About Us
HOW IT STARTED
From high school friends going through each other’s closets for outfits to wear to the next party to mom life friends going through their kids’ closets to keep their growing kids clothed. We’ve been friends through many ages and stages of life, navigating high school, college, married life and now motherhood.
We started blogging, podcasting and making planners as the duo Simply Whole Moms. We talked to a lot of mothers, and one thing we discovered is the power of moms to completely change the world. Somewhere along the journey this idea hit us, and we knew we could make an impact.
OUR WHY
TEXTILE WASTE
We recycle or reuse every item of clothing we receive. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s annual waste management report in 2018, a total of 17 million tons of textiles were placed in landfills, compared to the 2.5 million tons that were recycled.
BUSY FAMILIES
Cleaning out the closet is hard enough. You don't have the time to figure out where to drop off your preloved clothes. If you do not have a friend who can take your hand-me-downs, finding somewhere to send them can be overwhelming. We promise to treat every item of clothing with care.
TOO MUCH STUFF
Two million tons of clothing items are dropped off to charities annually. We have seen first hand that some of them are overwhelmed. They do not have the staff to process or the space to store all of these resources. Surely, there is a better way to get clothes into the right hands.
SUSTANABLE
As a business we aim to be a sustainable option for families. From being a reliable place to donate clothes, to being sure nothing ends up in the landfill, we keep our footprint in mind. Additionally, we use mailers that are made out of recycled plastic and reusable!
COST OF CLOTHES
The children’s clothing industry is a $49,418M industry in the US alone. We are buying a lot of clothes. We are cycling through these clothes quickly as our children grow out of size after size. Building a child's wardrobe should be cost effective.
NO FAST FASHION
Unethical clothing labor conditions have driven us to do what we can to change the traditional consumption of the children's clothing industry. We believe in stopping the cycle of unhealthy working environments for women and children. We believe that clothes should be reused and recycled.
NICOLE BOYNTON
Founder
Nicole is a passionate heart. When she loves something, it is with all she has. This shows through her work on Hand Me Up, and the way she lives her day-to-day life. Her heart beats for ethical, sustainable fashion and offering encouragement to moms. Okay, let's be real, it really beats for her two beautiful little girls and her high school sweetheart hubby. Nicole is an autoimmune warrior. She is fighting the good fight of a rare autoimmune disease called Wegener's. Nicole is a fiercely loyal friend and an avid researcher. Oh, she also can put espresso away better than any tired mom.
KARA LIVINGSTON
Founder
Kara is an extrovert with the will to conquer just about anything, even the fast fashion industry. Kara met the love of her life in the middle of finding out she had a disease that was taking her vision. She is now married to that love, and is still fighting to keep her eyesight. She is a mom to two kids, a boy and a girl. She had a career in corporate America, and believed in her heart that there had to be a way to have a career and be in the carpool line every single day. That is where her passion for Hand Me Up lies - to find a way to use the power of motherhood, while also being a present mother herself
OUR PROMISES TO YOU
We promise to always be transparent with what we are doing with the clothes you send us.
We promise to use every item to the best our of ability. Even if it means working to get out stains.
We promise to send you the highest quality clothes we receive from our hand me down bags.
We promise to always look for new and innovative ways to upcycle and recycle clothes.
We promise to treat all the clothes we receive just like they were our own.
