6 PROBLEMS FACING THE FASHION INDUSTRY TODAY - AND HOW TO SOLVE THEM
On Dec 15th, 2017, as part of the Winter Graduate Fashion Week, my college held an event called "ANTI FASHION" which aims at raising awareness on all aspects sustainability, culture, eco living, art, lifestyle, youth and identity. The event included a Green Fashion market showcasing 4 sustainable brands from recent graduates, the blog launching of 19 fashion bloggers (including myself), and a talk show held by ELLE Vietnam with the topic of "Raising awareness in sustainable fashion trends in Vietnam”. As the event manager, I was tasked with the "information wall" - an area where the guests can find answers to the questions of what, how, and why we were doing the things we did.
The job was quite tough since I needed to research and compile a huge amount of information from various sources in a rather limited time frame. Even more challenging if you consider the fact that I had to simultaneously expose the audience to the dark side of the fashion industry (and how they could have contributed to the problems) while also inspire them to change & take action.
Below are the texts of the posters. I hope you can learn a thing or two, and find out how you can help solving these problems of the current fashion industry.
Anti-Trash Culture
We believe in taking responsibility of our planet by reducing consumption and waste, through up-cycling and zero waste philosophies. When you throw things, they don’t “go away” – they don’t disappear. Your plastic bags end up in the ocean. Your old clothes end up in the landfills. And they return to you in the form of poison and pollutants. Plastic trash in water system break down into microplastics and get eaten by fishes or other marine creatures. These tiny particles then end up in the tuna burger and salmon avocado rolls on your dinner table, putting your health at a number of potential risks. So think twice before you buy anything plastic, or plastic-wrapped. Think reduce, not just recycle – the plastic recycling industry is among the main sources of microplastic pollution. Choose natural and biodegradable – your synthetic clothing, when being washed, also contributes significantly to the problem. Use up and use thoroughly whatever you buy. Each pair of discarded jeans is a waste of 1,500 gallons of water required to produce them. When a product reaches the end of its cycle, give it a new life. Trash can become art – all it takes is your imagination.
Anti- Fast Fashion
We believe in supporting local independent brands instead of fast fashion brands. Nobody should be buying fast fashion. Communists don’t buy fast fashion because it’s a prime example of capitalism. Nationalists don’t buy fast fashion because it kills the local fashion industry. Environmentalists don’t buy fast fashion because it has huge carbon footprint and pollutes Earth in ways one can’t even imagine. Human right activists don’t buy fast fashion because it outsources production to sweatshops in underdeveloped countries that mistreat workers and practice child labour. Feminists don’t buy fast fashion because the majority of such workers are women. Minimalists don’t buy fast fashion because it’s consumerism. Mindful people don’t buy fast fashion because it’s materialism. Creative professionals don’t buy fast fashion because it shamelessly plagiarizes from independent designers. Hipsters and fashionistas don’t buy fast fashion because, frankly, it’s mainstream and ubiquitous. So say no fast fashion. Say no to H&M, Zara, Forever21, Uniqlo, Urban Outfitters, Primark, Wal-Mart. Say yes to high-quality, creativity, originality. Say yes to local brands.
Anti-Toxic Beauty
We believe in a beauty industry that does not harm its customer or the environment. Be a conscious consumer. Protect yourself: Find out how your makeup & skincare product is made and what it’s made of, before you buy them and use them. All natural ingredients have scientific names. Not all synthetic ingredients are toxic. Not all natural things are safe for your skin so as to be used as cosmetic materials. Don’t believe in “instant effect” products. It takes time for a non-toxic, natural product to show result. Understand the difference between organic – non-toxic – natural. Don’t be fooled by the advertisements. The current “organic” hype has given rise to a series of companies falsely promoting their products as organic or 100% natural. Protect the animals: Say no to products without cruel-free commitment. Animal testing is still happening. Beauty should not come at the expense of innocent beings. Protect the environment: Support the brands that use eco-friendly packaging or have a recycling program. Product packaging amounts for 45% of total municipal waste, and beauty product packaging is especially hard to recycle. If you own a beauty product line: step up your game. All of us have the power to make the beauty industry toxic-free.
Anti- Ageism
We believe that age is irrelevant when it comes to talent and personal taste. The fashion industry collectively discriminates against the older customers – the Baby Boomers which make up 20% of the American population. Store clerks happily welcome young customers while readily ignores the older ones. The majority of clothing offered to older women is simply ugly: boxy and layered and intended to “hide away” the matured body. Middle-aged women are also under-represented in mainstream fashion media, as young models dominate the runways and magazine covers. Yet ageism in fashion goes both way: behind the scenes it’s the older generations who hold the power and set the rules. Just as old age does not always equal wisdom and expertise, youth is a state of mind and being youthful has nothing to do with the decade one is born in. Start bringing age diversity onto the runway by casting mature models. Give young people more important roles within the system. Try design for the older customers. Prove that fashion and beauty has no age limit.
Anti- Consumerism
We believe in anti over-consumption. Quality over quantity: don’t buy because of cheap prices and sales, buy because of high-quality & durability. Invest in your clothing: spend enough to make you sweat; spend more on one item instead of spend less on many items. Boycott Black Fridays. Boycott Chinese Single Days. Boycott buying purely for the sake of spending money. Only buy things you need, and things you love, and choose wisely. Foster a relationship with your clothes; treasure them and take care of them. Don’t show off a new pair of sneakers you bought just to add to the collection. Take pride in that one pair which have accompanied you during your 10-year life journey. Don’t throw away just because it doesn’t fit anymore – go to a seamstress to make adjustment. Mend the hole & patch the scratch. Turn old clothes in to new ones. Make jewelry out of them. Do anything and everything to reduce waste and pro-long the lifecycle of clothing.
Anti Exploitation
It’s the end of 2017 and we need a #MeToo movement in the apparel industry. Report shows 70% of female garment workers in Guangzhou (China) at some point were subjected to sexual harassment. 11 % of Bangladeshi female workers were sexually assaulted. Yet these women remain silent for fear of losing their job. A job that can only be called modern slavery. They are forbidden to form unions, systematically underpaid, and forced to work 12-15-hour shifts in unsafe working conditions (sewage-covered floors, poor ventilation, and sweltering temperatures). Every person should know of the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013 - which killed more than 1100 Bangladeshi workers and injured 2500; and found in the ruins were the clothes of fast fashion brands like Benetton, Mango, Primark, and Walmart. So often do we forget that it’s humans and not machines that are making the clothes we wear; and because such worker’s rights violation is happening somewhere at the other end of the value chain, we as the customers allow ourselves to wash our hands off the issue. So stop dehumanizing the workers. Put a face on the shadows that are calling for help from across the globe. Give voice to the oppressed. Ask yourself: #Who made my clothes?
