Sport Coat with a Side of Inspiration!

I spent most of my week in March going to local shops and Goodwill Stores in Galveston County. Financially, during this chapter of my life, I often find myself working with a very limited or at times nil budget. And so, I often look to thrift stores and resale shops for clothing items. I spin my struggle into positive psychology through creative styling. I needed a professional sport coat or personalized look for an upcoming speech. I thought to myself, “I need something that says I’m genuine and that isn’t flashy. I need something that will not be a distraction for my audience. A sport coat that fits is key for my confidence. If I search enough, then I just might find one.”

?I must have tried on twenty or so coats, and traveled to 10 places or more, to no avail. I was getting discouraged. Much of my time is spent on things which are design related. So, style is a thought factor for me most of each week! I find style in the oddest things and will mentally translate them into fashion. After so much looking I found myself discouraged. Fashion, for me, is a safe place to express what I envision without having to explain it. It’s an art of expression and freedom which I find helps me in many applications of life and progressive growth.

The sources that have worked well for me, in past shopping efforts, were not turning up positive results. So, I had to broaden my search. I went to Craigslist to search suits and sport coats. And as fate may have it, there was an ad posted for sport coats. The location was odd, and Google maps was unable to zoom in to a number plate for the exact address suite number-letter combination. I saw a logo on a picture from within the ad posted that read, “Green Planet Team.” So, I looked it up on LinkedIn to verify that it was legitimate. It is a new profile with only two followers.

After emailing, and confirming the location, I felt more at ease about making the drive. It would prove to be a two and a half hour round trip. I knew that if I managed to receive a coat that fits me, then the journey is worth it. I had exhausted all other options. I told myself, “If nothing comes of this, then at least I know I gave it a great effort. The downside is that I will still have to figure out how to style myself for a speech regarding human trafficking.”

Upon arrival, to listed address, I realized that I was in a plaza set-up and was going to have to just start hunting for suite b. I found it relatively easy and met the owner of the resale shop. Tiffany Michelle, the owner, happened to be working that day. We shared good conversation while I searched through the sport coats and shirts. I had decided to make some sort of a purchase whether any coat even fit me or not. Tiffany took time to tell me why she was having the sport coat giveaway.

She told me how she has a couple of resale shop locations, and that people would often make donations. So, at the advice of her mother, Tiffany would hold small events where she gave donations away to folks in need within the communities. She found that she could meet a need but wants to offer donors the ability to obtain a tax credit as well. She wants to build relationships with companies that need to get rid of deadstock items. Her goal is to finalize the ‘Green Planet Team’ creation as a non-profit.

I found her vision for this to be nothing short of inspiring! “Green Planet Team was founded in Houston, Texas on the principle that teamwork makes all things possible. By partnering with local charities, they can help the community while also minimizing the environmental waste impact. GPT will be an organization that diverts deadstock clothing, used clothing, shoes, and other household items from reaching the landfill. Through leadership efforts, Tiffany plans to help reduce the millions of pounds of textile waste, which currently find its way to landfills for the Houston metropolitan and surrounding area.” (LinkedIn.com)

Tiffany said, “I hope also to work with associations and city managers to get more trees planted in various locations in Houston and surrounding areas. Right now, I am working with my lawyer, on constructing the bylaws for Green Planet Team becoming a non-profit. But for now, I’m going to host small events to get experience with the community engagement aspect of it all. I want to create this non-profit so that clothes can have one more step, of access and use, before becoming garbage. I want to know that I am here using my time on this planet to leave a positive mark. That I did things that helped the people as well as the planet!”

As I was leaving, I felt so inspired by Tiffany Michelle and her vision for Green Planet Team. I declared the trip was a huge success! There were two coats that fit me. And I also purchased two items from the resale shop. I hope that her legal process goes well in getting bylaws and approvals through. It takes special considerations to care about the planet. I’m more hopeful for Houston and the surrounding communities more now than I ever have been in the past. With folks like Tiffany creating future reductions in textile waste, I know that Houston communities are being well-served! And in my future steps, of clothes sourcing, I will include Craigslist as a step to take. After all, it helped me to know more about an awesome future start-up non-profit! It’s good to be inspired! ?

Works Cited

Michelle, Tiffany. "Green Planet Team Profile." LinkedIn.com, linkedin.com/company/greenplanet-team/about/. Accessed 9 Mar. 2022.