Sustainable Costume and Creation

thesinglex.com

I recently had the pleasure of talking to my fellow costume design students about sustainable practices. There is a lot of conversation around sustainable fashion, but not as much which includes costume design. As always, there is no one right answer, however here are a few places to start thinking differently when it comes to costume, and creation:

 

Buying Fabric

• Try sustainable/eco fabric brands. I recommend doing a search for companies that are local to you and whom you could possibly meet in person. A "sustainable checklist" often includes; no harsh chemicals, natural sources, low water usage

• Source vintage fabric. I've been scouring my favorite online market Etsy recently, and come upon some awesome finds. There are also many brick-and-mortar retailers that sell vintage options you may not be able to find otherwise.

• Purchase from a discount jobber. Discount jobbers take fabric that manufacturers or brands do not use in production and sell them at discounted prices. You can find them in cities' "fashion districts" or search through this online guide here.

Recycling Fabric

A huge part of why clothing and the fashion industry at large is a problem, is the excess waste. We can buy better but it is also so important to try and reuse what we already have! There are actually textile recycling services all over the country and world. Find a service near you and learn more here.

Natural Dyeing

A masters student in my costume design program was able to join me in talking sustainable clothing and brought along with her her extensive knowledge on natural dyeing. X recommends Dharma Trading Co. for buying natural dyes, as well as The Art and Craft of Natural Dyeing by J.N. Liles, and Wild Color by Jenny Dean, for inspiration. Want to know more? Check out X's amazing website where you can find information on foraging for your own natural dyes and how to take a workshop with her!

*All photos used are from thesinglex.com

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Why We Swap

This week, along with my school's "Commission for Sustainability", I am holding a clothing swap! I thought I'd take this opportunity to get back to basics and remind myself, and others, why it's great to do so.

Fashion Revolution is an organization that I have discussed on the blog before. It's a nonprofit which aims to inform the the public, and spur grassroots activism, in regards to the fashion industry. They have loads of information on their website which outlines alternatives to fast fashion, how to speak up and hold brands accountable. Fashion Revolution has an entire Pinterest board devoted to facts, figures, and quotes about the huge industry of fashion. Here are some to paint a picture:

• The fashion industry is the second largest industry polluting our earth aside from the oil industry
• More than 70% of the clothes donated globally end up in Africa, which has destroyed the local economy for tailors
• 60% of garment workers in India and Bangladesh have experienced harassment in the workplace in the forms of verbal or physical abuse

I love the fact that clothing swaps can bring friends- old and new- together, but they are much more than simply a social event. We swap so we can send less clothing to landfills, keep our dollars from supporting sweatshops, and to bring life to old items!

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If you found any of this content new and interesting then I highly recommend watching The True Cost, a documentary which reveals the inner-workings of the fashion industry and all its consequences.

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Sustainable Saturdays: Donating and Selling

Part of sustainability and "slow fashion" is paring down. Look at your closet and be honest with yourself about what items you actually wear and what items you would be better off without. I like to say that if you can't think of three different outfit combinations with that item then it is time to go! When you've decided it is time to let go of some clothing here are ways to do so:

Donate Your Clothes

-The Huffington Post put together a comprehensive list of places to donate to including go-to's such as Goodwill and Salvation Army, as well as specific programs like Dress for Success! (Note: Goodwill will take your clothing regardless of the condition and make sure it is reused in some way, shape or form.)

-Another place to donate, specifically for denim is The Blue Jeans Go Green program which partners with retailers and university to reuse the fabric as insulation. 

Sell Your Clothes in Store

-You can always try to sell your lightly used items at thrift or consignment shops. These can be hit or miss because shops are often looking for specific brands, styles or colors at any given time. It's definitely worth a shot but good to have a back-up plan for the items that don't sell.

Sell Your Clothes Online

-Poshmark.com and Tradesy.com have you photograph, list and sell your items directly. I have started using it Poshmark myself!

-Therealreal.com and Thredup.com have you send your items to them and they do the rest of the work for you!

-Get started with "3 Secrets To Selling Your Clothes Online" from Real Simple

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More to come next week so stay tuned or subscribe below to make sure you never miss a post!