Mend a Hand: Sewing Knowledge into Sustainability
Trish McGee (MS-ESM ’25) is a sustainability advocate and entrepreneur dedicated to reducing clothing and textile waste. Through her venture, Mend a Hand: Built with (Re)Purpose, she empowers individuals to repair and repurpose their wardrobes while balancing the demands of graduate school and a growing business.
There are three decisions I can almost guarantee you make every day: what you’re going to wear, where you’re going and what you’re going to eat.
Mend a Hand: Built with (Re)Purpose is a clothing and textile workshop and, hopefully one day, a future bulk hardware store. Oh, and it’s mine! I created Mend a Hand to add value and empowerment to your life and wardrobe.
Mend a Hand started as a final project during my undergraduate career. It was for one of the best classes I’ve ever taken, with one of the best professors I’ve ever had: Social Purpose Innovation and Entrepreneurship with Danielle Vogel at American University. The final project, which was months in the making, was to create a business centered on a social impact issue. I chose to focus on clothing and textile waste after learning that the British Fashion Council had recently announced there are enough clothes on the planet to dress the next six generations. I remember thinking: How did we get here? Where are we going?
I decided I needed to be part of the change.
During the final presentation for “Environmental Science I,” different groups presented on sustainability issues at the Jug Bay Wetland Sanctuary, a partner of the Earth Commons Institute.
After a successful final presentation, Danielle pulled me aside and encouraged me to make Mend a Hand happen. And, well, here we are! I continue to post videos on social media showing step-by-step instructions for fixing common household clothing and textile issues. You can also book a consultation or class with me on my website. I believe there’s so much value in learning something new and growing your independence along the way.
Let’s bring an old purse back to life with Mend a Hand!
I keep following the issues I want to learn more about. I was drawn to Georgetown’s MS in Environment & Sustainability (MS-ESM) program because of its unique blend of science and business. My mother once told me that a graduate program would be like sipping from a fire hose. She’s right. While I’m sipping (and sometimes drowning), I’ve never been alone. This program and cohort have a fantastic “trench mentality.” We learn together and from each other. It’s a lot of work, but we love the program and the environment—we’re a united front.
Balancing a small business with graduate school is challenging. I’m accountable to meet both my educational and work goals, which can feel overwhelming at times. However, the interest and support from my cohort make it even more rewarding.
After graduating from American University with a B.A. in journalism and sustainability, Trish came to Georgetown to pursue her MS in Environment & Sustainability Management.
Looking ahead, I can’t wait to see what this spring holds for all of us, especially with regards to sharing our capstone projects. And looking deeper into the future, thinking about where I’ll go from here, my new knowledge base has steered me toward the path of collaborating on big campaigns with major companies that uplift meaningful causes, perhaps as a social impact marketer or sustainability consultant.
I’ve always been passionate about the environmental impacts of clothing, travel and food choices. At the end of the day, I’ll go wherever I’m called!
-Trish McGee (MS-ESM ’25)