Sustainable Fashion

Spring 2023

Photo by Clara Swartzendruber

Riley Gonzalez Orr writes the feature story about sustainable cosmetics, and wants to “explore the side of fashion beyond just clothing”. Riley is fervent in sustainability because she feels people go through so much more fast fashion than they realize. Riley wants to pass on the world with pride to the next generation. Riley is a reader, soccer player, and black belt in martial arts. After Riley graduates, she’d love to go to UT, but also travel abroad.

Mae Ready

Mae Ready is the writer for the thrifting feature story in this magazine. Mae’s time is spent sewing because she can make stuff for the people Mae cares about. Mae also enjoys drawing. After she graduates high school, Mae wants to move to Japan. Mae is interested in thrifting because she knows that she is helping spread awareness about sustainable fashion.

Lina Morris is an advocate for sustainability “because otherwise we don’t have a future.” Today it’s apparent that fast fashion is a culprit of damaging the environment, so Lina wants to spread awareness of alternate options. She wants to show people that these options are just as good if not better and more “unique.” Specifically, she is interested in the accessory industry. Creating accessories can be a fun and simple way to get involved with sustainable fashion for someone with a knack for creating, such as Lina.

Lina Morris

Riley Gonzalez Orr

Letter From the Editors

Dear reader,

Our goal for creating this magazine was to make intriguing and informative content for individuals interested in sustainable clothing and products. For Austin locals, there are helpful resources to find sustainable clothing in each area. We cover the effects of fast fashion, thrifting, creating, upcycing clothing, and sustainable makeup and accessories.

Best,

Make the Shift to go and Thrift

Mae Ready

Thrift stores have been around for decades. They have been a way for people to buy clothes for a cheap price if they weren’t able to afford clothes from regular department stores and for others, it’s a way to live a waste free life. Some second-hand stores accept clothing donations that keep clothes out of landfills and other second-hand stores put some extra money in people’s pockets by buying clothing from them. Not only does it give old clothes a second chance at life, but thrifting is a very popular activity for ages young to old. Avid thrifters say that thrifting is a community and gives people companionship among others. Bella(C),a customer at Pavement thrift store says,

Store says “I thrifted all of my clothes for financial reasons, that all that was kinda available to us so I never did buy my clothes new. I was always going thrifting and places where clothing was reused. And a lot of the clothing there tends to be vintage so I think it just sorta fell into that and I just like old Hollywood and the era of the 40s.” Thrifting helped Emelina develop her unique style.. Thanks to clothing at thrift stores never being the same, it leaves room for all different kinds of people to find what they’re interested in and can lead them to develop their true style.

In this day and age, people take fashion pretty seriously. A Lot of people may not be as financially stable as others too. And, finding clothes that you find attractive at thrift stores can be a bit of a process. So a way that people quickly obtain cheap clothes is through fast fashion. Fast fashion is low-quality clothing that is mass-produced for extremely cheap and is very popular among people who want inexpensive, trendy clothes. But the consequence of all the mass-produced clothing is the damage it does to the environment. Clothing made in factories sometimes ends up in the oceans and toxic dyes pollute water. Not only does it affect the environment, but fast fashion workers are heavily exploited. So is all of the damage that fast fashion creates worth it?

She described thrifting as a community despite being strangers to the people around her.

Thrift stores attract all different kinds of people that wear all different kinds of things. Whether or not it’s considered trending, everyone dresses for themselves. Emelina, an employee at OKASAN Thrift

Taking this into consideration, it is no wonder why all of the people interviewed mentioned the environment and how thrifting helps. “Well I mean, sustainable fashion, in the fashion industry, there is so much child labor and water use and all of that stuff. I think reusing clothes is such a good thing and people should do it but definitely finding a way to keep prices down would be good for everyone.” Says Bella-

The community that you can find just walking around the thrift store and meeting people your age is so cool and there are just so many people in thrifting, it’s like a culture.

(C), a customer of Pavement thrift store in regards to why she likes thrifting. Emelina said,

I know everybody is in a different situation that prevents them from being able to do environmentally friendly things. It’s not always from a place of malice or not caring about the planet, it’s more about what resources are available to them.

