FOMENO - Global Finalists in Business Competition

Our Beginning

Fomeno, previously known as Forget Me Not, all started when Brigit Blote wanted to thrift a specific t-shirt decorated with simple, purple Forget Me Not flowers; however, with hundreds of online thrift shops on the web, there were too many options to sift through while hunting for the exact shirt she desired. As thrifting is one of the most sustainable ways to purchase clothing, Brigit thought of creating an app that consolidated all online thrifting data into one place in order to make shopping for thrifted items easy. Brigit teamed up with her teammates Ashlynn Atwood and Payton Ryz to expand on the idea for the 2020 Hult Prize USD campus competition.

Our Success

The girls won the USD competition and then qualified for the regional round in Boston. After competing against teams from Harvard, Vanderbilt and Duke, among others, the USD team took first place and was selected to represent the United States in the Global Hult Prize Finals this winter in London, UK. The team is 1 of 30 teams globally to be chosen out of 300,000 teams to compete in the global finals. Fomeno is honored to represent South Dakota in this way and is asking for your support as they compete for the $1 million grand prize at the Global Finals.

Why is this important? 

One of the motivations that sparked their interest in sustainable fashion is the fact that the fashion industry is the second dirtiest polluter in the world. Many people do not realize the immense amount of resources it takes to produce one t-shirt or a pair of jeans. Instead of constantly buying new clothing and throwing it out after only a few wears, individuals can thrift clothing and find any style they desire, at a cheaper cost, while also saving the Earth’s vital resources. Fomeno and the USD team seek to promote and encourage everyone to thrift as it is the most sustainable way to shop for clothing!

As the e-commerce market explodes, so is the online thrifting resale market (from a $22 billion industry to a $64 billion  industry in the next 10 years). Online thrifting is gaining popularity and Brigit, Ashlynn and Payton want to make thrifting online the best experience for all shoppers. They not only want the target market of Gen Z and Millennials to thrift online but want all generations to easily thrift online and enjoy it! Part of their mission is to be inclusive and fit all styles for all people.

The soul sisters have a passion for the environment and are committed to doing good through their startup. Reducing clothing waste will help ensure that our sustainability goals not only as individual countries, but as a whole planet, are met.

As three D1 athletes, Brigit, Ashlynn and Payton are no strangers to hard work, dedication and commitment. They are excited and ready to take the next steps forward in making FOMENO the best place to thrift online.

How you can help! 

Any gift, large or small, in support of FOMENO will help aid these USD students and their pursuit of success during the Global Hult Prize Finals this winter.

Follow FOMENO on Instagram to stay updated on their progress - @threads_of_green
For more information on FOMENO, check out their landing page - thriftfomeno.com