Fashion is like an iceberg. Most people just see the tip of it and yet under the surface there is a huge destructive industry that is hard at work pumping out mounds of product under some (not all!) intolerable conditions in a race to sell as fast and as many items as possible and then to have them appear as outdated as soon after purchase as possible. This is necessary in order to create desire for the products of the next season. When stuff sells, people have jobs and the economy looks good.
Throwing barely worn clothing out is bad form, so now we donate them to charity or swap. This is all good intermediary action but we need to look deeper. Think transport carbons, soil depletion by monocropping, toxic processing, sweatshops, landfill acreage….fashion has a platinum link to every one of them.
The refashion and eco friendly material designers are stepping up to redefine what style means. I see this as moving into a positive direction but it cannot be done at this level alone. We need to look Capitalism in the face.
We make the world real by being part of it and that world is in need of major overhauling (these 87 degree days of Fall!). To address the economic structure is primary as this has become the basis of development and research and yet the principles it adheres to are in opposition to many sustainable conditions. We can decide to confront this honestly and change directions. This is one of the reasons
I started the fashionRIP Project Phase 2.
The original FashionRIP Project is an experiment in communication. As a multi media approach to illustrate tangible and intangible ideas clustered around the theme of sustainable life I use recyCouture fashion like others use paint.
As this is a collaborative project; every day brings surprises, inspirations, mental drama ups and downs growing pains and rushes, it mimics the process of living with intent and that is the bigger underlying theme we can all share.
We are, we exist and life is a wondrous journey if we choose to follow it from the inside out. With that evolved viewpoint we will do better than this
& we are. Pat yourself &/or each other on the back and go forth to share the new ideas you learn; that is how we evolve.
Microbiome - Free Stitch
4 years ago
