Christine Chenail is the founder of Salvage Sistas, a unique business dedicated to upcycling clothing into fashionable mittens, most with FUNctional pockets. Although the name hints at sisterhood, the “Sistas” in Salvage Sistas represents all the incredible women who contribute to the business in various ways—from sewing and tagging, to managing social media, cutting fabric, and running shows. Salvage Sistas is more than a business; it’s a community of women working together to promote sustainability and creativity.

The mission of Salvage Sistas is rooted in preventing waste, upcycling garments that would otherwise end up in landfills. This is crucial, given that over 11 million tons of textile waste is sent to landfills each year in the U.S. alone. Shockingly, it can take up to 200 years for textiles like polyester to decompose, releasing harmful chemicals into the environment as they break down. Salvage Sistas aims to divert this waste by transforming used clothing into stylish mittens, offering a practical way to embrace sustainable fashion.