Samantha Jay ’27: Fashion Forward and Planet Focused

Samantha Jay '27, A Business Administration major in the accelerated Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School program, believes she can solve two problems at once. She wants to keep clothing out of landfills while ensuring everyone can access high-quality clothing that reflects their tastes and style.

“You don’t need to pick fashion or the environment,” said Jay. “You can pick both.”

In her first year at EC, Jay brought her focus on fashion sustainability to her role as an Elmira College Sustainability Scholarship recipient, referred to as a Sustainability Leader. As part of the scholarship, four Leaders, one from each class year, complete a personal project to advance sustainability on campus. They also complete a group project, typically related to renovations of the Sustainability House, an on-campus residence that will eventually serve as a meeting hub for those interested in sustainability.

For her personal project, Jay helped organize a clothing “pop-up” during the Elmira College Teach-In on Climate and Justice held in February. Jay worked with members of the EC2 X THFBS club, a student club focused on fashion business, to collect clothing donations from the campus community. Jay and the other volunteers sifted through the donations to find items that would appeal to students and Teach-In attendees. At the Teach-In, the clothing was displayed as though it was in a shop but the price tag was “free.”

Jay modeled the Teach-In pop-up after one she had started in high school called The Class Closet.

She developed The Class Closet after learning that two out of five children in the United States experience clothing insecurity and are unable to purchase necessities like coats and socks. At the same time, she was learning about the negative effects of fast fashion, a business trend where producers quickly and cheaply produce clothing that copies current high-fashion trends.

“The pop-ups help promote clothing sustainability, reduce clothing insecurity, and reinforce personal style and developing a sustainable wardrobe,” she explained. Jay’s own personal style comes from taking her thrifted items and transforming them into something new through sewing.

Jay used the fabric from a dress she found to create a top and added matching flare panels to her jeans.

“I think it comes down to education. People don’t know the impact of buying a plain white t-shirt. Having the pop-up starts the conversation, and plants a seed so that the more they hear about it, the more likely they are to change their habit.”

For Jay, the pop-ups transform the anger she feels about the pollution produced by fast fashion and the effects it has on climate change.

“I think it’s important to care about the environment,” she emphasized. “My passion comes from the anger I feel about the way things are, and I hope to make people look something up, like how much water is used in textile waste, so that they’ll get angry too. I want them to feel like they can’t throw it under the rug anymore. But instead of just being angry, I hope they will ask, ‘What can I do?’”

At her high school, Jay and a friend quickly collected enough items to hold a pop-up once or twice a month in the school cafeteria. At each pop-up, hundreds of clothing items, hygiene products, and shoes were available. The items were only available for a short time, but anyone could access them.

“There were enough items donated, so that whether students were in need or simply looking for items to increase their wardrobe, that was Ok. And because everyone was selecting items, it made it comfortable for anyone who didn’t want to ask for help or was embarrassed that they didn’t have much money.”

Before Jay graduated from high school, she was able to turn the pop-up into a club so that it would be more likely to continue in her absence.

As she heads into her second year as a Sustainability Leader at EC, she wants to recreate her high school success. She received permission to establish a permanent spot on campus, but the specific location has not yet been determined. Jay hopes that it will soon be decided.

Items in the Teach-In on Climate and Justice clothing pop-up on display for attendees to select from for free.

“If everything gets put in place in time, we want to hit the ground running,” she added enthusiastically. “Since I’m graduating a year early, I want to find someone as a first-year who would be interested in taking over the running of the pop-ups. In the meantime, I’ll work with the EC2 X THFBS club to create a space where we can collect and sort donations and put them out for the campus community. In my third year, I want to expand further by doing community outreach through the pop-ups. I would love to see a pop-up at the farmer’s market.”

Jay plans to graduate early, but she’s focused on building something that will last beyond her time on campus. What began as a high school project has become a driving force in her college experience — and a cause she’s determined to carry forward.