Harriet Noy, a 26-year-old entrepreneur, has successfully transformed her vision for sustainable fashion into a thriving business. Her platform, Hazaar, now generates an impressive £120,000 annually, addressing the growing demand for affordable secondhand clothing among students.
While studying at the University of Birmingham, Noy identified a significant gap in the market. Many students were frequently purchasing single-use items, particularly for events like fancy dress parties. This observation prompted her to create a platform where students could easily buy and sell clothing without the hassle of shipping. She explains, “I thought there was a big opportunity to create campus-based marketplaces—there would be no postage, you’d list the item and once sold just meet outside the library to hand over the item.”
The initial phase of Hazaar began with Facebook groups, attracting around 20,000 students eager to engage in sustainable shopping. After graduating, Noy sought to monetize her concept. She developed an app that includes features such as carbon reporting data and sold it to universities. This partnership allowed students to access the app at no cost, as their universities covered the membership fees.
Noy emphasizes the importance of affordability in sustainable fashion. “The key thing for me is making the sustainable option the cheapest, the most affordable, the most desirable, and it just so happens to be better than buying something brand new,” she notes. Despite facing challenges with university budgets tightening, her business has flourished, reaching a turnover of over £120,000.
With the success of her platform, Noy began to receive inquiries from fashion brands, looking to unload excess stock. This sparked a significant pivot in her business model, allowing Hazaar to incorporate brand items alongside student-to-student sales. “The price point will be a lot lower than anywhere else, and students have to verify their status to be able to purchase it,” she explains. This new feature, launched recently, aims to reduce waste by providing students access to items that would otherwise end up in landfills.
As the secondhand market continues to expand, Noy remains optimistic about its potential. She believes that making sustainable fashion accessible to students is vital for reducing fast fashion’s impact. “If students can’t afford to shop at higher-end sustainable brands, this is one step closer to reducing the need for new fast fashion,” she asserts.
Noy’s journey as a young business owner has been filled with valuable lessons. She highlights the importance of networking, stating that reaching out to experienced entrepreneurs helped her navigate the challenges of launching Hazaar in 2020. “People are rooting for you,” she remarks, emphasizing the supportive nature of the business community.
She has also learned to prioritize revenue over investment, cautioning against using funding as a distraction from refining the business model. Her initial investments, while helpful, could have been better utilized to strengthen the foundation of her venture.
Looking ahead, Noy envisions Hazaar as the go-to platform for brands wanting to connect with students. Her goal is to cultivate a reliable and affordable community where students can shop sustainably without financial strain. As the demand for secondhand fashion continues to grow, Hazaar stands at the forefront of this movement, poised to make a significant impact in the fashion industry.