It’s not fair to blame people who want to buy inexpensive clothes that happen to be bad for the environment. The reason fast fashion is an issue is because of the industry. How the industry creates, the process, and the materials the clothes

are made from, not the customers. Although there are no hard feelings against customers of fast fashion that don’t have any other option than to shop at fast fashion stores, it is the customers that discard their clothes after a few uses that cause the most issues.

The fast fashion industry has been around for a while now, but recently the fast fashion train began to really pick up speed. Some people might remember that there was a pandemic that kept everyone in quarantine for a while. Thousands of people stayed inside for months, and being cooped up inside, people tried to find ways for life to feel semi-normal. Shopping was one of the most normal activities to do. All the shopping transferred to online, where some of the biggest fast fashion companies exist. However, since most shopping was done online, people had to get creative to obtain clothes ethically. One of those creative people was Bella(C). “Me and my friends traded clothes at that point or would leave them at each other’s houses.” Although when the pandemic restrictions loosened up a bit and people were able to shop in-person more, thrift stores weren’t too badly impacted. At Pavement Thrift Store, an employee named Bella(E) said “We [Pavement Thrift Store] upheld the mask mandate a lot longer than other companies just because we have some more at-risk people. But it was still pretty busy. I feel like it didn’t really affect that much.”

There are both pros and cons to thrifting. As previously mentioned, thrifting has been an affordable alternative to buying clothes for decades. However, since buying second-hand items beca-

Pavement Thrift Store on Guadalupe St

me so popular, some people have taken advantage of that. Some people buy secondhand clothes and then sell them for a higher price than what they bought the clothes for. Although this isn’t necessarily bad, it is causing thrift stores to raise their prices, which is bad. This creates a domino effect in which more and more thrift stores are beginning to raise their prices. If second-hand stores are becoming more expensive, this leaves people who aren’t as financially stable and want to shop sustainably, stranded.

thrift stores all my life.

Emelina says.

Despite this, shopping at thrift stores is still a very popular activity, simply because it’s so gratifying. Bella(C) said this about thrifting.“I do love the feeling of when you find that amazing piece and you’re like ‘Someone got rid of this? Okay, I’ll take it!’ So that’s probably my favorite thing. It’s like fishing or trying to find treasure. That part is really fun and it makes it a lot more fun than going to the mall and buying something.”

Thrifting is environmentally safe and provides a good alternative to shopping at fast-fashion stores. Although it does take time to find the perfect item, once someone has found the right piece, it’s like they’ve struck gold.

I am a little disappointed too that they are starting to catch on and marking up prices. That’s the whole reason they were there, is for people with low income and who can’t afford the prices of bigger brands. It sucks that they’re raising the prices. Goodwill especially is a big contributor to that. It’s really sad to see because like I said, I’ve been shopping at

ThriFty!

Mae Ready

Locations:

1. OKASAN- 6001 Burnet Rd

2. Pavement- 2932 Guadalupe St

3. Flamingos Vintage Pound2915 Guadalupe St

4. Monkies Vintage and Thrift1904 Guadalupe St

5. Blue Velvet- 217 WN Loop Blvd

Have you ever wanted to go thrifting but didn’t know where to start?

Well you’re in luck! This map provides great stores that are rated from price range, customer service, and quality of clothes.

Enjoy!-

Key: Price Range- Quality of Clothes-

$: Cheap : Good

$$: Medium : Medium

$$$: Expensive : Bad

Customer Service: Good : Medium : Bad

Photo from Google Maps, 2023

SUSTAINABLE STYLES

Clara Swartzenndruber

So a way that people quickly obtain cheap clothes is through fast fashion. Fast fashion is low-quality clothing that is mass-produced for extremely cheap and is very popular among people who want inexpensive, trendy clothes. But the consequence of all the mass-produced clothing is the dam age it does to the environment. Clothing made in factories sometimes ends up in the oceans and toxic dyes pollute wa ter. Not only does it affect the environment, but fast fashion workers are heavily exploited. So is all of the damage that fast fashion creates worth it?

