Latifah’s story: fighting fast fashion in style

Latifah Browne is Founder and CEO of The Thrift Den, an online thrifting and retail store in Georgetown, Guyana. Her business offers a sustainable alternative to fast fashion brands, which contribute nearly 10% of global carbon emissions and often rely on labour exploitation. Here, Latifah shares her business journey and how our Road to Growth programme supported her.

“When I first started learning about the negative effects of fast fashion, I was heartbroken. There’s so much child labour and inhumane working conditions in the fast fashion industry, and a large portion of fast fashion items will end up in landfills. I’m proud to run a business that offers sustainable and ethical alternatives.

By shopping at thrift shops like mine, you make a positive impact on the environment. You get to reduce waste by not contributing to demand for new clothing production. You’re contributing to something greater than yourself and you’re getting clothes at a reduced cost. It feels good to know that what you’re putting on your body is not just good for you, but good for the world. I feel like it’s a win-win for everybody. 

My favourite thing about thrifting is that I can find something rare that I might not be able to find if I go to a regular boutique.  With thrift stores, you find things from different time periods all grouped together in one place. You can mix and match, curate your own unique style, and explore who you are. For me, it’s a safe haven. 

The end goal with my business is to become a household name. I want to build something that’s lasting and that reflects who I am and my ethics as well. Right now, thrifting isn’t that popular in Guyana. I think if we can build people’s awareness of the negative effects of fast fashion and overconsumption, people will start to consider thrifting more and will end up loving it. 

Technology is absolutely crucial for my business. My shop is completely online, which I love because it means I can run my business from anywhere at any time. This is important because I have a very busy life and I need that flexibility. I don’t have any kids, but I have nieces and cats and that’s a lot. I’m also studying social work right now, so that takes up a lot of time.  

Women are so often overlooked and not taken seriously in business. We don’t get enough funding or opportunities for business growth. I don’t know why that is. We are very much capable of navigating the complexities of the business world.  

Another major issue I have is when I’m approached in a flirtatious manner while doing business. When this happens, you feel like you have to be passive, because reacting in a negative way as a woman is stigmatized as well. It makes it difficult to keep a respectful environment.  

I joined the Road to Growth programme to learn how to overcome these and other challenges. If I had to describe Road to Growth in one word, it would be empowering. The programme is free, so I went into it not expecting much. I was surprised by how well taken care of we were. We got access to in-person training sessions as well as online learning materials. The coaches catered to our individual needs, helped pinpoint our strengths and weaknesses, and moulded us into businesswomen. You can’t put a price on that.  

I walked through that door a regular girl, but when I left that programme, I felt like a businesswoman. 

What I liked most about the programme were the networking opportunities. We got to build meaningful relationships with other like-minded businesswomen. We got to work together and gain knowledge from each other. I might have known something the other person didn’t know, or they might have known something I didn’t know. At the end of it all, we formed a very a unique bond. We couldn’t get that anywhere else. It felt special, like a once in a lifetime thing. Women are often pitted against one another, but in the programme it felt like we were a team. 

The most important thing that I gained from the programme was confidence. I am a very shy young lady, so it takes a lot to put myself out there. Now, here I am confidently sharing my story. I never would have done something like this before Road to Growth. 

There are so many reasons why it’s important to support women entrepreneurs, the most obvious one being gender equality. When people think about business, they usually think of men in stuffy suits. Come on, it’s 2024!  

Women are capable in business. As a woman, I may have ideas that a man might not think of. We need to empower women to start and grow their businesses so we can foster innovation, create more job opportunities, and drive economic growth. 

Women do so much: we balance home life, we balance social life, we have all these expectations put on us and we still always deliver.”