“We need to get out of the mindset of making new, we already have so much stuff already.”

Colleen is a firm believer of reusing things instead of throwing them away, because nothing produced is ever truly gone.

Worldwide, 80 billion pieces of clothing are consumed every year. Even though clothing costs less to manufacture, the environmental impact is significantly greater.

“Recycling clothes and redesigning old trends is a fantastic way to support the environment and keep money in your pockets,” she says.

Ever since Colleen was a child, she was recycling items to create crafts and jewelry. Her passion for reusing followed Colleen to her first business – an antique furniture shop. In each wardrobe she had for sale, she would style it with vintage clothes.

“I’ve always had an appreciation for clothing construction. My mom was a seamstress. I like quality over quantity, and that doesn’t mean labels,” she says.

When Colleen moved to the UK, she started making jewelry at a castle she worked at.

“The castle was built in 1244, during the Tudor era, so I used to make jewelry to match the times,” she explains.

When she moved back to Canada over a decade later, Colleen naturally gravitated to owning another business related to repurposing, this time a consignment clothing store.

Yours and Mine Consignment was already a well-established, 17-year-old clothing store that had thousands of consigners when Colleen took it over. She bought the business on her birthday ten years ago.

The store is located in a cute heritage building in the Old City Quarter on Wesley Street. When you walk up the stairs to the shop, you are greeted with flourishing plants on the patio and then an abundance of neatly colour coordinated clothing racks.

“I do understand that a lot of people walk in the door and it’s overwhelming,” Colleen explains. “I just describe what's this and that areas are to help them zero in with what they need to look at. After a while, when people come in second and third time, they just bypass certain things that they don't need to look at, so it makes it easier for them.”

There is always a huge selection to choose from and the way Colleen organizes and colour coordinates the sections makes it manageable once you get used to the setup. She also sells jewelry, accessories and some antiques.

On the porch is the five-dollar rack along with free bags of clothing for people in need. Colleen also supports organizations like the Island Crisis Society and Rise Bridge.

Colleen says although consignment or thrift shopping can be more difficult to find your size, it also comes with excitement when you find the perfect outfit.

“When you walk into a mall and it’s rows of the same shirt just in different sizes, it’s just boring,” she says.

The style of the people in Nanaimo is anything but boring though. Colleen says that islanders have a unique sense of style compared to elsewhere in the world.

“After living in the UK and other places, I appreciate that Nanaimo isn't stuck on style. People have their own style,” she explains. “They come and they retire here from different places, and I think to Island communities, they just have our own style, and we aren't afraid to wear it. We don't have to fit in.”

You can check out Colleen’s fashions at 357 Wesley Street on Tuesdays to Fridays 10am – 5:30pm and Saturdays 12pm – 4pm.