October 1, 2025
By Valerie Vargas, Student Life Sustainability
At the University of Michigan, one student’s old lamp or winter coat is another student’s new essential. That spirit of reuse is at the heart of the Planet Blue Student Leaders’ FreeStore, a pop-up that keeps pounds of goods in circulation and out of landfills.
The Planet Blue Student Leaders’ (PBSL) FreeStore offers students a free shopping experience each semester. The first event of the year brought in over 200 students who browsed and picked up nearly 400 items—weighing 350 pounds.
Upcoming FreeStores
Time: 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Dates: Nov. 5, 2025 and Dec. 3, 2025
Location: Sophia B. Jones room, Michigan Union
Born out of a need to keep usable items out of landfills and ease the burden on local nonprofits, the store redistributes goods collected from students during move-out. With support from the Office of Campus Sustainability and Student Life Facilities, 12.6 tons of reusable items were diverted this year alone.
PBSL sorted through household goods, clothing, linens, shoes and other essentials. Select items were set aside for redistribution to students, while remaining donations supported community partners such as the Ann Arbor Thrift Shop, Jewish Family Services, House N2 Home, Kiwanis, Goodwill and the Maize & Blue Cupboard.
The stakes are high: The fashion industry alone contributes to an estimated 4-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It takes about 1,800 gallons of water to make a single pair of cotton dress pants—the amount one person drinks in seven years. Meanwhile, 85% of discarded clothing could be recycled or upcycled instead of thrown away.
By keeping materials in use, students are not only reducing waste but also addressing the rising cost of living and barriers to everyday essentials. The FreeStore offers more than free goods, it builds community resilience.
Partnerships are central to this effort. In its pilot year, the store collaborated with the Mending Club to host clothing repair and upcycling workshops. This year, the University Career Center’s Clothing Closet is contributing items that don’t fit its business attire collection.
Together, these efforts expand the FreeStore’s impact and keep more materials in circulation.
Through reuse and redistribution, the FreeStore proves that sustainability and community care can go hand in hand. Every item recirculated is one less in the landfill and one more in the hands of a student who needs it.
Do you have things you are ready to give away?
Contact the Planet Blue Student Leaders at [email protected].