker 2: I mean, I think, who was it? I was talking to someone recently, and they told me they do, like, a purchase pause. So when they thi- they see something that they absolutely love, they give themselves, like, a day or two or, like, a week, and they're like- Yeah

"Okay, if in a day or in a week I actually realize that I do in fact need this," that's when- Yeah ... they go ahead and get it instead of just, like, getting it immediately. And I think it's a tough and difficult shift to make, but that's [00:33:00] something else 

Speaker: that really works. That's what I do when I'm shopping online.

I think I need to stop, I need to stop going to a thrift store, but I can't. It's so fun in there. I don't always buy stuff, I just like... It's like, I've said this before, but there's this quote from this movie Almost Famous, and Kate Hudson, she says, like- uh, when, when you're feeling down or feeling sad or whatever, you go to the record store and you hang out with your friends.

Like, meaning, like, you hang out with the different vinyl. Mm-hmm. And I'm like, "That's how I feel about a thrift store." Like, I'm hanging out with my, with my clothes. 

Speaker 2: Oh, and I've heard LA has amazing thrift stores too- 

Speaker: Yes ... so that makes 

Speaker 2: it harder. 

Speaker: It makes it so hard. I just like, I don't always buy stuff, but I just love hanging out in a thrift store, so.

But if it's an online purchase, like definitely, like that's always something I'll do is like, I always ask myself in general the question of like, "Okay, if I leave the thrift store, w- don't buy this piece, like, am I gonna cry about it later?" 

Speaker 4: Mm-hmm. 

Speaker: U- usually I would hope the answer- ... to that is no. That's ridiculous.

Um, and then it's like, "What am I gonna wear this to? [00:34:00] How many times am I gonna wear it? What pieces am I gonna wear it with?" And then after asking all those questions, I decide if I really want something. Um, but I definitely was not as good at that in the past. That's why the six brown shoes are looking at me.

Um, but I think that that's really smart. I also think the other thing that I've been trying to practice a lot more, which I need to do another one, like, ASAP, but is like a no-buy month. 

Speaker 2: Mm-hmm. 

Speaker: And so obviously you can buy like groceries and your rent and like things that are necessities. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. 

Speaker: Um, but not buying clothes or like entertainment or like things out of the ordinary- 

Speaker 2: Yeah

Speaker: um, I think is really good. It's a good way of slowing down, 'cause then ev- like, even if you do end up buying something, it was like, "Okay, well, I broke my no-buy month to do this," so it, you know, it was like worth it if something that really, really stuck with you enough to b- to break the no-buy month. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's so eye-opening, 'cause I've done those before.

I don't know if I've done [00:35:00] a full month, but I've definitely done like a few weeks at a time, and it's eye-opening how easy it is- So eye-opening ... to buy things and how, like, your kind of like the go-to thing is like, "Oh, I'll just get this." And you're like- I'll just get 

Speaker: this ... 

Speaker 2: you're like, "No, I don't need to be getting this."

Speaker: No. So eye-opening. And again, just gets you back on the, "Okay, let me go to Bonnie because then I can get something without having to spend money." 

Speaker 2: Yes, 

Speaker: yeah. And then not technically breaking my no-buy month. 

Speaker 2: And certainly not buying anything new. There's so much, I mean, I'm sure you know all of these statistics, but there's like...

What did I read the other day? That there's enough clothes on the planet to, like, clothe the next, like, six or seven generations. That's crazy. And when I heard that, I was like, "Oh my goodness." That is, like, a crazy fact. 

Speaker: Yeah. That 

Speaker 2: there's 

Speaker: enough- I, I've been using that statistic, like, all the time. That's, like, my go-to stat is, like...

And it's not even... It's crazy, but then it's like, okay, not only are we not stopping creating clothes- Mm-hmm ... having that knowledge, but we're also creating them at, like, a faster, [00:36:00] quicker rate, and then disposing- Yeah ... them at a faster rate than we ever have in the past, so. I 

Speaker 2: know. 

Speaker: It's truly mind-blowing. I know.

So 

Speaker 2: alarming. Mm-hmm. 

Speaker: So shop what's already out there and download Bonnie. And on that note, where can people find you guys on social media or anywhere else? 

Speaker 2: Yeah. So we are @SwapBonnie everywhere. You can find us there. You can download our app on Google Play or the app stores. But yeah, SwapBonnie everywhere.

Speaker: Yay. Well, everyone check it out. I know that I'm gonna go through... I need to go through my closet. It's driving me slightly insane, so I'm, I'm gonna go through my closet. I'm gonna put some things on my, on my Bonnie app, and I encourage everyone listening to do so as well. I think it's so, so, so cool what you're doing, and I thank you for all your amazing work in the sustainability community.

And thank you so much. 

Speaker 2: Thank you. We hope to see maybe one of those brown boots on Bonnie soon. 

Speaker: Hopefully. I don't know if I can part. [00:37:00] After talking about it, I should, I should definitely be putting one of them, one of them up there. Um, cool. Well, thank you so much.

That's it for this week's episode of The Lexi Show: Fashion That Gives A Damn. Big thanks to Vanessa. Whether it's fashion or everyday products, this is how sustainability should work. If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe so you don't miss an episode, leave a review, and share this with someone who needs to hear it.

Head to lexisilverstein.com for more content on sustainable style and conscious consumption, and follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube at Lexi Silverstein, that's L-E-X-Y, silver like the color, S-T-E-I-N. Remember to live a good life and look fucking good doing it, and demand better from the brands in your closet and everywhere else.

See you next week