Photo by Selina Sanders

The designers highlighted, Selina, Nayeli, and Sophia, represent a growing movement of designers and fashion enthusiasts who prioritize sustainable fashion practices. Their passion for sustainable fashion has led them to take unique approaches to make a positive impact on the fashion industry. Selina archives sustainability through upcycling and responsible waste management in her business. Nayeli, as a teen living through the fast fashion trends, promotes the concept of making clothing last by encouraging people to reuse and mend their clothing.Sophia Mirto, a sustainable fashion student embraces the slow fashion movement by creating couture designs that are made-to-measure, durable, and long-lasting, aiming to minimize waste and promote sustainability in the fashion industry. All of their efforts demonstrate the importance of conscious fashion choices and inspire others to adopt more sustainable practices.

NAYELI AZUL

ayeli touches on a variety of important concepts in the world of fashion, including fast fashion, sustainability, reusing clothing, and personal expression through clothing. In today’s society, fast fashion has become a

norm, with clothing becoming disposable and worn only once. This is because “there’s a certain culture within this generation that requires every outfit that you wear to be original.” Fast fashion companies cater to these demands by sourcing large amounts of clothing quickly, but this results in negative consequences for both the environment and workers in the fashion industry. Nayeli makes the claim that

Sure it might wearout a little but that’s what a needle and thread is for.

these results could be mitigated by not treating clothing as disposable. People often do not consider the option of reusing clothing. Nayeli stresses rejecting fast fashion and reusing clothing, even if it requires a little bit of mending.

Nayeli’s personal approach to fashion involves hand-me-downs, second-hand clothing, and a little bit of creativity. They express themselves through their clothing choices without having to rely on fast fashion companies. This promotes the concept of slow fashion, which is a sustainable fashion practice that involves making clothes last longer through mending, upcycling, or buying high quality clothes to begin with.

- Nayeli Azul

Photo by Nayeli Azul

SELINA SANDERS

elina is a renowned sustainable fashion designer from the Philippines. Growing up in poverty, she learned resourcefulness and waste reduction. Inspired by her mother and a home economics class, Selina developed a passion for clothing mending. Despite financial constraints in the US, she embraced thrifting and became deeply interested in fashion.

After a decade in the industry, she founded her own sustainable fashion business, focusing on small-batch, one-of-a-kind garments. Her small team meets regularly to manage orders, production, and brainstorm new styles.

Many people question this business model because of how unscalable it is. It lacks the potential to be grown into a larger company which people use to measure success. But, Selina challenges this definition of success.To her, success is defined by the priorities of the business owner. She prioritizes sustainability, responsible waste management, paying a living wage to her team, and freedom in her work schedule. She does not seek to scale up to cater to all boutiques or become a multimillion-dollar business, as this would compromise her values. To clarify, this does not mean that Selina has no intentions of expanding her business, however, what she wants to expand is her business’s role in education.

Education plays a critical role in promoting sustain-

ability and making it more accessible. Due to the high cost of sustainable fashion products, many individuals are unable to participate in the movement, leaving them unsure of how to contribute. Moreover, even those who recognize the value of upcycling and conscious reuse often lack the basic skills needed to make sustainable fashion a reality, such as repairing a missing button, which is often not taught in public schools.

To address these challenges, Selina is committed to expanding access to education through online courses and tutorials that teach people how to make their own clothes. By doing so, she hopes to empower individuals to create their own unique style, develop their garment-making skills, and gain a deeper appreciation for the labor of those who produce clothing. But there is a caveat

I just hope that people actu ally take it seriously and not, you know, not just cut things up. And then it looks nice and on Instagram pictures, but in reality, it falls apart after you watch.

- Selina Sanders

Selina emphasizes that garment-making requires patience and practice, and urges people to take sustainable fashion seriously as a long-term commitment, rather than a fleeting trend.

Selina’s sustainable fashion practices are admirable, and her dedication to empowering others to make their own clothes and learn basic skills is inspiring. Her small team and micro-business approach allow for a greater focus on sustainability and waste management, which is a welcome change in an industry that is often criticized for its negative impact on the environment and human rights.

Photo by Selina Sanders

ophia Mirto is a fashion student with a clear focus on sustainability and ethical practices in the fashion industry. Her passion for fashion design is coupled with a desire to make a positive impact on the environment and the lives of those involved in the production process. One of the key sustainable values that Sophia has is a focus on quality over quantity. This is a hallmark of slow fashion, which emphasizes the durability and longevity of clothing items rather than disposable fast fashion pieces that quickly fall out of fashion and are discarded. Sophia approaches slow fashion by focusing on making high end pieces that last, rather than making pieces last

through mending like Nayeli does. The style of design that Sophia partakes in is called couture.While couture fashion has traditionally been associated with luxury and excess, it can also be a sustainable option in today’s fashion industry. Couture fashion is made-to-measure for individual clients, which eliminates the waste that comes from mass-produced clothing items that may not fit properly or fall out of fashion quickly.

