What if the most overlooked items at the thrift store could become clothing people actually want to buy? From vintage pillowcases and tablecloths to secondhand sweaters, upcycling artist Alex DiMauro is transforming ordinary thrift finds into one-of-a-kind fashion.

On this episode of the Get Thrifty Podcast, host Maggie Scivicque talks with Alex, founder of Mayfly, about her creative approach to sustainable fashion, how she sources secondhand materials, and how she grew her upcycled clothing business from pop-up markets and a vintage VW bus into a brick-and-mortar boutique in Harvard Square, Massachusetts.

Alex shares how she turns discarded textiles into wearable art, why learning to sew opens up new possibilities for thrifted clothing, and what she's learned about selling handmade fashion. She also discusses the realities of running a small business, building a creative community, and using social media to share her work.
 

ABOUT THE GUEST
Alex DiMauro is the founder and owner of Mayfly, a sustainable art and fashion brand creating handmade, one-of-a-kind upcycled clothing from exclusively secondhand materials. An artist at Western Ave Studios in Lowell, Massachusetts, she launched Mayfly in 2020 with a 1969 VW bus and a mission to make sustainable fashion accessible while keeping textile and garment waste out of the landfill. She sources donated and thrifted clothes, tablecloths, and factory discards—famously turning a stained sweater into her signature "tomato sweaters." Mayfly has grown from pop-ups into a permanent storefront at The Garage in Harvard Square, a former parking garage that also platforms other local upcyclers. Mayfly rounds out its work with monthly dye-bar events and mending and alteration services.

IG: @mayfly.bus
FB: @mayfly.bus
YT: @mayflybus⁩  
Website: https://www.mayflybus.com/

SHOW NOTES & TAKEAWAYS

• What Alex looks for at thrift stores, including cotton sweaters, button-down shirts, and vintage textiles
• How stained sweaters, old pillowcases, and tablecloths become unique, wearable fashion
• Why Alex believes sewing and upcycling are valuable skills anyone can learn
• How Mayfly grew from vintage pop-ups into a permanent retail storefront
• What she's learned about pricing handmade clothing and balancing creativity with running a business
• How authentic social media content helped introduce more people to her upcycled designs
• Why giving discarded clothing a second life can change the way we think about fashion