Sumit Nagi (MBA ‘06) is the Founder and CEO of GOAT Vintage, a women-led, BIPOC-owned responsible fashion brand reimagining clothing production with upcycled vintage fashion. Working alongside COO and fellow Western alumni Chloe Hau (BSc ‘08), the pair are creating sustainable clothing systems by redefining the meaning of “new” clothing.
Pivoting toward zero-waste entrepreneurship
Sumit began her career as a consultant, with her passion for sustainability flourishing as she worked with global retailers on developing corporate sustainability strategies. However, it was her firsthand experience witnessing the effects of global textile supply chains, particularly the disproportionate impact on women and child workers, that inspired Sumit to shift her focus towards actively promoting sustainability beyond her advisory role.
From there, Sumit combined her desire to make a difference with her passion for vintage clothing, bringing the concepts together to create GOAT Vintage. She began by sourcing vintage pieces from North America that she could then curate and upcycle, reworking quality pieces destined for the landfill into stylish, unique clothing.
Following the foundational work of establishing GOAT Vintage's business model and broadening partnerships, Sumit welcomed Chloe to the team.
“When you meet someone that you click and want to work with, it feels right. It started from a base of friendship and mutual respect, to where it is now,” says Sumit of their working partnership.
“We are two opposites, but our core values and priorities are the same. Because we are so opposite, we are able to see two sides to the same coin and that makes us a great team,” describes Chloe.
Making circular, zero-waste fashion a reality
Zero-waste is baked into GOAT Vintage’s DNA and strategy from design, sampling, production and full usage of every deconstructed garment. “We are a zero-waste, totally circular fashion company,” says Chloe.
Together, Sumit and Chloe are creating unique vintage clothing for consumers, fashioning one-of-a-kind pieces through sourcing and upcycling existing garments. They work with big box store retailers, demonstrating that the vintage approach can be scaled and seamlessly integrated into mainstream fashion outlets. What’s more, it can actually help retailers to ground their sustainability objectives tangibly and directly. For example, they have upcycling programs specifically designed to take retailers’ returns (a massive CEO-level issue), overstock and defective stock and transform it into resaleable merchandise. This creates a win-win for the retailer with profitability and a positive environmental impact.
The pair are enacting their creative vision through clothing styles such as sports bags made from unused athletic wear or upcycling jeans into shirts, sweaters, bags, and more. They’re creative problem solvers, and always on the hunt for discarded materials that can be given a new life.
GOAT Vintage is also amplifying their impact by building an online community to share awareness about sustainable textile options. The platform encourages practices like clothing swaps, adopting a mindset of buying less and embracing vintage or second-hand clothing.
Leaving a legacy behind
Sumit and Chloe draw inspiration from their roles as parents, serving as an additional driving force behind their mission to create positive change in the sustainable fashion industry.
“I want my daughter to be able to say to me ‘I know you chose to run a business that helped the planet,’” Sumit says.
Sumit and Chloe advise impact-driven professionals to “not be afraid to start. Often we talk ourselves out of action and impact by saying that whatever I do won’t make a difference.” “But actually, it’s unbelievable what kind of impact we can make.”
Sumit and Chloe are proof that zero-waste, circular clothing is not only fashionable, but entirely feasible at scale and is poised to become a mainstay in the retail ecosystem.
To connect with fellow alumni, join Ivey's LinkedIn Sustainability Community.