Couture fashion can also be sustainable through its focus on quality over quantity. Rather than producing large quantities of clothing are quickly discarded, ture fashion made to last can be worn for years or even decades. This reduces the amount of waste produced by the fashion industry and encourages consumers to invest in highquality, long-lasting clothing.

elina Sanders, Nayeli Azul, and Sophia Mirto are all exemplary individuals in the sustainable fashion movement, each with their own unique approach. Selina’s micro-business approach prioritizes sustainability, responsible waste management, and team welfare over scalability. Her plan to expand her business’s role in the education industry through online courses and tutorials is an effort to make sustainable fashion more accessible to all. Nayeli promotes the concept of slow fashion and reusing clothing to make clothes last longer, which challenges the fast fashion industry’s norm. Sophia focuses on creating high-quality pieces that last, emphasizing the importance of quality over quantity. These individuals demonstrate the importance of conscious fashion choices and inspire others to adopt more sustainable practices. The fashion industry must strive to prioritize sustainability and ethical practices to create a more 3

Photo by Sophia Mirto

Twenty Minute Tote

1. Pin the handles to the side of the fabric square you want to face outwards in the placement indacated

2. With a zigzag stitch, sew over the top edge, removing the pins as you sew.

3. Flip the piece over and fold the top edge down. Pin and sew two lines of stitching across the top.

Clara Swartzenndruber

Materials

1. The fabric of your choice

1. The fabric of your choice

2. The handles of your choice

2. The handles of your choice

3. A sewing machine

3. A sewing machine

4. Fabric scissors

4. Fabric scissors

5. Thread

5. Thread

6. Pins

6. Pins

4. Repeat steps

1-3 for the other fabric square and handle

4. Pin the two pieces together so that the sides you want facing out are touching . Sew them together with a zigzag stitch and straight stitch

jewelry making isn’t always set in stone

By Lina Morris

AA hot torch heats up stainless steel wire until it turns scolding red. Iridescent, watery stones get cut and shaped into smaller pieces. Different varieties of hammers pound down on sheets of brass to create texture and scrap pieces of sterling silver are melted and upcycled into something new. These are all processes jewelry designers all over the world, including Austin use to make their jewelry. They put diligent effort into their handcrafted pieces today. However, before today, those designers weren’t always crafting in the same way.

“I kind of grew up making all sorts of things,” owner and head jewelry designer of YEAR 901, Behn Pham said. It wasn’t until later in time that she first found interest in the process of jewelry making, “I started making [jew-

elry] really just for fun,” Pham said. In 2016 Pham first started YEAR 901, her company that focuses on sustainable and upcycled jewelry.

I had a really stressful corporate job, so I started making jewelry during the weekends just as a creative outlet, and I kind of just continued from there.

she said.

Angela Pellegrini, an Austin jewelry designer who also handcrafts her jewelry, had a similar background growing up. “I’d collect those pony beads and just started messing around

Photo courtesy of Claire Sommers Buck Jewelry

The Passage Cuff and Passage Ring designed by Claire Sommers Buck Jewelry.

with the stretchy string,” she said. Jewelry making only started as a hobby for these jewelers. “When I got into highschool, I auditioned for the art magnet program at school, through McCallum and got to experience the jewelry making class they had,” Pellegrini added. That was where she really found her passion for jewelry making. “From there I decided to continue [it] as a hobby and into a jewelry making business,” she said. Through education, many jewelers have found their passion.

Claire Sommers Buck, of her

style was,” Sommers Buck added. Starting off began with the process of trial and error.

After that, their passion turned into full time jobs. “Before I knew it a year had passed by, and then two years had passed by,” Pham said.

