Each year on November 15, America Recycles Day brings people and communities across the United States together to promote recycling, rethink consumption, and consider how everyday choices impact both the local and global environment. The observance, organized by Keep America Beautiful, is the country's only nationally recognized day devoted solely to advancing recycling education and encouraging individuals to recycle right, not just on November 15, but all year long. It challenges consumers to transform throwaway habits into circular solutions. It's a goal that feels especially urgent at a time when our collective "need for stuff" shapes not just personal lifestyles, but the planet's future.
The Consumerism Dilemma
Modern consumer culture thrives on abundance. Nowhere is this more visible than in fashion, especially the booming fast fashion industry, where low-cost, high-turnover clothing fuels rapid production and equally rapid disposal. The result is staggering global textile waste continues to rise; emissions from clothing manufacturing accelerate climate change, and plastics from synthetic fibers pollute ecosystems and living beings.
In the face of this crisis, reducing personal consumption can seem daunting. Yet small, community-driven actions can disrupt wasteful cycles and create lasting cultural change. At the University of Vermont's Grossman School of Business (GSB), one student-led initiative is proving just that.
The GSAC Professional Business Attire Event
The Professional Business Attire (PBA) Sale is an impactful initiative focused on empowering all students to reach their full potential, continuing the legacy of sustainability and student support at Grossman and within the greater UVM community. The event helps students thrive in professional settings by providing access to stylish, sustainable, and affordable business attire. Additionally, all profits made from the sale are reinvested into initiatives that benefit the student body.
Founded in 2019 by the Grossman Student Advisory Committee (GSAC), the Professional Business Attire Event began as a simple idea: help students access professional clothing for interviews, internships, and career fairs, without forcing them to spend beyond their means.
Each year, GSAC runs several events surrounding the Professional Business Attire Sale:
- Fall PBA Sale: Usually held from mid-September to mid-October, this event is a great way for first-year students to find professional attire for class presentations.
- Donation Drive: The donation drive this year will take place on December 10, 2025 in Kalkin Hall’s Keller Room. This event is strategically placed after Thanksgiving break, encouraging students to gather clothing from home and return to campus with plentiful business clothes. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are all encouraged to donate.
- Case Competition Sale: For the first time, GSAC is hosting a sale between late January and mid-February to provide professional clothing for students participating in case competitions. GSAC’s Dean’s Cup Case Competition will take place on March 3, 2026, an in-house competition designed to introduce students to the world of case competitions. Offering a PBA Sale beforehand ensures participants can represent themselves confidently in professional attire.
- Spring Pop-Up Sale : As an exciting addition, GSAC has recently hosted a pop-up sidewalk sale before the end of the spring semester in May. This event gives students the perfect opportunity to find stylish looks for summer jobs or internships.
In addition to these recurring events, GSAC has worked on collaborations to expand the initiative’s reach, such as the “Gender Affirming Business Attire Sale” held last spring in partnership with the Prism Center.
These events gather donations of gently used suits, blouses, shoes, and accessories from faculty, staff, alumni, and local partners. Items are then made available to students at low cost, ensuring that every UVM student, regardless of background, can show up to professional spaces with confidence and credibility; With proceeds being reinvested into the event itself to continue the legacy of preparing students for success both inside and outside of the classroom.
But this initiative does more than level the professional playing field. It diverts usable clothing from landfills and encourages a culture where reuse is both practical and aspirational. By emphasizing shared resources over disposable consumption, GSAC's event models the circular economy in action.
Real Impact, Real Students
For many participants, the event is more than an opportunity to secure an outfit; it's a tangible connection between sustainability and community. Students have spoken about the relief of finding professional clothing without huge financial stress, and the gratitude of knowing their peers and professors are actively supporting their growth. Others have described how donating to the event helps extend the life of garments that might otherwise go to waste, giving them renewed value and purpose.
“It makes me so happy to see this event grow into something that has a campus-wide impact.,” said GSAC representative Casey Huczko. “I’m so hopeful for students when I see them finding clothes that amplify their personality, confidence, and professionalism.
Professional clothing is expensive and hard to find for college students, and this event provides an unbeatable opportunity for them to show up on day-one at new jobs or internships as superstar workers.”
Following one recent event, a student passing by remarked, ‘That is such an awesome event! I found a pair of Kate Spade heels for five dollars. Thank you for making it happen!’ highlighting the tangible impact of the initiative across the UVM community.
Each story reinforces the same message: sustainability begins when people meet needs through connection rather than consumption.
Expanding Sustainability at GSB
As part of GSB's broader sustainability mission, the Professional Business Attire Event embodies the school's commitment to innovation, resourcefulness, and environmental responsibility. It aligns with ongoing efforts to integrate sustainability into every aspect of business education, from course offerings and research to student-run initiatives that build real-world impact.
The GSAC Professional Business Attire Event is just one example of how the Grossman School of Business is weaving sustainability into its culture. From student-led projects to faculty research and community outreach, GSB continues to equip future business leaders with the knowledge and creativity needed to build a greener economy.
GSAC's ongoing Professional Business Attire Sales have become one of the hallmark statements of this mission, transforming what could have been discarded into opportunity. Their work empowers students to think beyond traditional business practices and lead with environmental and social awareness.
As GSB celebrates America Recycles Day, it's clear that initiatives like these do more than redistribute clothing; they help redefine what responsible leadership looks like. Keep an eye out for the next GSAC Professional Business Attire Sale and consider participating by donating or finding your next professional outfit with purpose.
Join the Movement
Whether you're a current student or an alum, there are countless ways to help power the next Professional Business Attire Event. Stay connected with GSAC and Grossman School of Business to hear about upcoming sales and opportunities to donate gently used professional clothing. When you contribute, you're investing in not only your own professional growth but also in a campus culture that values equity, resourcefulness, and sustainability.
Small actions, multiplied by many hands, keep the loop closing right here on campus, turning consumption into care, and waste into opportunity.
About the Author
Sophie Ball-Dolan is a Junior at the University of Vermont's Grossman School of Business, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a theme in Entrepreneurship and a concentration in Marketing. Complementing her business studies, she is also double minoring in Environmental Studies & English. Her professional experience includes leadership and associate roles at a local grocery store, serving as Vice President of Communications for the UVM Marketing Club, and her current position as a Marketing and Communications Assistant at the Grossman School of Business. A native of Hinesburg, Vermont, her interests include reading, art, and spending time with family, friends, and pets.