Join us in an insightful conversation with Angie Kang, the founder of Cosmos Modern, as she shares her personal journey and the inspirations behind her sustainable business. From her love for thrifting and creating vintage stores to navigating through career shifts and launching her jewelry line, Angie’s story is one of resilience and passion. Discover how a serendipitous event during a Vegas trip led her to rebrand Cream into Cosmos Modern, a platform that not only offers stylish products but also promotes circular and zero-waste practices. Angie’s commitment to sustainability and educating others shines through as she shares challenges, successes, and valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and individuals seeking a zero-waste lifestyle.
Can you tell us about your personal journey and how it led you to start Cosmos Modern?
I grew up outside of Detroit and fell in love with thrifting in high school. I just loved the thrill of finding something rare, and walking out with a huge bag of clothes for $20. I started reselling what I didn’t wear or had bought on impulse, and eventually launched my first online vintage store, Lum, after I graduated from college in Chicago.
After a brief stint in NYC, I shifted my focus to pursue music in Austin, and eventually to LA where I started a career as a digital product designer. The last 7 years have been spent designing websites and mobile apps for various companies. In 2022, I was feeling a bit creatively stunted so I launched a jewelry site called Cream because I struggled to find stylish, affordable, and hypoallergenic pieces. I designed a few pieces as well.
Cream — Daisy Necklace and Earrings I designed.
About 8 months ago, I took a trip to Vegas for a concert with my family and my flight home to LA turned around due to Hurricane Hilary. I was stuck for 2 days by myself in a nearly empty hotel, during which I was laid off from my job. I saw the layoffs coming for months, so I took it as a sign that my life path was changing. I spent those 2 days meandering around Vegas and having enlightening and existential conversations about my purpose in life.
Sustainability has always been an issue I felt passionate about, but it seemed daunting to embrace. I realized that others probably feel the same way, so how can I start to reasonably integrate sustainable practices into my life? When I got home, I committed to reducing waste in my daily habits and through my research, share it with others. I rebranded Cream into Cosmos Modern, to reflect the interconnectedness of the cosmos with a contemporary perspective on sustainability.
What motivated you to pursue a circular and zero-waste approach with Cosmos Modern?
I saw videos on fast fashion waste that made me ill. The data on global fashion industry waste is staggering. I felt the only way we could mitigate the problem was to make fast fashion uncool and influence people to stop buying it. If on average, 1 person generates 82 lbs of clothes per year, I just need to convert 25 people to divert 1 ton of textiles away from the landfill. It’s not just fast fashion. Luxury designers hide poor-quality fabrics blended with plastic in their materials. The difference is that luxury products have a higher chance of getting circulated in resale, whereas fast fashion just goes straight to landfills. I like seeing brands like Prada and Marine Serre using recycled and biodegradable materials, but they are an anomaly in a pool of excess. And is this the best we can do? I don’t think so.
To maximize the cost and environmental impact of shipping, I wanted to offer a curation of non-vintage products unavailable on Amazon to add to your order. I found small women-owned businesses like Botanica and Good Juju, which make products that are ethically made and completely biodegradable down to the packaging and it excited me to test out their products and see that yes, you can create high-quality, sustainable products. I’m launching a collection of more products like bar shampoos & conditioners from small businesses in April and will offer discounted bundles so that people can gift a set of zero-waste products to their friends and family.
Could you share some of the challenges you’ve faced in running the business by yourself?
Working by yourself comes with choice paralysis. It can be challenging to make a decision and be accountable to deadlines. There is a lot to learn all at once, and the best way I learn is to try. I’ll fail over and over, but I have to get back up and know that I learned from it. Creating content regularly is something I’m trying to work on. I have a lot of respect for influencers because it isn’t easy!
How do you balance the various aspects of managing a business, from sourcing products to marketing and customer service?
There is a feature on Instagram that reminds me to log off after 30 minutes so that I can focus. Taking photos, creating the listings, and doing product research is the most time-consuming part. I obsess over details, so I have to tell myself to let things go and prioritize. I still work a day job as a digital product designer, and I’m only one person, so I’m trying to be kind to myself. I use to-do lists to manage my life, and I always put high-priority items at the top. I keep the checked-off items visible so that I feel a sense of accomplishment.
Can you share a particularly rewarding moment or success story you’ve experienced with Cosmos Modern?
I recently had a customer in the UK who was excited about a 70’s Bouclé shrug I was selling because it was made by Contempo Casuals. We shared the nostalgia of shopping at Contempo Casuals with our sisters in the 90s and the joy of finding a rare 70’s era piece. I feel understood through my curation when people love what they buy because I don’t buy vintage unless I feel genuinely excited about it.
What strategies have you found most effective in promoting sustainability and zero-waste practices to your customers?
There is a lot to learn and a need for more transparency in what it means to be sustainable. Biodegradable and compostable products need to be processed properly to break down, and I don’t think that’s well known. I’m also competing with companies that use unethical manufacturing processes to lower costs, and most people don’t think about how much it costs to create a product. I think if we can educate people on the cost and environmental benefits of switching to zero-waste products, we can start to win people over. I started working in education into my social content and this year I’m going to publish articles on the website that expand on the education element with links to resources.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own sustainable business or pursue a zero-waste lifestyle?
Whether you’re trying to start a sustainable business or pursuing a zero-waste lifestyle, be forgiving to yourself and others when you make mistakes or can’t keep up. I don’t believe in punching down because it’s a waste of time, and I hate waste! Let’s think of the big picture and tackle what is manageable first.
How do you stay inspired and motivated to continue growing and evolving Cosmos Modern?
Once I realized how accessible it could be to reduce waste in my life, I realized we could all do better. And once I started to implement these changes, they turned into small daily delights that made me feel good. I see a zero-waste community growing, and that motivates me to keep going. There are influencers like Spicy Moustache who make inspiring zero-waste content.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations or goals for the future of Cosmos Modern?
I’d like to open a brick-and-mortar location someday. It’s been a dream of mine to have a creative space that creates a sense of community. I also have a long-term vision that Cosmos Modern and stores like it will encourage more companies to invest in using recycled, biodegradable, and compostable materials. Changing the buying habits of society is the only way corporations will adopt sustainable practices. It starts with making small ripples with small ponds.
Cosmos Modern: https://cosmosmodern.com / IG: @cosmosmodern / TikTok: @cosmosmodern
Botanica: https://cosmosmodern.com/collections/botanica
Good Juju Body & Home: https://cosmosmodern.com/collections/good-juju-body-homeSpicy Moustache: https://www.youtube.com/@SpicyMoustache
