On Sunday, April 30th, Samantha Liu (Kappa Alpha Theta) hosted CPFlea, the event that culminated her Design, Cultures, and Creativity (DCC) Honors program. CPFlea was a pop-up flea market selling second-hand clothing in the Kappa Alpha Theta parking lot in Old Town. She partnered with a variety of local vendors, including students and small businesses who support sustainability. She was also financially sponsored by pizza chain DP Dough. Samantha explained that with changing trends and limited budgets, students are inclined to shop fast fashion. Although fast fashion offers lower prices, employees experience poor working conditions, and mass production practices that are bad for the environment. By promoting second-hand clothing, she is working to combat these conditions.
CPFlea marks Samantha’s completion of part of the DCC Honors program here on campus. At the end of this two year program, students complete a final capstone project. The program gives students the freedom to pursue projects they are passionate about, giving them free range. Samantha was inspired by the pop up shops she has seen in Georgetown, and wanted to recreate that here on campus. She has always been interested in sustainability and fashion, so she was excited about the opportunity to combine her interests in this project.
In the two and a half hours the market ran, she raised over three thousand dollars. Despite the rainy weather, she was extremely happy with the success of CPFlea. Ten percent of the commission went to a nonprofit of the students choosing. Samantha donated 300 dollars to Remake, an organization that aims to change the fashion industry standards. The organization educates people about the dangers of fast fashion, advocates for a more promising future, and creates dialogue between brands and consumers, which is aligned with Samantha’s goals for her capstone project.
Samantha gained support for CPFlea via social media. She started posting on Instagram one month before the event, spotlighting vendors and giving information about sustainability and Remake, as well as quick facts about the fast fashion industry.
Samatha’s capstone project illustrates how our learning here on campus is supplemented by experiences outside of the classroom. Members of Maryland’s Panhellenic Community should consider their sorority membership as a space to advocate for important causes. CPFlea was a huge success and hopefully the start of more opportunities around College Park to second-hand shop.
To learn more about CPFlea, check out their instagram page @cpflea <3
