From Surf to Stitch: How ReSurf Sisters Are Riding the Wave of Sustainable Fashion

For many teens, the mall is more than a place to shop — it’s a ritual. They wander through glossy floors under lights, sipping smoothies in the food court, snapping selfies in dressing rooms, and giggling over impulse buys from fast fashion chains. But beneath the surface of this teenage playground lies a darker truth like racks of cheaply made clothes often stitched by underpaid hands, some of them children, in factories that pollute the planet and spread disease. Witnessing this disconnect between carefree consumption and hidden harm was a wake-up call for Angelica and Olivia Bless. It sparked their mission to reimagine fashion with purpose, giving rise to ReSurf Sisters — a movement stitched with sustainability, sisterhood, and soul.

“We’re also aware of what fast fashion has on our health, planet, and overall, well-being,” said Olivia Bless. “All the clothes they don’t use, or sell is just dumped, and it’s not donated to any people who need it. Clothes are dumped in the river, and this can create viruses, and the pile of clothes are so big you can see them from space. It’s like an island of clothes. We just want to help people become more mindful and we want to take care of future generations through our clothes.”

ReSurf Sisters

Long before thrifting became trendy, Angelica and Olivia Bless’ mother was from a family of Cuban immigrants. Their mother, Kuala, walked the aisles of secondhand shops with her family, weaving through racks of denim and forgotten treasures like it was a weekend ritual.

With limited money but limitless imagination, they learned to be resourceful and turning hand-me-downs into statements and scarcity into style. It wasn’t just shopping; it was survival, stitched with love, laughter, and a deep-rooted pride in making the most of what they had.

“Our mom would always show that there’s more to something than just one use,” said Angelica Bless. “And that clothes can have several eyes because one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

 Once dismissed as outdated or secondhand, thrifting and refurbished clothing have risen like a tide reshaping the fashion shoreline. Vintage racks now gleam with curated charm, and what was once cast off is now coveted — denim with history, jackets with soul, and garments reborn with a story to tell. From TikTok hauls to boutique upcycling, a new generation is turning away from the waste of fast fashion and toward wardrobes stitched with character, sustainability, and conscience.

“With what we learned from our mom and realizing we always wanted our own shop, we started collecting a bunch of clothes two years ago,” said Olivia Bless. “We’re surfers and we’re repurposing clothes, and we’re sisters, and that’s how ReSurf Sisters started.”

ReSurf Sisters is more than a fashion brand — it’s a movement woven from threads of purpose, empowerment, and environmental awareness. Founded by Angelica and Olivia Bless, ReSurf Sisters breathes new life into discarded clothing. They're transforming overlooked fabrics into bold, reimagined pieces that speak to identity, resilience, and creativity. Their mission is clear: to challenge the harm of fast fashion by promoting sustainability, uplifting women, and inspiring people to see beauty not just in what’s new, but in what can be renewed. Through every stitch and seam, ReSurf Sisters proves that fashion can be fierce, conscious, and full of soul.

“Our first pop-up market was at Emily’s Garden in Fort Lauderdale,” said Angelica Bless. “Even if it doesn’t fit you correctly or has small little holes, we can make fix that. People loved how we were giving clothes a second life and that used clothes aren’t raggedy.”

Pop-up markets take over once-quiet lots, transforming them into a kaleidoscope of creativity, connection, and community. Vibrant booths stretched across the pavement like a living rainbow—vendors laughing, music playing, the scent of small-batch candles mingling with the aroma of sizzling street food. Hand-painted signs promised everything from fresh-pressed juices to vinyl records and handmade soaps.

“We’ve done pop-ups like Flow, The Seed, Wine Garden, Ladies Night, and we have our usual customers who’ll even come with new friends,” said Oliva Bless. “We were blessed to have our cousin help us with the Instagram and our little brother, who’s 11, also tags our clothes for us, too. We’ve also helped with the Lion King, too.”

The curtain rises, and the stage bursts into life with a thunder of drums and a golden sunrise that washes over the savannah. Dancers adorned in vivid, handcrafted costumes like feathers, beads, and flowing fabrics mimicking lions, zebras, and birds. They move with the grace of the wild, their every motion a blend of ritual and rhythm. The cast’s voices soar in harmonies that echo through the soul. Each moment is a sensory feast, where color, sound, and movement collide in a celebration of culture, spirit, and the circle of life.

“At our second event at Flow, we met someone from the cast of Lion King, and they bought bathing suits from us because that’s what they perform in,” said Angelica Bless. “On a Saturday, we did a private show with the Lion King cast and some of the people were from different countries. They used our stuff for the production, but also themselves.”

 Locals and tourists alike are also drawn in by the vibe of ReSurf sister, earthy yet effortlessly chic. While their entire collection turns heads, it’s the dresses that steal the show. Flowing, flirty, and full of personality, each one is a wearable piece of art. Women will want to slip them on over their clothes, twirl in front of the mirror, and smile like they’d just found a long-lost part of themselves.

“We choose dresses from different boutiques, consignments, and we travel a lot and we’re getting them from different parts of the state, other states, or the world,” said Olivia Bless. “We even have stuff from the 80s and 90s.”

Whether tucked inside a cozy vintage thrift store or setting up shop at a sunny pop-up in Fort Lauderdale, ReSurf Sisters continues to make waves with their effortlessly stylish, sustainable fashion. Their unique selection—each one telling its own story—reminds shoppers that looking good and doing good can go hand in hand. With every stitch and silhouette, ReSurf Sisters invites you to embrace your inner free spirit, wherever the tide takes you next.

“We’re mindful at the mall or wherever we go,” said Angelica Bless. “But being in a world that’s driven by overconsumption, we just really want to take care of future generations and the world.”