Switch Society
The Switch Society is a new business in Billings providing affordable clothing and eliminating waste. Yellowstone Public Radio’s Orlinda Worthington reports.
Emily Petroff greets each customer as they enter Switch - a new concept giving women new clothes without paying a thing.
Petroff opened Switch in January of 2023 as a public benefit corporation, a law instated in Montana in 2015.
“What that basically means is that we value the people, planet, planet and profit all equally. So those are our three primary focuses,” Petroff said.
Switch meets the criteria of a PBC by serving a diverse population with economic benefits.
“We ask you to bring us all of your unloved, unworn, doesn't fit items. And then we give you points for those items and you shop our store with your points. There's no exchange of money for any of the items in the store,” Petroff said.
It also ticks the box of another requirement, preserving the environment.
“We embrace a zero waste culture and what that means is that we also will take anything that is ripped, stained, torn and broken because one of our biggest missions is to keep items out of the landfill. So we deconstruct those items and then use the fabric to up-cycle them into new things.”
Customers like Juanita Rathbun fulfill another goal of a public benefit corporation - generating social and public good.
“As a customer it’s wonderful. Now I can have new clothes without spending any money. It’s given me more confidence and made me feel better walking around in my clothes. It’s made a huge difference,” Rathbun said.
Petroff ponied up her own money, time and effort to benefit women and the environment never anticipating it would also be an emotional venture.
“When you remove the barrier of money, the way that people participate with their clothing is totally different. And I just didn't know that that was going to happen. Women are trying things that they would normally never try or spend money on. And then they end up loving it. And so they get to expand their comfort zone with no risk. It's not going to burden them financially. That just gives me so much,” Petroff said.
Since their first swap in January, Switch has taken in over 45,000 items.
You can learn more on Switch Society's Facebook page.