The jewelers found materials and methods that they loved as well. Fashion is one of the most polluting and environmentally destructive industries, so designers like Behn Pham and Angela Pelligrini look for sustainable and recyclable materials to incorporate in their designs. “I would go to the bike shop and collect all of the broken pieces and try to tune them into jewelry,” Pellegrini said. She likes to say,

Claire mers Buck

Jewelry, based in Austin, also found her love of the craft through classes. “I got to work [with] the metals, which is what I do now, and I fell in love with it.” In 2009, Sommers Buck created her business, “I ended up finding a studio space, and bought some tools and started making jewelry that I would then give to my friends and family.” Pellegrini also first shared her work similarly. She would showcase her work to friends and family who would then showcase it to friends of theirs. The first step these business owners took was just experimenting with what they loved. “I just had so many creative juices and I just wanted an outlet for them,” Pham said when she first began. There was no correct way to start when it came to their art of jewelry making. “It was sort of a process of experimenting with different designs, kind of figuring out what my

Pham also incorporates similar upcycling methods, “metal, especially silver, is very forgiving, because you can always reuse the scraps, down and turn it into some thing new,” she said. Both jew- elry mak

agree that it’s

important to use what you have, so there doesn’t have to be more waste in the world. These designers also use lots of other sustainable materials like beads off of damaged clothing, soda can caps, bike spokes, really anything that they find interest in. Gemstones are also commonly

Photo courtesy of Claire Sommers Buck Jewelry

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

incorporated into jewelry, and they work as sustainable materials too when they’re from environmentally responsible sources. “I work with a lot of jade, and that’s really popular,” Pham said. Claire Sommers Buck Jewelry also incorporates stones and gemstones especially. “The gemstones kind of vary, I use a lot of turquoise and a lot of jade.”

Along with materials, there are endless forms of jewelry making processes and methods to consider. From traditional methods of wire wrapping to lost wax casting to stone setting, handcrafted jewelry is created either way. Most jewelry making methods are sustainable, and don’t produce any unnecessary waste to the planet. Jewelry designing can also “be as fast as you want it, and then take as long as you want to,” Pham said. There is plenty of creative freedom when it comes to the creation of art. However sometimes the creative process doesn’t always flow. “With the creative process it’s not just: ‘Okay, I’m going to be creative and create this design right now,’” Sommers Buck said. It takes time for an idea to come and that’s what makes handmade jewelry special. It takes time for a piece to be born.

Once a jewelry piece is finished, it can go a long way.

client. “There’s a different level of fulfillment that I feel when I’m making art and it resonates with someone,” Pham said. Even though designers come up and often put hours into handcrafting a piece of jewel ry, the buyer still has a connection

Sommers Buck said. “It can make us feel really confident because we’re wearing earrings that we feel pretty in, or a ring that’s really bold that we feel powerful in,” she elaborates. Jewelry is as important to the designer, than it is to the

the piece just the same. These objects of person- al adornment, seemingly simple, sometimes carry a message so much bolder and brighter than is perceived. Especially when the piece is sustainably sourced, it carries a message much more vivid for the future. With a combination of both fashion and art, jewelry can speak so loudly without even saying anything.3

Ideas about the jewelry that we wear, and the meaning we put to it can change the way that we carry ourselves throughout the world and the way that we interact with people.

Behn Pham desings and displays her handcrafted jewelry in person.

Photo courtesy of YEAR

What Materials Are Used in Sustainable Jewelry?

By Lina Morris

learn about the materials used in making sustainable

fYEAR 901

gemstones, when sourced from environmentally responsible sources, are frequently used in sustainable jewelry. These ecofriendly stones are often bought from local companies, momand-pop shops, or they can bought as dead stocks. The term dead stock means that a product is no longer selling, but it remains in inventory. Courtesy

Old or damaged stainless steal bike spokes are collected by jewlry maker Angela Pellegrini from bike shops, and recycled into sustainable jewelry. Pellegrini torches the metal of the bike spokes until the metal becomes burning red. Then, she shapes the metal into a piece of sustainably sourced jewelry. Each of her designs become original pieces.

beads taken from clothing are some of the materials used by YEAR 901 in their sustainable jewelry. The clothing in which the beads are taken off of is usually damaged, and when the beads are strung onto the jewelry it creates an upcycled and sustainably sourced piece of jewelry.

