about us
yesterday’s clothes
for a better tomorrow
Subject Matter® is a collection of vintage and preloved apparel and accessories curated in Brooklyn, New York. We aim to provide quality secondhand pieces at accessible prices, with an emphasis on how our objects can educate, influence, and represent us.
Shop our collection online and at events throughout New York and New Jersey.
in support of local education
We believe education has the power to transform perspectives and futures. Specifically, education in the arts can benefit the social and emotional well-being of children, expanding creativity, consciousness, and empathy.
To support this essential education, we share contributions of $1 per item sold to Education Through Music, a nonprofit organization that provides music education to over 20,000 students here in New York City.
our garment lifecycle
1 Each piece is hand-selected from a variety of local suppliers. By keeping our sourcing as local as possible, we are able to help support other small businesses and individual sellers here in New York. On the hunt for something specific? Let us know!
2 The garments are gently hand-washed with biodegradable, no-rinse soap and cold water to minimize stress on the fabric and limit water use. Synthetic fabrics are washed in a GUPPYFRIEND bag to prevent microfibers from shedding and polluting our water. Garments are then line-dried and steamed.
3 We ship in 100 percent recycled content, plastic-free packaging that can be reused or recycled further. Our irl pieces are labeled with 100 percent recycled content tags, printed with algae ink, and strung with organic linen.
4 Our goal is for every customer to love their purchase! It’s our sincere hope that our preloved pieces spark (or sustain) ongoing interest in secondhand clothing.
5 When it’s time for you and your Subject Matter® finds to part ways, recycle your garments by swapping with friends, selling online, or donating to a community thrift store for someone else to love.
we ❤ students + teachers
We offer 10 percent off every purchase for current students and teachers.
Please complete this form and we will send you a request for verification, as well as share additional policy details.