Instead of bringing you Part Two of Environmental Melancholia today I decided to share a quick story of sustainable fashion progress instead.
I was at the hairdresser last week getting a delicious hair treatment (don't worry, the salon is accredited with Sustainable Salons), and while relaxing in the shampoo chair I overhead another salon patron talking about her current craft project. Sitting on her lap was a a bag bursting with strips of cloth that she was braiding into long ropes. She proceeded to explain to her stylist that she was meeting up with friends later to sew them into baskets.
I was already pleased to hear about her project, as I was reminded of my own (now defunct) secondhand denim rug project. Then my sustainable fashion activist heart leapt when I heard what she said next:
You can't make this stuff up!
Okay, I know it's not like the entire salon was sitting there upcycling used clothing. But compared to when I started working in this space, to hear a stranger start talking about clothing waste and fast fashion in this way felt revolutionary. And when coupled with the information my students at the University of Sydney already know about the perils of fast fashion, I can feel the tide is turning.
Do we have more work to do?
Absolutely.
But I will forever believe in the power of celebrating these wins - we can push for more progress tomorrow.
Where are you overhearing people talk about fashion and sustainability?
xxLisa
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| Photo by Erwan Hesry on Unsplash |
I was at the hairdresser last week getting a delicious hair treatment (don't worry, the salon is accredited with Sustainable Salons), and while relaxing in the shampoo chair I overhead another salon patron talking about her current craft project. Sitting on her lap was a a bag bursting with strips of cloth that she was braiding into long ropes. She proceeded to explain to her stylist that she was meeting up with friends later to sew them into baskets.
I was already pleased to hear about her project, as I was reminded of my own (now defunct) secondhand denim rug project. Then my sustainable fashion activist heart leapt when I heard what she said next:
We're trying to make something useful with these old clothes. You know, there is so much clothing waste because of fast fashion.
You can't make this stuff up!
Okay, I know it's not like the entire salon was sitting there upcycling used clothing. But compared to when I started working in this space, to hear a stranger start talking about clothing waste and fast fashion in this way felt revolutionary. And when coupled with the information my students at the University of Sydney already know about the perils of fast fashion, I can feel the tide is turning.
Do we have more work to do?
Absolutely.
But I will forever believe in the power of celebrating these wins - we can push for more progress tomorrow.
Where are you overhearing people talk about fashion and sustainability?
xxLisa
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