Today we’d like to introduce you to Renata Bayazitova.
Hi Renata, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I have always loved fashion. When I was little, I remember going to the grocery store with my mom fully decked out in a princess dress and Walmart plastic heels. I see the world through clothes, and what I especially love about clothes and fashion is how it is a way to express yourself without even having to say anything.
In 2020, upcycling and tailoring my thrift purchases became one of my hobbies, and I began learning everything I could about the fashion industry. Fashion is a glamorous world. However, what I didn’t expect to find is how wasteful it is. Every year United States citizens throw away about 34 billion pounds of clothing and textiles. That’s about 100 pounds of textile waste per person.
Throwing away that much clothing causes microplastics from those textiles to soil our oceans, and land, and omits CO2 emissions into our atmosphere, catapulting climate change to an even faster pace. So I decided to start my sustainable fashion brand, RenCycled, to fight the waste the fashion industry produces by only creating clothes out of thrifted/used textiles to prevent them from hitting landfills. That is where I am today! I am currently working on my newest line of upcycled designs, called the “Ace” collection, for Memphis Fashion Week 2023.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Many challenges come with starting a clothing business, especially in this current state of the world, where there is so much saturation in the fashion market. However, with my unique brand standpoint of sustainable fashion, I know RenCycled will grow into something big! When I started my business in the spring of 2022, I had to figure out how to build my website, which took about two months to formulate.
I am still learning how to improve it because I want to gain even more website traffic. Because I am still in the first stages of my business, advertising it and getting my brand out there is also difficult because I cannot afford huge advertisements just yet. In addition, it is also hard to stay consistent with my busy schedule with juggling school, other side hustles, gym training, and maintaining a good social life with my friends and family.
I am only eighteen, and I am using this business as a playground to try things out, make mistakes, learn from them, and then start all over again. It is a really fun and exciting process, I have learned something new every day, and throughout this journey, I also learned a lot about myself. For example, I found out that I can pretty much solve any problem after an iced coffee from Starbucks! With all that being said, I wouldn’t trade this opportunity I made for myself for anything.
Challenges keep life interesting and fun, and in every single challenge I have had so far concerning my business, I have been able to work through it with time and effort. Sustainable fashion is my passion, and I am not stopping until I reach global status with my brand. My goal with my upcoming brand, RenCycled, is to significantly reduce the amount of textile waste in the world. Therefore, I will remain committed to this goal, no matter what challenges I face.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a fashion designer and fashion blog writer for my brand, RenCycled Shop. I am most proud of the fact that I jumped into starting a business without letting anyone’s opinion knock me down. The thing that sets me apart from others is the fact that my brand is sustainable. A lot of clothing brands mass produce their clothing such as fast fashion companies like H&M, Shein, and Zara, which causes a lot of waste. I created RenCycled to not only give people clothes that make them feel good but also to bring attention to sustainability in the fashion industry.
A lot of companies recently have been accused of “green-washing” their campaigns. Green-washing is when brands make an untrue claim about their products being environmentally friendly. RenCycled stays sustainable by only using 100% biodegradable packaging that can break down in any compost in 3-6 months, and will BIODEGRADE within 15-18 months in landfills without leaving harmful residue.
Additionally, RenCycled upcycles clothes from discontinued and gently used secondhand garments by first selecting gently used vintage clothing from thrift stores. Then, I cut it up to use for fabric OR keep the clothing whole and add my designs. My goal is to give clothes a second life to prevent them from ending up in landfills!
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think risk-taking is important, especially for upcoming entrepreneurs. It is just another part of the business! Because I am still in the beginning stages of my business, I have not taken many risks so far.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rencycledshop.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RenCycledShop/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@rencycledshop?_t=8b8RYONk0Xi&_r=1
