Local high school student’s sustainable swimwear line is perfect for your next summer getaway.
If you’re looking to make waves on your summer vacay, you’ll want to dive into Coastal Cool, the sustainable clothing line making quite the splash on the local fashion scene. This isn’t just another drop in the ocean though…
The brainchild of founder/CEO Holden Bierman, a rising sophomore at Fuquay-Varina High School, Coastal Cool emerged amid the pandemic. While everyone else was baking banana bread and taking hot girl walks, the then 12-year-old entrepreneur took his love for coastal living and created a tide-turning eco-friendly clothing line.
“When COVID hit, we went to our beach house in Carolina Beach when school was out,” says Holden. “We’ve had the place for almost 10 years now… and the lifestyle of the coastal living and beach inspired me to create this brand.”
Holden’s initial designs were a hit, but he wasn’t content to only ride the first wave of success. Craving something more, he set his sights on sustainability and found a supplier offering eco-friendly materials. Made from 90% recycled polyester (a blend of recycled plastic bottles and post-consumer recyclables) Coastal Cool’s swimwear line is the embodiment of Holden’s vision—and a perfect fit for those looking to up their summer style while reducing their carbon footprint. (Everybody wins!)
Meeting sustainability with style, the brand offers bikini sets, one-pieces, swim trunks and other apparel. And if you’re looking for more protection from the sun, Coastal Cool recently released a line of bucket hats as well.
The best part of flexing Coast Cool gear, however, is knowing you’re doing good for the planet. After all, as Holden puts it, “making a difference and enjoying coastal life—they both pair well together.” … What better way to stay cool?
New app ReUp is dedicated to creating a fully inclusive way to online shop from small businesses.
“Add to cart” is no doubt de rigueur. But it’s not without its pitfalls—no reviews or photos, less than credible sellers, glitchy websites and even super-delayed shipping. If only there was a way to find a plethora of reviewed products with photos, videos and descriptions…
Knepley got the idea for ReUp after frequenting Downtown retail and pop-ups to then discover finding those products outside of the occasional markets… well, the struggle was real. “Going to pop-ups in Downtown Raleigh, I became friends with vendors and saw their products, but could only buy them at pop-up events,” says Knepley. “I figured there had to be a better way for these vendors to sell, so I thought of ReUp.”
Knepley’s goal with the innovative retail app is to create a shopping experience that is entirely inclusive and offers a large variety of products while curating your feed to what you want to see and shop. “I made sure that ReUp is all-inclusive—it represents businesses owned by LGBTQ+ members, women and minorities,” she says. “There’s also over 14 different categories of products, so there’s something out there for everyone.”
The market pioneer also hopes to give small businesses an opp to gain a following and sell products outside of physical boundaries by implementing “frictionless shopping”—meaning that purchasing a product is just one click away (!).
“Every vendor can go live, and their followers can interact with them in real time and get a gauge on their products,” says Knepley. “The idea of going to the store is fading away, so ReUp allows you to interact when you can’t physically go to a store.” Translation? Retail therapy just got a whole lot easier. joinreup.com
