Q&A: Carly Ridloff, Founder and CEO of The Exchange Project

With ‘Earth Day’ in April, the month has become a catalyst for more conversations about how we can have a more positive impact on this planet to protect our environment. It’s no longer a secret that retail hasn’t been kind to Mother Nature, but thankfully meaningful discussions and changes are being made within brands and companies. We still have a long way to go, but the hard work has begun. However, that is one side of the equation. As consumers, we now ask ourselves: what changes can we make to our shopping behavior?

I spoke with Carly Ridloff, founder and CEO of The Exchange Project, to learn more about her mission to inspire us to live more sustainably without sacrificing style.

What was the catalyst for your business venture?

First of all, thank you so much for interviewing me about The Exchange Project. We love Boca and have had many events here.

The Exchange Project was born from the combination of a love for shopping and fashion, but also a deep concern for the planet and the impact we have. A few years ago I watched the documentary ‘The True Cost’ and it opened my eyes to the extreme devastation that retail is wreaking on this planet. I was shocked that no one was talking about this! How can such a beautiful industry cause such exploitation and destruction? I had to do something about it.

How does it work in a nutshell?

Good question, it’s a lot! The Exchange Project has grown into multiple branches. Events, exchanges and now shipping.

Our events started just under three years ago and that’s how we launched our company. We’ve had over 20 events all over, from Connecticut, New York City and Florida. All guests have to do is purchase a ticket and drop off their belongings before the event. We then set and style all the racks before the event to give your old clothes new life and provide attendees with a chic shopping experience. Every event is unique and offers a different experience. We love adding a little something extra to our events and have had everything from training classes, durable speakers to sound bath healing for our guests. Guests will have the opportunity to then shop as many items as they dropped off prior to the event, allowing us to find a home for all items! We donate all other items to a local charity that ensures the clothes end up in the hands of people who need them, rather than in landfills.

Our business has evolved to include the ability to trade and sell with us. We offer appointments in our showroom, allowing guests who cannot attend the events to have their own unique and personal styling experience. We’ve also started building our consignment inventory and uploading products to our website daily for people to shop, which is a great way to keep items in circulation. We love getting into the consignment world and are obsessed with our curated online inventory.

What makes your platform different compared to others in the same space?

What sets us apart from other consignment retailers is that we provide a curated experience that helps our guests live a sustainable lifestyle that makes a difference. There are no other companies doing what we do and the Exchange Project has created a movement and community of like-minded shoppers who want to make an impact on the world. At each event we collect an average of around 200 items that we divert from landfills and place in closets where they get the love they deserve. Our mission is to make a difference on our planet and help reduce the impact of fast fashion on our planet. We’re proud that we continue to grow and that the Exchange Project movement is helping others make an impact.

What’s the biggest misconception consumers have about fashion’s footprint on the planet?

I honestly don’t think people know what a huge impact they have on the planet. Before watching the documentary, I had no idea of ​​the devastation the industry is wreaking on the planet. I was shocked! Unless you search for the information, companies try to hide it from consumers. The Exchange Project has helped open shoppers’ eyes by sharing what they are doing to the planet and how they can make a difference without sacrificing their love of shopping and fashion. We give fellow shoppers the opportunity to exchange their luxury clothing instead of continuing to buy items hanging in their closet. We want to make it as easy as possible for consumers to do business sustainably.

Is it too late to have a positive and significant impact on the environment?

Not really! You can start at any time, it just starts with being aware of your choices. We always say small changes, BIG impact! My favorite example of this is if we all stopped drinking plastic water bottles and just refilled them instead. It’s such a small change that can have a huge positive impact on the environment.

What has been your greatest achievement in your business so far?

My greatest achievement is helping people realize that they can make an impact. Everyone thinks what they do doesn’t matter, but if we all started making environmentally conscious decisions, our planet would be a very different place.

And your biggest challenge?
Scale, make this model accessible to EVERYONE!

What do you hope attendees will gain from the experience of attending one of your events?

First, we hope they find great clothes that they love and enjoy wearing! It is UNREAL what our guests walk away with. We also hope they find value in cleaning out their closet beforehand. We hope that our guests leave our events with a good feeling from within. We want this feeling to have a ripple effect in their daily lives. We also want our guests to feel like they can make a difference.

Where do you see your company in three to five years?
We hope that our events take place nationally. We also hope that our online resale/consignment business is a success and that our customers know they can come to us for a great dress, a pair of shoes, etc.

So keep an eye out for The Exchange Project’s upcoming event in Boca Raton, scheduled for September, and be part of this movement where sustainability meets fashion. Follow @the.exchangeproject on Instagram.

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