I've recently started a new writing collaboration with my friend, Kelli, from sustainable fashion label Pure Pod. Here's a little bit of my first blog post - hope you enjoy!
Nearly ten years ago I published a book, Sustainability with Style, about my personal journey into environmentalism. It was an eco-memoir of sorts, where I documented how I learned to live more lightly on the planet while I maintained a sense of my personal identity and style. It was the early 2010s, the term ‘sustainable fashion’ was nearly unheard of and it was hard to find quality, stylish, environmentally sustainable clothing (except among the earliest pioneers like Pure Pod).
Since that time I’ve continued my journey into sustainable living, completed a PhD on sustainable fashion, and worked as a sustainability professional. Sustainable fashion has come a long way, too, with more sustainable labels being launched and mainstream labels adjusting their methods. I could write for days about the benefits and complexities of sustainable fashion – and I promise a more detailed article on fashion in coming months. For now I will state that the connections between fashion and creativity, comfort, pleasure and identity are incredibly important for transitioning fashion toward sustainability. And while there are heated debates about which fabrics are ‘most’ sustainable, and where it is ‘most’ ethical to produce clothing, one thing nearly all sustainable fashion advocates agree upon is the importance of loving your clothes.