Trash Fashion
Words: Tullia Jack
Remember that season must have- bought, worn twice and then “oh <insert fad here> is dead.” Well it probably sat at the back of a wardrobe for awhile, cringing at the thought of daylight. It finally goes to Savers, where it sits amongst similar items, but surprisingly no-one wants to pay $4.99 when they can get the latest fad for $14.99 at <insert chain store here>. After a few weeks savers takes unsold items and pays to have them land filled or incinerated. End of Story.
Or is it? Fast fashion in landfill is a growing problem with an average of 30-40 kg per person ending up in landfill every year.
The London Science Museum aims to highlight this issue with their new exhibition “Trash Fashion… Designing out Waste.” The exhibition includes innovations in the fashion world including a biodegradable wardrobe grown from yeast and green tea, a zero waste dress and Australia’s very own Donna Sgro.
Using Biomimicry, Donna Sgro has used fabric inspired by an Amazonian Butterfly. The fabric surface refracts light in a beautiful spectrum of colours, negating the need for environmentally hazardous dies that pollute water, and lead to chronic health problems such as eczema.
While *god forbid* Donna Srgo dresses can still end up in landfill, hopefully people will keep their dresses for longer. And we can still drink the water.
For more information -tulliajack.com
I would love an Amazionian Butterfly Dress.
I am stunned at the immorality of the fashion industry. If fashion designers and chain stores know there clothing is destined for landfill, why oh why do they continue to mass produce poor quality garments. It’s absolute stupidity.
Great article Tullia. You are right on the money! Why don’t people realise the amount of waste trend driven fashion creates?! This attitude needs to change!
Iv’ stopped producing clothes, and will just be hiring them out.
BorrowBoutiqueDresses info@borrowboutique.com
A simple way to save resources and money for every one!
Supply & Demand! Consumers need to stop buying unnecessary and wasteful products so we can drain the demand, and in turn, clothing stores and producers are forced to limit the supply… It’s up to us!
I’ve written a piece about sustainable fabrics and fashion, out in September in UK-based National Geographic Green magazine, http://www.greennatgeo.com. Fashion has a lot to answer for! Also happen to be doing a piece at the moment on biomimicry – amazing and I too would love that dress!
Imagine if the german recycling model applied to fashion where manufacturers were responsible for their products when they become waste. And all the packaging left over would also be down to them to manage. It’s going to take a pretty significant shift in the incentives for producing fashion, probably through regulation, to make any change. And that’s before you start thinking about consumer behaviour…
Thanks for the great article and supporting local independent design! Its exciting to be included in such a wonderfully curated selection of designers, and encouraging to see responses to ideas about extending the life of garments and a consideration for the natural systems around us!
Tullia, a wonderful article!
However;
“Supply & Demand! Consumers need to stop buying unnecessary and wasteful products so we can drain the demand, and in turn, clothing stores and producers are forced to limit the supply… It’s up to us!”- what a load of tosh.
You’re never going to change the industry if you focus on consumer demand. As long as people want and are will to pay for cheep, user-friendly, and fashionable clothing on high street producers will cater to that demand.
Nicola is right: regulating the industry through imposts on companies mass-producing cheep, plebeian garments or through providing subsidies and tax breaks to those labels creating high quality, sustainable threads is the only way to go. Alternatively, governments could institute a ‘cap-and-trade’ regulatory system, whereby limits are imposed on mass-production of gimcrack clothes under tradeable permits to halt the supply, pushing up prices and preventing the purchase of inferior goods by the masses.
People power is only effective through mass, collectivised action through which social change can be affected. Action on the individual level, while ethically satisfying, gets us nowhere in the long run.
Dear “Fashion Victim”, lets not underestimate the power of the people. We are not a flock of thoughtless sheep. We have the ability to make a change for the better in the fashion industry. Eduction of the impact which one’s shopping habits have on the environment is the key!
Imogen,
I completely agree.
On the individual level we are impotent when faced with transnational firms, such as H&M, whose revenues wont even take notice of individuals refusing to purchase their products, unless such action is undertaken on a mass scale.
Therefore, as you rightly point out, education on the current unsustainable clothing assemblage and production techniques and practices is key to altering consumer attitudes and lowering demand for these shoddy garments.
Yes, yes, yes – getting this idea out there across all markets through educating has got to be the way into making small but vital, and hopefully one day fundamental, changes to such a voracious industry when it comes to consumption (on every level)… Keep writing Tullia…
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Gosh, as a designer these sorts of stats just make me want to cry. Just seeing the volume of “stuff” at your average outlet / clearance centre is bad enough without getting to the landfill stage.
As has already been said though – it’s entirely a supply-and-demand equation. Whilst we (Bento) produce everything in very limited quantities, and very locally at that, I’m learning the hard way that on the whole consumers just don’t care.
Not really sure what it will take to effect change.