PikaThrift

🎯 Our Mission

PikaThrift is a student-run non-profit that collects textile waste from beaches before it reaches the ocean, washes and sorts every item, then sells clean clothing cheaply to thrift shops so low-income families can afford quality clothes. Every dollar we earn goes right back into more cleanups.

⚠️ The Problem

of all textiles are actually recycled

35%

of ocean microplastics come from synthetic textiles

25%

of new garments go unsold due to overproduction

1.4M

trillion microfibres currently in our oceans

"It has been estimated that 1.4 million trillion microfibres are currently in the oceans and if the fashion industry continues in a business-as-usual scenario, between 2015 and 2050, 22 million tonnes of microfibres will enter our oceans." — Fashion Revolution

The fast fashion industry mass produces trendy, low-cost clothing. As it grows, more people constantly throw away old clothes to keep up with trends — sending more textile waste into our oceans.

⚙️ How It Works

🌊

Step 1 — Collect

Volunteers use nets and bags to gather textile waste from beaches and coastal areas.

🧺

Step 2 — Clean

Every item is washed, dried, and sorted by quality and size at the laundromat.

🛍️

Step 3 — Sell

Clean, sorted clothing is sold affordably to local thrift shops for resale.

♻️

Step 4 — Repeat

Every dollar earned is reinvested into more nets, more cleanups, and more impact.

📊 By the Numbers

Clothes collected per month

Volunteer goal to start

Monthly revenue

Monthly surplus reinvested

👥 Our Team

Leo Zaks

Head of Marketing & Sales

Ela Unlu

Head of Marketing & Sales

Gabriel Balucan

Head of Supply Chain

Arjun Anand

Leadership & Management

💚 "We clean to make the Earth green."

🤝 Our Community

Our community is made up of eco-conscious young adults who have the time and passion to help with our beach cleanups. We grow through flyers and brochures that spread the word and invite more people to join. Our volunteers are the backbone of PikaThrift — together we're building a movement that helps both people and the planet.

🛤️ Our Journey

⚡ Challenges

Had to pivot from our original idea
Tough decisions about the logo
Editing 10-second and 30-second reels
Balancing acting, recording, and editing

🌟 Highlights

Recording our reels
Editing the final videos together
Acting and bringing the brand to life
Seeing the project come together

🚀 Our Goals

🌊

Get many volunteers and clean beaches of textile waste, giving clothes a second life while helping the ocean.

📈

Grow PikaThrift into a recognized organization so our positive impact on the oceans keeps expanding.

♻️

Reinvest every dollar into upgrading our operations and increasing our environmental impact.

💰 Financials

Starting Costs

Nets (5 × $21.99)$110

Drying racks (2 × $11.99)$24

First month of operations$610

Starting donations−$150

Funding needed$594

Monthly Costs

Laundromat$90

Cleaning supplies$15

Trash bags$12

Unsold inventory$50

CapCut Pro$25

Cloud Code$20

Transportation$125

Contingency$273

Total$610

Monthly Revenue

Sales (440 lb × $1.50)$660

Donations$150

Total$810

Month 1 surplus$66

Ongoing monthly surplus$200

💙 Our Charity of Choice

🌊

Save Our Shores

Save Our Shores is a non-profit dedicated to saving marine habitats from plastic pollution, offshore oil drilling, and more. They host beach cleanups just like us — we chose them because our missions align perfectly: cleaner beaches, healthier oceans, and a better planet.

🎮 Sort the Clothes!

Clothes are falling into the ocean — click them before they hit the water! 🌊 Miss 5 and it's over.

Score: 0 Missed: 0/5 Time: 30s

Click Start to Play! 👕

🎯 SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production

📚 Sources

National Library of Medicine (PMC)"Sustainable Development Goals for Textiles and Fashion" — Official U.S. government website. Cited for textile recycling rates, overproduction, microplastics, and water consumption statistics.

Fashion Revolution"What's In Our Clothes and How Does it Affect the Oceans?" — Non-profit focused on fashion and the environment. Cited for microfibre pollution statistics.

Marketplace"What can clothing retailers do with all that excess inventory?" — Non-profit raising public awareness about economics and tech. Cited for the Burberry unsold merchandise statistic.

Goodwill"What Is Goodwill's Diversion Rate From The Landfills?" — Non-profit focused on giving clothes a second life. Referenced for textile diversion and resale context.