406 Flea promotes environmental sustainability in fashion

Last Friday, racks of worn denim and weathered weathered flannels lined the walls as a bustling crowd of vendors and customers gathered at the Gallatin County Fairground for Bozeman’s monthly 406 Flea market. 

The market, which was started in 2024 by Megan Estes and Olivia Wiemholt, promotes sustainability, creativity and support forlocal vendors, according to its website.

Vendors sold vintage, handmade and upcycled clothing to promote sustainability and raise awareness of the environmental risks posed by fast fashion and consumerism.

“It's really important to just be aware of what you're buying and what it's doing to the environment, because I feel like a lot of people are just unaware of fast fashion,” said Kynnedi Ladenberg, the owner of Kynne x Böna. “I am just educating people here.”

Kynne x Böna’s namesake comes from Ladenberg's first name and Swedish slang for chick, according to a Kynne x Böna Instagram post. Ladenburg curates vintage clothing from local thrift stores in Livingston and the greater Gallatin Valley. The Yellowstone Film Ranch has also donated some pieces to her collection, according to Ladenberg. 

“I love fashion, I think that it's really important because fast fashion is so bad for the world.” Ladenberg said. 

According to the New Roots Institute, fast fashion is responsible for over 10 percent of global CO2 emissions each year. The fast fashion industry has produced more CO2 than all international flight and maritime shipping emissions.

Additionally, landfills are full of textile and clothing waste. According to data compiled by the EPA, 9.07 million tons of clothing and footwear in municipal standard waste were received by landfills in 2018. 

Other vendors at the market sold upcycled clothing. These pieces were decorated with patchwork and embroidery, or transformed into something completely new. 

“I think we already have so many resources that we've used,” said Lauren Mitro, owner of Sidequest Design Studio. “I do architecture for a living and they always say that the most environmentally friendly building is the one that's already built. And I feel the same way about clothes and then also bringing in a creative side to it.”

Sidequest Design Studio is based in Bozeman and experiments with multimedia formats to create unique, upcycled and ethically sourced clothing. All sales made from Sidequest’s booth contribute to Mitro’s upcoming art residency in Portugal, according to her. 

“I create upcycled clothing at my studio at home,” Mitro said. “I have a sewing machine. I expose photographs that I've printed on transparency using chemicals and UV light to create patches that I sew on clothes. I rip things up and then I sew them back together. I kind of just have my own playground.”

Mitro said her goal is to give old clothes new life. “I think the world already has so many things in it that are made, that are awesome, that deserve new lives rather than creating something from scratch,” she said.

The 406 Flea market will return to the Gallatin County Fairgrounds Saturday, May 9 from 5 to 9 p.m. 

To stay up to date on future 406 Flea events, visit https://www.406flea.com/about or follow its Instagram @406Flea.