Keep, Upcycle, Uplift: Rantings on our Ethos

Why Keepy Uppy?

The name might make you think of soccer—or, in our house, the kids keeping a balloon off the ground—but this isn't (just) a juggling act, it's an ethos. We're opening this little store because we want to "keep" what's valuable, "upcycle" what's tired, and "uplift" our friends and (local, queer, earthling) community.

Fast fashion is a juggernaut, and it’s taking more than just people's money. It’s snatching up the planet’s resources, creating a humanitarian crisis, and feeding us a toxic cycle of consumption. Do we really want to wear disposable clothes, at the expense of ourselves, the planet, and the humans who make them? Keepy-Uppy is the lovechild of my wife, a master-thrifter and sewist, and me, an extreme consumption-skeptic with a passion for making new stuff out of old. 

And we have kids, who ask for heaps of crapola at Target and Temu, shit that offers an instant dopamine rush then just accumulates. And accumulate it does: people now buy 400% more clothing than they did twenty years ago (Hart et al. 9). Do all these shitty, disposable clothes and objects really inspire us and enhance our self-expression? No. All they do is feed inhumane global enterprises and landfills. More than 70% of the 52 million tons of fiber produced annually ends up in landfills or on bonfires. 

Even the so-called “better” brands: Zara, for example, outsources at least 13% of its manufacturing to China and Turkey (Joy et al. 275), where workers face unsafe conditions and substandard wages. The fact that only 5% of 130 major apparel brands could claim to provide a living wage to all employees by 2019 should make us all stop and think—do we really want to support this? 

Vintage Vibes, Not Vintage Values

At Keepy Uppy, it's funny that we sell old things, because we usually cringe at the the backward values and bigotries of the past. We're definitely not trying to cloak ourselves in nostalgia. But old clothes were great. Even the tags were embroidered. Old clothes were made, cliché alert, to last. 

We're also, admittedly, queer and art-minded. As a queer, lesbian couple, we want to create a shopping space with zero ick gender binary, more of an ecstatic space for self-creation and expression. We want to represent more sizes, more ages, more genders, and more budgets. We don't just sell clothes with a past, we think they have a joyful present and a bright future, too. Fringe jackets, psychedelics sweaters, all the velour and corduroy and flannel your freaky little heart desires.  

Thrifting and the Privilege Puzzle

There’s no denying it—thrifting has its complexities. It's not all rainbow-framed outings for feel-good finds. There's a reasonable concern about privilege in this culture. Does the trendier, wealthier crowd have more time to hunt down bargains? Yes, obviously. And when they do, are they snapping up low-priced clothes that others genuinely rely on? Possibly. That is why we keep our prices accessible, unlike the high-end vintage stores in trendy neighborhoods. We have the eye, and the sewing machine, and the knack for stains, so we save you time thrifting. And keep in mind: the sad fact is that most of the clothes and objects at your neighborhood thrift store will still end up in landfills before, or shortly after, they find a home. 

We’re committed to keeping our prices fair, to sourcing ethically, and to creating a vibe that’s welcoming—whether you’re here for the style, the savings, or to take a stand against fast fashion. We're not alone: 86% of the general population believes that the fashion industry should address social and environmental issues, with an overwhelming 94% of Gen Z in agreement. We're here to answer that call.

Keep, Upcycle, Uplift

We want to keep clothing out of landfills, upcycle those forgotten gems, and uplift the communities that fast fashion, and fashion in general, have forgotten. Whether you're a thrifting pro or never-thrifter, we invite you to join us in rethinking what fashion means.