About us: the story of Carousel

Chapter 1: Tree Hugger, the Early Years

It began with the realization in my early 30s that the way I was living was having a terrible impact on the environment (to put it lightly). 

I started to make changes but it was slow, hard work to make sure I truly understood the impacts of any decision I might make (what sneakers to buy, where to get groceries, what to do about sushi takeout packaging) then allocate the time and resources to move forward with my selected route (in the above cases: Veja, Farm to People, dine in instead). Not to mention the difficulty of changing decades-long habits! 

But over the course of many years, I made many changes, including the switch to buying nearly all of my clothing second hand. Making more environmentally conscious decisions definitely felt good, and I realized that there was a lot of upside too: xxx

Chapter 2: Oh, baby!

Then came my daughter and, boy, did that change things.

My husband and I tried to make sustainable choices, but juggling parenthood, work and lack of sleep, made that even harder than before. I tried to buy her second hand clothing, but was surprised and disappointed by the lack of options, the condition of the pieces I bought and how time consuming the whole process was.

Meanwhile, motherhood was also making me reconsider my professional life. I worked full time until Olive was about two years old, at which point I switched to consulting. This gave me more flexibility with my schedule and the chance to work with clients who valued sustainability like me, but as Olive got older, I felt a tug to make a bigger change. I wanted her to see me pursue my dream, to build and run a business, and let her see me live my personal values in my work, too.

Chapter 3: Carousel

With a background in retail marketing and ecommerce, a love of expression through clothing and a passion for sustainability, it didn’t take me too long to start pursuing a second hand children’s business. The concept for Carousel was born from my own experience struggling to shop second hand for my daughter, and my inkling that many more families would shop and trade second hand if only it was easier.

And so the idea for our clothing capsules was born. Take our Style Quiz (once or as many times as you like), buy your capsule, and we’ll do the rest–triple checking items for condition, creating looks that will suit your little one, pairing styles from brands you love and brands you’ll discover. And when you have a pile of outgrown clothes to pass along, we’ll make that easy, too with two options for trading them in.

And perhaps my favorite part of this story: Carousel is a mission-driven business. An estimated 92 million tons of textile waste winds up in landfills every year, and we’re here to make sure your child’s clothes don’t meet the same fate.

Thank you for reading. If you’re ready to go circular, grab a bundle or trade in clothes. We’d also love to hear from you!