Intern Feature: Delilah Harvey

We wouldn’t be where we are without our hardworking staff. ESPECIALLY our interns! For the next month, we’ve decided to showcase our five interns and the incredible work they do behind the scenes. 

Delilah Harvey is studying PR & Strategic Communications at American University and started interning with us this summer. Our founder/CEO Jane Mosbacher Morris actually launched TO THE MARKET at a conference Delilah’s mom produced! Since then, Delilah has been interested in our mission and even dreams of owning her own sustainable clothing line.

Why did you apply for an internship at TO THE MARKET?

I applied for an internship at TTM because I was eager to learn about the formation, nurturing, and growth of an ethical, transparent, and sustainability-oriented company. I wanted to learn about how an entrepreneur (hi Jane!) went about carrying a vision to actuality, how an ethical company like TTM scales and monetizes, and how they communicate an innovative vision in a way that disrupts the status quo. I love that TTM rejects a way of doing business that’s archaic, harmful, and short-term. In everything that TTM does, it communicates that there is a way of doing business that is good. For people, for the planet, and for the long haul. 

Working at TTM has continued to nurture my deep interest in, and passion for, sustainable and responsibly sourced fashion. My first introduction to the topic was the film “The True Cost.” I’ve been obsessed with learning about the topic ever since. In a course I took last semester, I wrote a two-part essay series under the umbrella topic of fast fashion. The first essay was the impact of fast fashion on the environment, and the second was the impact of fast fashion on human health. I’ve loved reading the different sustainability certifications and practices that some of TTM’s makers use, and doing so has been a really beneficial learning experience!

 

What are you working on at TO THE MARKET? 

I’m currently helping vet new companies that apply to work with us, while following up with our existing partners to make sure we have all the up-to-date materials we need. I’m also monitoring our D2C orders to make sure all orders are shipped on time. The fun thing with a company that’s rapidly growing and thriving is that there are frequently new tasks that pop up all the time!

 

What’s your dream job/hopes for your future career?

I would love to own my own clothing business that does the following things: 

--Has a zero (and ultimately negative) carbon footprint 

--Uses entirely upcycled and/or sustainable and biodegradable materials 

--Uses storytelling as a vehicle for encouraging shifts in consumer habits (i.e. how can I encourage a consumer to spend a premium on a smaller number of sustainable items, instead of a larger amount on cheap fast fashion?) 

--Pays fair and living wages to makers. 

I’m very much of the mind that in our current climate crisis, we need to produce and consume less. However, realistically, I agree with Jane whole-heartedly...purchasing power used for good is, well, powerful. People will always be motivated to buy and consume. So sustainable business seems, to me, to be the most promising and exciting path forward. 

 

How do your activities at TO THE MARKET line up with your future career?

On a macro level, I’m trying to soak in as much as possible about ethical and transparent supply chains, challenges and practices in sustainable business, entrepreneurship and start-up cultures, among so much more! On a more immediate level, I’m really enjoying learning about positive team building and encouraging team culture (which TTM does beautifully), balancing short and long-term projects, and staying organized while working remotely. 

 

Why do you think it’s important to practice sustainability/responsible sourcing/good purchasing power decisions?

I believe in today’s world, it’s not only important to practice good purchasing power decisions...it’s an absolute imperative. Products impact people and/or the planet at every stage of their life cycle. Choosing products that do good rather than harm, protects people and the planet, and also communicates an important message to big corporations and governing bodies.

 

What would you love to see TO THE MARKET do in the next five years?

I’d love to see TTM products (with TTM tags) widely accessible in stores across the country. This is already happening, but I would love to see it at an even larger scale. It would be so awesome to go into my local Macy’s, Target, Nordstrom, etc, knowing that there are sustainable and ethical TTM products available. I would also love TTM to acquire more sustainability-oriented makers (ones who use all upcycled or sustainable materials, buy renewable energy, etc). It would also be so cool if TTM did a short film or doc showing Jane/Cindy/Danielle going to visit different makers, highlighting their processes and TTM’s mission. The dreamer in me is really coming out here...but hey, if any company can do it, it’s TTM! 

 

Favorite quote or words to live by?

“To travel is to live” by Hans Christian Anderson.

 

*Delilah's t-shirt is from the Dillards GB collection sourced from TO THE MARKET*