Sweats by Abby G
“Sweats By Abby G” owner Abby Gearhart takes pride in keeping her products affordable and consistent so anyone who wants them can buy them.
Gearhart said she officially made and launched her first sweatshirt, and her company, in September 2020. Crew necks are about $35. T-shirts are about $25, and the thickest material sweatshirts are $55 to $60. Nothing is over $60.
“I had no idea what was going to happen with it [the company],” Gearhart said.
She owns and operates the small business herself, but Gearhart joked that her mom is her unpaid employee and said she loves to be a part of the business.
Gearhart gets her materials from a local screen printer in Westlake.
“They’re the ones doing everything, but I design it and then work with them to help get it perfect, then they get the hoodies and put it all together for me,” Gearhart said.
Being locally sourced is convenient for Gearhart, and she said she prefers it that way. She likes the one-on-one, in-person connection she has with the printer and said she can easily pick up her products.
Sterling Place
2022 alumnus Matthew Yoo’s Sterling Place, which he launched in 2020, takes an edgy approach to its sterling silver jewelry and fashion. The brand dips into the “fisherman aesthetic.”
The “Fisherman Core,” as Yoo calls his clothing, reminds him of growing up around bodies of water, living close to piers and seeing fishermen in the early mornings with “their cool vests and baggy jackets and pants.”
Sterling Place is the name of the street Yoo grew up on in New Jersey, which he said holds a lot of memories for him and fits perfectly with his sterling silver jewelry brand.
Yoo based Sterling Place’s brand on aspects of Christianity, incorporating verses like Hebrews 13:14 into his designs — but the brand is open to all.
The prices range from shirts being $32 to jeans and hoodies being $80 to $90, with more intricate pieces ranging from $150 to $220. The jewelry ranges from $150 to $160.
Resurface Swim
Senior Clare Cornelius took a global economics class as a part of her Sustainability minor, which she called “life-changing” and made her want to start a centralized business where all the materials came from one place.
She started knitting at a young age, and she said she learned to sew after she came up with the idea of making swimsuits her brand.
Cornelius discovered a fabric called Econyl, also known as “eco-friendly nylon,” which she said she wanted to use because it was ethically sourced. It is made from nylon recycled from discarded fishing nets and industrial carpet waste.
“You don’t have to dress boring to be sustainable,” Cornelius said. “You can wear fun, cute clothes that fit you well and contribute to a better environment for everyone.”
Cornelius said all of her swimwear is made-to-order.
“Nothing is ever made until the order is placed, and then I order [materials] and make it, so I have no stock ever,” Cornelius said.
Resurface Swimwear products require about seven days to make and three to four days to ship, so it can take around 10 days to receive a handmade, eco-friendly bathing suit.
The prices range from $49 for bottoms to $59 for tops and about $100 for one-pieces in all different styles.
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Contact Victoria La Ferla via email: Victoria.Laferla@pepperdine.edu
