Junior Genesis Cuellar-Figueroa is fighting against fast fashion while cleaning out her closet with her new clothing resale business, which she has run on Instagram since December 2023. 

“A lot of people would ask me ‘Oh where did you get that?’,” Cuellar-Figueroa said. “So I thought I might as well just sell it to them and make something good out of me getting rid of my clothes.” 

Cuellar-Figueroa overcame many challenges setting up her Instagram business account @geesvirtualcloset. She knew her account needed to pop to appeal to customers, so she designed the page with an early 2000s aesthetic and bright colors. She felt this style best fit the eccentric pieces she is selling, ranging from knit sweaters to pleated skirts.

One aspect of online selling that Cuellar-Figueroa had more trouble with was communication. She admits communicating with potential customers was more hectic than she expected and is still adjusting to things like bidding. 

“I’m new to this so when bidding, three people will tell me at the same time and I don’t want to just choose one person because I feel guilty,” Cuellar-Figueroa said. “I feel like when it comes to communication it can get kind of crazy,”

Although starting the business was not easy, Cuellar-Figueroa knows she is helping the environment. She not only promotes sustainability through reselling items but also minimizes the negative environmental impacts of fashion. With fast fashion culture on the rise, customers who might have turned to companies that mass-produce clothes can now look to small businesses like @geesvirtualcloset for unique pieces. 

“It’s an alternative to turn someone’s money spending into something that is at least more environmentally friendly and socially responsible,” Cuellar-Figueroa said.

Cuellar-Figueroa hopes to expand her business in the future. She has thought about exploring her styling skills and giving customers more options. For now, she is still taking her time learning how to run her online store and helping others express themselves through clothes. 

“I definitely know I’ll be giving away more clothes and I’m just taking it in bit by bit,” Cuellar-Figueroa said. “I was thinking maybe in the summer I could start selling style bundles and helping people get started with a new style.”