THE S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y ISSUE
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P4 INTRODUCTION Wo r d s b y M o l l y A l l e n
P 6 B O D I E S FO R S C U L PT U R E P h o t o g r a p h y b y Po p p y H i g t o n
P 9 WAT E R A S T E X T U R E P h o t o g r a p h y b y Po p p y H i g t o n & Molly Allen
P14 USES OF NOT W o r d s b y L a o Tz u
P 1 8 T H E D E S I G N S TO R I E S Wo r d s b y M o l l y A l l e n , C i a r a K n i g h t & L a r a Fa n k 3
WA S T E Where does the fault of the industry lie?
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Where does the fault in the industry lie? Who’s to blame for the seemingly never- ending depletion of our environment? Consumers and corporations feed into one another, throwing money at the next best thing. Brands churn out more and more, working people to the bone to keep up with the rat race. We’re blinded by consumption and our human desire to be better, but are we bettering ourselves? In exchange for your money you receive all your fashion wants and needs and when that trend is over, you buy the next hot thing to keep up appearances. Faceless entities work tirelessly to keep up with the industry’s demands, but that’s all they really are to most, isn’t it? Faceless entities working for practically nothing in sweat shops on the edge of crumbling. We’re blinded by consumption. The fashion industry is the second most damaging industry to our environment and by being more conscious as consumers, we can collectively reduce the by-products that form from the manufacturing of our clothing. We don’t have to be blind to our consumer habits, we choose 5 to be.
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Photography POPPY HIGTON Styling MOLLY ALLEN Models HARRY BELL & ABI GENESIS Designers CIARA KNIGHT
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Photography POPPY HIGTON & MOLLY ALLEN Styling MOLLY ALLEN Designers LARA FANK (right) CIARA KNIGHT (left)
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20% of global waste water is produced by the fashion indutry.
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13 ST LUKE’S SWIMMING POOL. BRIGHTON.
USES OF NOT
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Thirty spokes meet in the hub. Where the wheel isn't is where it's useful. Hollowed out, clay makes a pot. Where the pot's not is where it's useful. Cut doors and windows to make a room. Where the room isn't, there's room for you. So the profit in what is is in the use of what isn't.
Lao Tzu
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4% Of the total of each uk citizens water use is considered to result from the use of cotton fabric alone.
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Sustainability is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. 10 years is our timeframe to reverse the effects our actions have had. We wanted to provoke this message by using two garments built on sustainability in our editorial, communicating them in a way that increases awareness of non-conscious consumer behaviour.
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THE DESIGN S TO R I E S CIARA KNIGHT What are your motivations when it comes to designing sustainably? I began my process by researching into the film ‘The true cost’. I explored how the fashion industry had negative affects on the world and how this could be reduced in the design and make process. I was exploring the Zoot Suit from the 1940s that used a massive amount of a material to create the silhouette. When exploring these garments there is a lot written explaining that barely any of them exist anymore because they were banned around the time of the war due to their high fabric consumption, they were also remade into other garments. This research is where my path began as I started recycling old clothing to make new items. I explored how these old garments could fit together successfully and how I could fit other fabrics that were going to waste, such as, end of role fabric into the garments. Why did you decide to work with the materials featured in your garment? I chose to work with suiting and ties because I wanted to contrast my inspiration about where our clothes come from with the fabrics used. I was exploring the juxtaposition between the developed world where we wear our clothing without a thought where it comes from and the developing world who make our clothes and often suffer for it. 19
I began exploring by weaving with old bits of fabric from previous projects then went onto looking at suits. For me colours stand out quite a lot and the only item that’s worn with a work suit where the individual can properly portray their personality is a tie. I began exploring different design methods with ties and then went back to fabric techniques where I began to weave with old cut up charity shop ties. How did you deal with your limitations in sustainable designing? I felt that because sustainability has become a big part of the fashion industry it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Perhaps because I was using old suits from charity shops it was easier than sourcing sustainable materials. I made sure I visited charity shops regularly and contacted tailors in Brighton who might have end of roll materials as well as visiting a shop in London suggested by my tutor that buys ends of rolls to sell on.
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THE DESIGN S TO R I E S L A R A FA N K What are your motivations when it comes to designing sustainable clothing?
How did you deal and overcome your limitations in sustainable designing?
Well I guess because I am studying to become part of an industry that is said to be the second most polluting in the world I have realised that there is no need for new clothes to be produced. I also find it interesting to get to know various approaches to environmental design and learning to let go of all control over the design, and instead allowing materials and low-waste pattern cutting techniques to take the lead with the creative direction.
I believe the ‘limitation’ within sustainable design only pushes you to be more creative and innovative with your design approach. Having a limited variety of materials available or having to create your own fabrics, brings clarity and direction to a project, which is helpful when your unsure where to go with an idea.
Why did you decide to work with the materials featured in your garment? Parachutes were a reoccurring theme in my research. I was lucky enough to find a used, out-of-date parachute for free, which saved me money as well. Fusing post-consumer plastic waste, was something I started experimenting with last year as part of a group project. My motivation behind using plastic bags in fashion, again, was to experiment with ways to find solutions of how to repurpose this toxic material that is available everywhere.
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Using recycled cotton saves
20,000 LITRES of water per kilogram of cotton , a water-intensive crop.
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