Innovation

Sadie’s is an innovative business that sells sustainable clothing from companies that prioritize sustainability and ethics. After Cat decided to leave the fast fashion retail industry, she followed her beliefs of what fashion in retail should be like. With the idea that it would be amazing and cool for others to have an opportunity to buy clothes from the many sustainable and ethical companies that she has found through research, she created an amazing and innovative business called Sadie’s. Through the clothes that Cat sells at Sadie’s, she not only wanted to give opportunities for people to have sustainable clothes from great companies, but to also spread opportunities. Cat stated she wants to “be an opportunity for South Orange, New Jersey and surrounding places to be able to come in and feel good about what they’re buying”. She not only wanted people to love the clothes they buy and how it looks and feels on them, but also love the origins and the journey of the clothes from the sustainable and ethical companies that she works with. The clothes that she sells and people buy not only open up more opportunities to take part in the sustainable world, but also gives the products meaning and purpose outside of a single use or wear.

Inspiration

The inspiration that created the whole idea of Sadie’s was from how the founder, Cat, saw how unsustainable many corporate companies were being with their clothing brands. Cat, who had worked in retail for almost 20 years, learned all about the clothing retail industry like it was the back of her hand and knew she had to create a business where people could come in and shop and feel good about the things they were buying. One of the largest components in landfills currently are clothes and Cat had to put a stop to that. The name Sadie’s originally came from her beloved cat, Sadie. Cat said she was “warm, kind, and inviting”, and that is what she wants her store to be exactly like. She knew she had to make a company that offered clothes which were ethically produced for anyone to wear that would last and to feel good in.

Overall impact

Located in South Orange, New Jersey, Sadie’s has made a huge impact on people in the local community. Quoted from Cat herself, “having a small business in a small town, helps people learn more about sustainable living”. With her business, more people have created more sustainable businesses and all along the block where her business is located, all women owned companies who sell items that are sustainable have moved in. Her ethically sourced and produced clothing has helped many clothes and items find their new homes over and over again.

Because fast fashion is such a huge trend in this day and age, Sadie’s impacted the community by trying to stop that. Sadie’s knew their clothing had to be comfortable and long lasting since around 92 million tons of clothing ends up in landfills every year. Sadie’s did not want to be part of that trend and has been keeping that promise for years. Their environmental impact has been opening the eyes of many who have been wanting to become more sustainable and those who also want to create an impact for our planet.

Sadie’s has also donated to many charities that help women and children, racial equality, people with disabilities, and more. Recently, Sadie’s held a fashion show with Jespy House for people with disabilities to help raise money for charities who help those people in need learn how to live on their own. She also sells jewelry from the company Purpose Jewelry that helps women who have escaped from human trafficking. Sadie’s has helped, empowered, and impacted many people’s lives with their business. Their goal was to help others learn how to incorporate sustainability into their lives and to show how incredibly easy for it to weave into people’s everyday lifestyles. Yet, it has left such an amazing impact on others' lives.

Business benefit

Retail fashion is one business that will always stay in demand. People are always needing or wanting new clothes, but the increase in demand has made it less sustainable to supply. Many clothes are made cheaply and as fast as possible to get to the consumer in the least amount of time possible. The downside of this is that there are many negative side effects including unsustainable clothing that will not last and workers being treated poorly while being underpaid. Sadie’s changes that and sources ethically and sustainably made clothes. This benefits not only Sadie’s business, but also other businesses that help to keep the world sustainable and clean. Because people like to shop sustainably to feel good, shopping for multiple sustainable reasons benefits Sadie’s business.

By January of 2023, the block that is a part of the South Orange Downtown Bid, which is the business improvement district, will be completely filled up with small businesses. When Sadie’s opened up in 2017, there were around 10 vacant spaces in South Orange. Now these spaces are flourishing with small businesses who are almost all women-owned. With Sadie’s willing to take that risk of opening a small business in a small town, it added to persuading other people to open their small businesses. Now they all are a force to be reckoned with on the block.

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Social and environmental benefit

Sadie’s partners with many local suppliers and donates to local businesses. Cat thinks it is important to be “warm and inviting” and to bring the community together. Cat mentioned that “nobody goes into [big retail corporations] to get donations for the community, it’s always the small local businesses.” Cat has had the honor and experience to partner Sadie’s with Known Supply, who focuses on putting names and faces to the fashion world so that you know who made your clothing. She thinks that it is important to retrain the thought process of “consumerism” and “loving a deal” into humanity to step away from fast fashion and care about the workers who were treated terribly to get your piece of clothing to you. She finds that most people do not care about the “actual cost to the world when something doesn’t cost very much.” Cat wants to change that by carrying clothes made by people of Known Supply where they are known and treated ethically.

The impact made by fast fashion has made the retail industry not very sustainable or good for the environment. A poorly produced fast fashion item will be worn just a few times before falling apart most of the time and Sadie’s aims to provide clothing that will last and not end up in landfills. Cat stated that she wants “to make a little bit of a difference where they can.” You want to have clothes that will last and will make you feel good when you buy it because it was a sustainable purchase.

The environment is also benefited through Sadie’s because of one of their key brands, United Blue. By carrying this key brand, every time Cat puts in an order this company takes a pound of trash out of the ocean for every item that is sold. With every purchase, the environment is getting cleaner. Sadie’s also stays away from companies that use harmful chemicals to the environment when dying their clothes. Some recycled clothing uses recycled water bottles, but washing that only adds into putting plastic back into the water. That is why Cat sticks with United Blue who appropriately uses materials in different items.

Interview

Catherine Fisher, Founder and Owner