In Conversation with Rachel Kibbe

Jun 7

Tell us about your background:

Originally I’m from Shaker Heights, Ohio right outside of Cleveland. I went to a public school and I’m so proud of my midwestern roots. I’m the oldest of four and have always loved fashion but also been a total nerd. I love academics. After college I lived and worked in Spain for three years on a teaching fellowship because I wanted to learn Spanish fluently. I got by on 500 euros a month. When I moved back to the US I knew I wanted to study fashion in NYC. It took me three years to save $5k to move to New York to go to Parsons to study Fashion Design. After graduating in 2010, I had seen enough at the internships I did to know that I didn't want to work in the fashion industry. I wanted to create solutions in an industry I felt was going down a dark path, both for people and the planet, but was also missing alternative business models. So, I started writing about the problems in the industry for a few publications then I founded one of the first online eCommerce platforms for ethical fashion, carrying over 80 designers from all over the world. After 6 years of running that business (and also working full time in another job!) I wound up with an office full of overstock and returns and no idea what to do with them. I couldn’t go on selling new product when there was so much to be done in the end of life space. So, after six months of confusion and soul searching, even leaving NYC to return to Cleveland to live at home, I decided to close down shop. I wound up moving back to NYC to start a company in the textile waste space for a few years, merging my brand with a new clothing collector.

Since then, I've been consulting through my firm Circular Services Group and I just launched a new venture, Kept SKU. At heart, I'm an entrepreneur. I like creating brands and I like solving system problems. I always live on the bleeding edge of "How can we build that which is not here yet (but needs to be)? And, how can I be helpful in doing so?" I'm also pretty pragmatic and like understanding logistics systems and how they function because they are the key to unlocking circularity. I've been consulting both luxury fashion brands and municipal clothing collectors on how to keep apparel out of landfills and incineration, from resale models to fiber-to-fiber recycling. It's been an interesting mix of clients and I think that's how it should be because fashion can be so beautiful but, at the end of the day, it's ultimately a waste problem for which we don't have robust enough solutions.

My newest venture, Kept SKU, is a shoppable recycling channel partnering with fashion brands to keep returns and excess inventory from landfill and incineration. We process returns and excess inventory and remerchandise them in beautifully curated mystery boxes. I'm focusing on returns and overstock because this is brands' biggest pain point in the circularity realm. The problem is only increasing as people shop online - fashion has up to 50% return rates, the highest of any product category, and what happens to returns is a gigantic supply chain issue. I’m really excited about this business - we’re already gaining great responses and traction. It’s really hard work. I sold my car and downsized my apartment last month to be able to put everything I have into this business.

I hold a BA from Emory in English/Creative Writing and Spanish and an AAS from Parsons in Fashion Design. I’ve written for and been featured by: The NYC Mayor's Office, WWD, The Guardian, Refinery29, The Business of Fashion, The Huffington Post, Forbes, Nylon and more. I’ve spoken internationally on the topics of sustainable fashion, brand building and textile waste.

What do you wish you’d known when you started out?

Things that come easily to me I assumed came easily to everyone and therefore weren't valuable. Putting a value (and price tag) on these things has been a long journey. Also, recognizing what I'm not as good at and linking up with those who are extremely talented in those areas has been key.

Best career advice you've ever received?

Be confident in yourself and project that confidence, because no one really has it figured out, even if they sound like they do. I’m still working on that. Speaking in public terrifies me but I do it all the time because feelings aren’t facts!

What leadership qualities are important to you?

Compassion, transparency, and a team mentality.

What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far?

I had the fortune of discovering what I’m passionate about. It’s a very nascent industry however and I didn’t start to pay the bills working in the space until a few years ago. The financial challenge made me make a few big business decisions which, in hindsight, I wouldn’t have made. I just wanted to do anything I could do to continue to be part of the space (and also earn a living). I didn’t have the mentorship I needed. Now I make a point to lean on a network of people who are smarter than I am and that I feel have my best interests at heart.

And for fun, what is your favorite wardrobe staple?

Sneakers. I'm so glad heels are out of style!

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-kibbe-30343a7/

Website: www.circularservicesgroup.com; www.keptsku.com

Instagram: @circulargurl