Combating Unsustainability through Local Views

Fashion is nothing if not the genuine connection between a person and their clothing. Whether they created, styled, or even just bought it, everyone forms a bond with each piece they own. Fashion also serves as a tool that illustrates different cultures and passes on lessons from the past. In its current state, though, certain divisions of the fashion community seem to have lost that genuine connection. 

This loss has led to the industry becoming less sustainable creating unsustainable volumes of textile waste. 

“I believe in Bangladesh they even have (clothing) graveyards or where you go out and there's nothing but landfills,” said Alexander Sheffield, a 26-year-old designer. 

In 2023, 92 tons of textiles were disposed of in landfills. Multiple companies' increased production and lack of quality ideas fuel this unsustainability. Over 100 billion garments were made between luxury fashion houses, fast fashion brands, and independent designers.

Nipah Dennis/Getty Images

As it stands now independent designers have the mindset and connection that I believe is necessary to change how sustainable the industry can be. 

“There should be more of a line between fashion brands, universities, programs, and non-profits. Where from the top-down resources, materials, supplies and even just knowledge that is passed onwards and forward,” said Takeo Faison, a 26-year-old designer in the Tampa area. 

The OR Foundation is a non-profit that operates out of the US and Ghana. Their mission focuses on rebuilding the connection and manifesting an alternative to the current system. A system that doesn’t do anything but keep the consumer in a position where they feel a need to constantly buy. 

They have been doing the groundwork necessary to help the issue since 2011 with several programs both in the US and in Ghana. 

Collectofus 2.0 is one of the programs by the foundation. It promotes the use of social media for a “peer-based, object-exchange curriculum focused on removing marketing from the designer-to-consumer relationship, rethinking sustainability rhetoric and researching the accessibility of bespoke tailoring services.”

It’s a unique way for smaller designers to come together to reshape the consumer relationship in fashion. It also provides grants for designers to create a garment for a stranger they have met through the internet. Overall to promote “sustainable relationships, learning and financial literacy.”

That program is the oldest among their active programs and is meant for anyone in all regions of the world. The next program is labor-based work called the Tide Turners Cleanup Team. 

It’s a partnership with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and other cleanup groups to go out and clean the beaches of textile and plastic waste. A team of about 50 people comes together to clean up an average of 18 tons a week.

The oldest of their previous work was (sustainable) fashion's night out, an event that was held in New York City. On the OR foundation website, it describes the event as a “partnership with Manhattan’s Textile Arts Center, the NYC Fair Trade Coalition and EcoSalon, the first ever (Sustainable) Fashion’s Night Out and LookBook featured fair trade, upcycled and slowly crafted garments, and asked the evening's guests to engage beyond the price tag.” 

A community-centered event that was utilized to spread a deeper message and allow consumers to further connect with the items they were viewing. It’s similar to an event that was held in the Tampa Bay area this past March. 

Tampa Connect Fashion Week was an event that brought hundreds of people who all love fashion together. It may not have been started with the intention of promoting sustainable fashion but it featured artists and designers that have these practices. Featuring garments that were locally sourced either from fabric or thrift stores and given a new life. 

“They’re still functional garments and technically solid. You know sometimes they just need a little facelift.” said Faison, whose designs were featured at this event. 

Courtesy of Takeo Faison

Fast Fashion Effects

In Ghana, the OR foundation is drowning in a sea of textiles. The country is receiving thousands of older clothes by the boatload each week. Beaches are crowded but not with people, mountains of clothes stack so high that the sand might as well not be there. Waves wash up green sweaters and long sleeves like seaweed, all with tags from your favorite US stores. 

Zara, H&M, and Shein are the main three lying on the Ghanaian beach shore. 

These three are also the most-voted brands in the Speak Volumes campaign - a project by the OR Foundation. This campaign asks brands all over the world to disclose the number of garments they are making in a year. 

The campaign was started because each year the statistic is never a specific figure but a range that it can fall between. So far, the campaign has gotten brands like Adidas, Fendi, Lululemon and Wrangler to join their cause in reporting hair numbers. 

It’s typically reported anywhere from 80 billion to 150 billion garments made. The issue is there shouldn’t be a range because each brand keeps track of inventory and production but is choosing not to reveal the information. 

By withholding the information, it only makes it harder to create solutions. Brands that continue to produce a high amount of clothes and not report it contribute to the system the Or Foundation is looking to change. It’s also a system that operates through capitalist practices and ideas. 

“Unfortunately, a lot of the fashion industry cycles back to capitalism at a very high level,” said Faison.

One of the main reasons this part of the industry thrives is because of the low cost they spend on labor. These companies focus on profit maximization knowing they can continually exploit workers in eastern countries while also increasing the consumer demand. 

Consumers don’t understand the cost that goes into the pieces they are buying. It’s a true disconnect across the value chain, from supplier to consumer.

It goes back to the lack of connection. Well, a connection is there but now it’s to the money that comes with business and not the pieces they are putting out. Specifically, when it comes to fast fashion it's a constant drop of garments with a variation of colors and graphics. They will make garments that are replicas of what luxury fashion houses are making typically made with less quality fabric. Pieces are purposefully designed to be frail with a limited lifespan as designs change quickly and are cheap to produce.

Fast fashion is a part of the industry that is growing at such an extraordinary rate. Due to social media more and more brands are coming out, as well trends are being run through. Clothing hauls becoming an easy formula for viral content on apps like TikTok and Instagram. 

Brands have been able to take advantage of consumers because of the validation that comes with the success of these videos. It’s the demand they need to continue making so many pieces and there's a science to it. They have a team of analysts and advertisers who target specific demographic desires and aspirations. 

Last year it was reported that in comparison to 2000 fast fashion production is two times the rate of what it was. 

Implement Local Solutions

A top-down approach is definitely in call to reverse or make progress towards a less wasteful process. Luxury fashion houses sit at the top of the chain when it comes to quality and production. Everything they do is mirrored by the rest of the industry. 

These brands are a pillar of influence in the community, smaller designers mimic their designs but also their practices. But it may be time for bigger houses and brands to listen to these designers when it comes to being sustainable. 

One way is slowing down the creation process and realigning the focus. Being at the top of the business there is typically always going to be demand for the product but there's no need to drop as frequently. I’ve found that local designers take their time when it comes to what they put out. They break down everything they can to find a connection to themself and their garments.

“I don’t want to put out some s*** that I’m not proud of and I feel like when you chase the bag you end up doing that at some point,” said Faison. 

Courtesy of Takeo Faison

Notably, both Faison and Sheffield discussed their connection to Japanese fashion culture. Both designers expressed a love for the brand Comme des Garcons and the process behind Japanese denim. 

Everything moves at a slower pace there and it’s not always about changing but perfecting the technique and quality. Fast Fashion brands rely heavily on Eastern workers but don’t look at their practices. We already have so many garments on the planet and with nowhere to go so why not slow down production and take back what you put out. 

“Companies should incentivize their own buyback program or scrap donation service,” said Faison. “There's definitely a young designer somewhere out there who can’t afford fabric.”

Programs like this can be an opportunity for other designers to get the practice necessary to work in the field. It also saves material from being tossed or burned which negatively impacts the environment. It would be a chance to create a circular economy in the fashion business. 

Urban Outfitters is a good example of a company that already implements this strategy. On their website, they have a section dedicated to renewal which features clothing and home items that have been reconstructed from older pieces they put out. This program has given designers a platform to show off their work while also helping the planet. 

If this brand can do it, then so can others. It's all about the attitude and effort towards it. Slowly we can rebuild the connection to our garments and preserve the planet we have.