Yesha Patel and Nehal Jain

Meet Yesha Patel and Nehal Jain, the co-founders of After., a sustainability-focused startup that addresses the growing problem of textile waste through circular economy solutions. Yesha, with a background in digital marketing and data analysis, pursued a Master of Entrepreneurship in Melbourne, where she transformed a personal frustration with fast fashion into a purposeful business idea. Her passion for impact-driven work and desire to create long-term change led to the founding of After., which helps individuals and businesses responsibly recycle and upcycle textiles.

Nehal Jain, originally trained in computer science, worked at major tech companies like Microsoft, Google, and Atlassian before transitioning into sustainability. Her shift was inspired by personal values around conscious consumption and a growing interest in systems thinking. Applying a product management mindset to environmental challenges, Nehal joined After. to scale their impact and drive systems-level change. Together, Yesha and Nehal combine their strengths to grow After. across Australia and New Zealand, aiming to make textile recovery as common as kerbside recycling while reshaping how society views consumption and wast

Q1.

After working in digital marketing and data analysis, you decided to pursue a master's in entrepreneurship. How did that decision shape your path, and what led you to take the next step into creating ‘after’ in the circular fashion space?

Yesha: I always knew I wanted a career that felt meaningful—a job I truly enjoyed, not just something routine. That desire for purpose led me to impact-driven work. If I could make a difference in even one person’s life through my work, I’d feel fulfilled. During undergrad, I realised entrepreneurship was my path to creating real change.

After graduating, I craved bigger opportunities, so I moved to Melbourne and pursued a Master of Entrepreneurship. The program accelerated my journey, equipping me with the skills, mindset, and connections to turn ideas into action. It also gave me the confidence to take risks and build something from the ground up.

During my capstone project, I turned a personal frustration into an opportunity. As a former fast-fashion enthusiast, I struggled to find a sustainable way to dispose of unwanted clothes. The lack of responsible solutions was alarming, and I knew there had to be a better way. That realisation led to After.—a business dedicated to tackling textile waste and driving real change in the circular fashion space.

Q2.

You started with a background in computer science and have since worked with major tech companies like Atlassian. How did you transition from tech to sustainability, and what sparked your passion for the circular economy that eventually led to 'after'?

Nehal: My journey into sustainability wasn’t a direct path—it was shaped by both personal values and professional experiences. I started my career in tech, working with startups at Microsoft, interning at Google, and later becoming a product manager at Atlassian. While I enjoyed the strategic and problem-solving aspects of tech, I was always drawn to impact-driven work—wanting to leave a positive mark on the world, even in small ways.

The product mindset I developed in tech has been foundational to how I think and work, and I’ve found it incredibly valuable in the After context. I approach sustainability through a systems and problem-solving lens, applying product thinking to problem solve.

My personal values around sustainability have also played a huge role. Growing up, my grandma lived simply, she owned only a few sarees and made a point to donate one whenever she acquired a new one. That left a mark on me. My mother’s conscious consumption habits reinforced the idea that the way we buy, use, and discard things matters.

When I took a Systems Thinking course, I mapped out Australia’s household waste management ecosystem, and that’s when I really fell into the world of Circular Economy. I became obsessed with understanding the gaps in our waste systems, especially around textiles. The more I learned, the more I changed my own habits—buying secondhand, reducing my consumption—but I kept coming back to the same issue: What do we do with the clothes that aren’t in good enough condition to donate? That’s what really struck me and led to After.

Q3.

The work at 'after' is both impactful and demanding. With Australia facing significant waste issues, including some of the highest rates of landfill and textile waste, what does a typical day look like for you as you grow a startup aimed at addressing these challenges?

Yesha: A typical day at After. involves a mix of hands-on work, problem-solving, and education. We start by responding to customer and business inquiries—helping individuals and companies understand what we can accept and guiding them through the collection and recycling process. Since we work with many businesses to divert textile waste from landfill, a big part of our day is ensuring they have the right solutions in place.

At our warehouse, we sort through incoming textiles, identifying materials for recycling and upcycling. We collaborate with up-cyclers, schools, designers, and universities to give textiles a second life—turning waste into new products.

Beyond operations, education is a key focus. Whether through social media, email content, or speaking engagements, we’re constantly sharing insights and raising awareness about textile waste. Every day is different, but the mission remains the same: to drive change and create a more sustainable future for our textile waste.

Q4.

Entrepreneurship, especially in the sustainability space, can be filled with long hours and tough obstacles. What do you find most fulfilling about your work at ‘after’, and what motivates you to keep pushing forward when things get difficult?

