Sustainable fashion employs environmentally friendly materials and production methods, emphasizing social responsibility and the well-being of individuals, communities, and the planet.
Matthew Sierra established YWRLD in 2022 with the vision of creating more than just a sustainable clothing line; he envisioned a complete lifestyle brand. A brand committed to inspiring, elevating, and transforming individuals through meticulously designed apparel. Sierra’s fashion philosophy centers on the idea that looking good is intrinsically linked to feeling good, emphasizing the importance of conscious choices and their global impact.
“YWRLD is a lifestyle brand. How is it a lifestyle brand? Well, this is your world,” Sierra said. “It’s your world… you have the choice to do what you want, the power to do what you want… to succeed. Or to go ahead and rot in a corner if you want. It’s your power, it’s your world. Your world is also about our world. Our physical world where we actually live. It’s your world, take care of it.”
Born in Boston and raised in Lynn, Sierra is the oldest of five siblings. His parents immigrated to the United States from Colombia. As the eldest child, Sierra naturally became a mentor figure for his younger brothers and sisters. Sierra’s time at KIPP Academy, where he is now a special education teacher, significantly influenced his outlook on his potential and future possibilities.
KIPP significantly influenced Sierra’s decision to attend college, crediting the academy for his own academic growth and encouragement to strive in his education. After graduating, Sierra pursued his academic career at Champlain College, a small school in Burlington, Vermont, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing with a minor in entrepreneurship.
Champlain is where Sierra would get a mind for business, and would be the foundation for YWRLD. To graduate, he needed to complete a capstone project, which became the starting point for the idea. At Champlain, they always wanted the ideas of the students’ projects to be for the greater good. Something that Sierra was always interested in was fashion. The initial concept evolved into a mission to design fashion with a positive purpose.
“Something that Champlain always preached about was sustainability. And I knew I would come back to Lynn, and I would think that growing up in Lynn… what were the problems,” Sierra said. “I grew up on a street that is full of trash. It’s a main street. I remember as a child picking up trash in front of the house with my dad just to make the house look better, and also help the neighborhood look better. Still to this day we clean the same spot, and with that I thought ‘let’s make a difference.’”
After graduating, Sierra returned to Lynn with the goal of promoting sustainability. Two years ago, he began by independently cleaning up city parks, a practice he continued this year with the assistance of friends. Another way that Sierra aims to bring sustainability is through a partnership that YWRLD has with One Tree Planted.
One Tree Planted is an environmental non-profit organization committed to facilitating environmental stewardship for all individuals. Through a streamlined donation system and international presence, the organization has cultivated a network of supporters who share a belief in the significant impact of afforestation. One Tree Planted, established in 2014, collaborates with 378 partners across 82 countries and has successfully planted 135.5 million trees. As part of this partnership, each transaction with YWRLD results in the purchase of a garment composed of 50% organic and 50% recycled cotton, as well as the planting of a tree. After the Lynn Woods fire late last year which resulted in 420 acres of the woods being damaged, Sierra loves the idea of trying to plant more trees in the affected areas.
“I wanted to find different ways I can help,” Sierra said about why he reached out to One Tree Planted about the partnership. “I wanted to make my brand sustainable, not just greenwashed. A lot of brands are greenwashed, which means that they fake that they are sustainable. They say, ‘Oh, look at this, we have recycled packages but in reality, their production is not sustainable at all. Not only environmentally, but the way the workers are treated too.”
YWRLD sources pieces from two factories: New York, where they provide organic recycled cotton, and Portugal, which uses 100% organic cotton made in Europe. These factories help provide quality and sustainable garments with the following list of certifications:
- Organic Content Standard (OCS)
- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
- Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
- OEKO-TEX Standard
“That is something that I do take pride in just because I think that is a difference from many other brands,” Sierra said. “To be honest many brands aren’t focused on sustainability, they just want to provide a cool product, which is awesome. A lot of brands have cool products, but ours is just… why not look cool while feeling good and doing good?”
The YWRLD website, currently the only place to shop the brand, offers three graphic shirts: YWRLD City Of Champions, YWRLD Globetrotter, and YWRLD Shamrock, with two inspired by the Boston Celtics. These garments are available in sizes ranging from small to XX large and are priced between $45 and $49. These shirts are engineered for durability, ensuring they last for generations, while also being designed to minimize your environmental impact.
YWRLD’s future plans involve summer and fall clothing releases and increased community engagement. As summer approaches, Sierra intends to increase visibility for himself and the brand by engaging with people directly to promote their message. Sierra, a teacher with summer off, intends to spend the break selling shirts on the streets and engaging with the community face to face.
Not only that, but with his love of education Sierra plans to announce a scholarship opportunity for Lynn students, public or private, for the next school year. This scholarship will be available to students who enroll in either a college or a trade program. A goal that Sierra plans to achieve in the future is to start an education program. Aiming to educate kids on their own choices, their powers, and believing in themselves. Growing up in the city, Sierra heard discouraging remarks like ‘you won’t amount to much’ or ‘you’ll just end up working at McDonald’s.’ This idea originates from those experiences. Sierra aims to counteract negativity and instead motivate and uplift the youth of the city.
“It’s really about creating a legacy. That’s what I want to do with this brand. Creating that legacy and making people think ‘that kid from Lynn really changed the whole landscape.’ A legacy that hopefully somebody else can pick up. If I can do it, you can most definitely do it,’ Sierra said. “Lynn has a lot of legacy and that’s what I want to continue building. To change the perspective of Lynn from ‘city of sin’ to ‘city of win.’ Why can’t we all win? I want to help change the perspective on how Lynn is seen.”
