May We Start Back at the Beginning: Rethinking Sustainable Fashion

Of course, Millennials weren't the first generation to question consumption or find alternative ways of dressing. The counterculture movements of the 1960s and 70s, particularly the hippie movement, embraced second-hand clothing, natural materials, handmade garments and a rejection of mainstream consumer culture. In many ways, they were also challenging the fashion system of their time — long before we had the terminology we use today.

 

I think it’s fair to say a lot of Millennials were into, or were contributing to, sustainable fashion long before we could put it into words or articulate it properly.

And when we did, we quietly went about it because somewhere deep inside, we assumed that is how everyone ought to view and treat the world. So there was no need to be “loud” about it or advertise it.

 

Fast forward to Gen Z. They are doing great by being loud about it and living it. Probably the loudest a group of people has lived it. This is not to say we have arrived or anything, as we still have a long way to go.

 

More brands need to jump on this because it is a collective effort. Not only on the fashion front, but I will speak about the fashion world because that is where I have spent at least two decades of my career. (On and off, of course. You know how cutthroat the fashion industry can be.)

 

Imagine all the resources we have at our fingertips just by being a resourceful continent. As with everything in life, we need to find ways to connect the dots within the industry. Otherwise, this will forever be a thought, a dream or a “future problem”. For me and my brand, that looks like using biodegradable fabrics, recycled fabrics and creating pieces that last.

 

Almost 10 years ago, I got to intern at Vintage Zionist for about three months. This taught me the value of what we have right now and how to utilise it. They worked with second-hand leather jackets and transformed them into iconic biker jackets that fit the rock ’n’ roll scene.

 

That experience stayed with me.

 

Maybe sustainable fashion isn't always about creating something new. Maybe sometimes it is about looking at what we already have, being resourceful and finding a new way to make it valuable again.

 

May we start back at the beginning.

With what we have.

And with who we have around us, running in the same direction.

 

About the author:

Abigail Demula is a fashion designer, stylist and product developer exploring sustainable design, African fashion and the relationship between creativity, culture and responsible consumption.