When College of Arts & Sciences senior Iffany Zou (CAS’25) was given an assignment to complete a passion project during her freshman year, she decided to pursue a longtime interest: the intersection of fashion and sustainability. Equipped with a storage bin, poster board, and paint, Iffany began collecting clothing donations outside her dorm room. That humble beginning has since transformed into BU Closet, a thriving campus initiative that now hosts monthly sustainable clothing swaps attracting hundreds of students.
“The whole idea is that there’s so much overconsumption on campus and in the world, but specifically on campus. Being able to mitigate the waste that we have where we over consume and just cycle clothing right back into the community—that’s the whole premise that BU Closet is based off of,”
What began with a makeshift donation bin and a first clothing swap that drew about 20 people (mostly Iffany’s friends) has since grown into a successful venture. Today, BU Closet boasts an 11-person executive board and 50 active team members who handle everything from event planning to marketing and outreach. Their monthly swaps now attract between 200-500 participants.
The organization hosts clothing drives throughout each semester, collecting items that are then made available at their free, accessible clothing swaps. Rather than maintaining a permanent physical space, the team opted for monthly events to better foster community.
“Being able to see everyone come together and everyone donating clothes, picking out clothes, trying on clothes together—that community aspect of BU Closet is what really makes us such an inclusive and vibrant community,” Iffany says.
This community-focused approach has enabled BU Closet to build an impressive network of collaborations across campus. The organization has partnered with a diverse range of groups including Sustainability@BU, Student Government, BU Pride, and even the Biomedical campus. Additionally, they’ve collaborated with UNICEF and service organizations like Alpha Phi Omega.
The team recently received a Sustainability Innovation Seed Grant from Innovate@BU, which they plan to put towards their Earth Day swap—typically their largest event of the year. The funding will help secure a larger venue and purchase additional infrastructure like clothing racks and hangers to accommodate more items and participants.
“We want to make sure there’s enough clothing for everyone and that we have a big enough space,” Iffany says. “We also want a little bit of branding and legitimacy with the event, just so people know that this is something that exists and something they can come back to.”
As she approaches graduation, Iffany is working to ensure BU Closet’s legacy continues. She’s documenting the processes and lessons learned from organizing more than 15 swaps over four years. Her goal is to create a comprehensive how-to guide that will not only ensure BU Closet’s continuity but also help students at other universities establish similar initiatives. “So much time put into the trial and errors of BU Closet—I want to really take that time and make it into something that other people can use and benefit from, too,” she explains.
Iffany emphasizes that while sustainability drives their mission, accessibility remains equally important. By offering free clothing in a community-centered environment, BU Closet creates a space where students can participate in sustainable fashion practices regardless of their economic situation. Being able to put the two together is something that is so fulfilling to be able to see and do and be a part of,” she says. “Just really making a resource for everyone and cultivating a fun community around it too.
The organization has also recently expanded its focus to include more professional attire. This shift comes in response to changes at BU’s Professional Clothing Closet, which has moved to a rental-based system. BU Closet is partnering with business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi to emphasize professional clothing donations and ensure students still have access to free professional attire.
For Iffany, the values embodied by BU Closet will continue to guide her after graduation. “My personal goal is to always take that mission with me throughout my life—to think circular instead of thinking linear where there’s consume and waste, really cycling things back into the community and cycling things back into my life and repurposing.”
*BU Closet hosts monthly clothing swaps that are free and open to all BU students. Follow them on social media to learn about upcoming events!*