Yesha: One of the biggest challenges in running After. is the feeling that progress is slow. Tackling textile waste requires a complete system shift, and meaningful change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s easy to compare our growth to other industries that scale rapidly, but I’ve learned to focus on long-term impact rather than short-term wins.

What keeps me going is seeing the real, tangible impact we’ve made—so far, we’ve diverted 25 tonnes of textiles from landfill. Another part of the work I find truly fulfilling is presenting at schools. Seeing future generations engage with our mission, ask thoughtful questions, and come up with creative solutions for end-of-life textiles gives me so much hope. Their enthusiasm reminds me why this work matters and fuels my passion to keep pushing forward.

Q5.

Looking back on your career, what key skills or habits have been essential to your success as a social impact leader and entrepreneur? How have these qualities influenced your approach to growing After?

Yesha: Resilience has been key—there are inevitable lows in entrepreneurship, and learning to ride the wave is essential. At the same time, knowing when to walk away from an idea that isn’t working is just as important. At After., we experiment constantly to stay innovative and efficient, but not every experiment leads somewhere. Being able to pivot and make tough calls has been crucial.

Another essential habit is staying open to learning. The sustainability and waste industries are evolving rapidly, and being adaptable—listening, learning, and taking in new insights—has helped me grow both as a leader and as a business owner.

Q6.

What challenges have you encountered related to gender, race, or other factors? What do you think needs to change to create more inclusive opportunities in both the startup and sustainability spaces?

Nehal: When I decided not to pursue a career as a software engineer, that came with a lot of pushback. People often suggested it was a phase, especially as a woman in STEM. I felt really clear about my strengths and interests but ended up feeling the guilt of letting down women in STEM. This made it harder to cut through the noise and focus on what was truly right for me.

The challenges we’ve faced in running After, however, have been far greater. Our business has been dismissed as “cute” and undermined because of our age and appearance. In rooms where men are accepted without question, women have to prove they belong—often by delivering extraordinary results.

These barriers are even higher for purpose-driven businesses like ours. The misconception that impact-driven ventures aren’t commercially viable makes it harder to access funding and networks. We need stronger funding opportunities for women in sustainability and a shift in how we value businesses that prioritize purpose alongside profit.

Q7.

With climate change becoming a more prominent issue, many students are eager to pursue careers in sustainability and social impact. What advice would you give to young women looking to enter this field and create meaningful change?

Nehal: My biggest piece of advice: climate and sustainability impact every industry. You don’t need to study a sustainability-specific degree to make an impact. In fact, developing expertise in a specific field, whether it’s finance, engineering, law, marketing, or tech can be incredibly valuable in tackling climate challenges.

If you’re passionate about sustainability, look for businesses that align with your values. Are they pushing for better environmental policies? Is their business model centered on climate action? Sustainability isn’t just about founding a company it’s about embedding sustainable thinking into whatever field you choose.

And finally, don’t fall into the trap of perfectionism. Sustainability can be an all-or-nothing space, where people get caught up in what is the “perfect” solution. But real impact comes from continuous improvement and scaling ideas that work. Start where you can, learn as you go, and build something that lasts.

Q8.

As co-founders of ‘after’, how do you complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and how has your collaboration shaped the direction of the company?

Nehal: Yesha and I often joke that we’re yin and yang, bringing different strengths, mindsets and backgrounds, which keeps us balanced. I bring a product mindset: experimenting, challenging assumptions, and identifying risks early. Yesha complements that with immediate action, strong partnerships, and a focus on people and operations.

Since I joined, we’ve expanded into business and organisational recovery, allowing us to scale significantly and establish key partnerships. To date, we’ve diverted over 26,000 kilograms of textiles from landfill.

While we’re both generalists at heart, our shared commitment to the circular economy keeps us aligned and focused on the long-term vision of After.

Q9.

Looking ahead, what’s the one thing you hope ‘after’ will achieve in the next few years, and how do you envision your role evolving as the company continues to grow?

Nehal: After is already servicing both households and businesses in Melbourne, Sydney, and Auckland, with some partnerships expanding nationally. In the next few years, I see this growing across Australia and New Zealand, making textile recovery as accessible and mainstream as kerbside recycling.

Our key goals are:

Scaling Our Impact – Diverting textiles from landfill at a much larger scale by expanding collection points, collaborating with more businesses, and optimizing recovery pathways.
Systems Change – Advocating for better policies, increasing awareness, and working with government, industry, and consumers to embed circularity into the textiles sector. A future where no textiles end up in landfill is the ultimate goal.

As for my role, I see it evolving from being hands-on in operations to focusing more on strategic partnerships, scaling our business model, and driving systemic change at a broader level. The transition from startup to a scalable, long-term solution requires not just growth but deep-rooted change in how we consume and discard textiles.

07.04.2025

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