Courtesy of YEAR901

sterling silver is often recycled and reformed into new jewelry. Scrap pieces of sterling silver can be melted down and transformed into recycled and sustainably sourced jewelry. Sterling silver also does not lose its quality after it becomes melted, which is great for both the environment and from a financial standpoint.

CourtesyofClaireSommers BuckJewelry

brass is one of the most recycled materials in the world. Scrap pieces of brass can be recycled many times over without diminishing its quality, making it highly sustainable. Producing brass from the raw material also costs much more than recycling the metal, another reson brass is exceedingly sustainable.

More Than Just Make-Up

A look at cosmetics

Cosmetics are powerful tools for some people and an art form for others. In fact, there are many opinions regarding cosmetics, some good, some bad. But the true webster dictionary definition of cosmetics is a product that is applied to the skin. So contrary to popular belief, things such as sunscreen count as cosmetics. There are a lot of people who think that it’s the use of cosmetics that twists it into the evil or heroic thing we know it as. And while that is important, it is not necessarily all there is to it. Cosmetics have a lot of their own pitfalls that people need to watch out for. Firstly, the cosmetics industry is severely under regulated because the FDA has no

power over it. A lot of cosmetic bottles will say they are FDA approved. And technically the FDA is the only organization that is meant to regulate cosmetics. However, by US law, cosmetics do not need to have FDA approval before they go out onto the market. Many cosmetic companies exploit this loop hole by branding their things as FDA approved. And most people believe it. But it is not true and the FDA does not have any sort of test that cosmetics must undergo. All of this is well within the law, and it leaves shoppers largely to their own devices when it comes to making sure the products they use are not harmful. Other than cosmetics technically being under

Photo courtesy of Forbes

FDA jurisdiction, there are no other specific laws for them. Companies are free to do as they please, which includes lying in marketing, calling their products all natural, when really it only has 2% real fruit juice and the rest is potentially harmful chemicals. A 2016 study showed that over 25% of beauty products marketed to black women contained known harmful chemicals. Most of the products were classified as “hazardous” in large amounts. Many people may have a disproportionate idea of what constitutes a large amount. It is not only a somewhat ambiguous threshold, but also an easy one to surpass, especially in an age where women may feel pressured to wear cosmetics daily. All of these chemicals used all the time inevitably end up back in the environment where they can easily cause a lot of damage. And people also buy a lot more than they need. A sephora sales agent said “People do tend to buy in bulk. They come in once a month to stock up.”

Which is another danger that comes with cosmetics. Pressure to blindly utilize it, because it is such a norm in our modern society. People are expected to buy makeup and assorted beauty products, without understanding them. Most people have a vague inkling of the fact that there is something wrong with the industry but willful ignorance largely prevails. Cosmetics are more similar to food than most would realize, and it is important to

understand what you are doing to your body. Cosmetics can contain allergens, or health risks, the same way that food can.

But, society does not put any sort of emphasis on trying to educate people about the potentially harmful things they are doing to their bodies. Most people who use makeup on a daily basis could not begin to list any of the basic parts of a lipstick. Even a Sephora employee could not tell me what was in essential oils. The cosmetics industry is a powerful one, with over 100 billion dollars in annual revenue, worldwide. Even if cosmetics have

“I’ve never really looked into what’s in my products. I’ve heard the rumors about the rat shit and horse piss, but who knows. I think I’m happier not knowing.” - Eliza

been on a slow decline over the years, they are still not going anywhere anytime fast. The Sephora agent spoke about people’s habits when it comes to cosmetics. As

said before, people tend to buy in bulk, stocking for a month or two. Total prices can go up well into the hundreds, because of how overpriced typical cosmetics are. And none of these people truly grasp what goes into making cosmetics. None of them ask what’s in the product they are buying. It is silently encouraged that people buy without questioning any of it. But there is nothing that should be followed blindly. It is essential that people become educat-

not fully know what they are buying, and it can cause severe - in some cases life threatening - consequences. At the very least it is always best to look over the ingredients listed on the container. This, along with patch testing, is the best way to stay safe.

The core of most problems surrounding the cosmetics industry comes from the lack of structure and regulation. This lack of regulation also means that there is no clear way to harmlessly dispose of cosmetics. Plastic fills the ocean and chemicals damage nature everyday. All of that acknowledged, the cosmetics industry is not all bad. Like most things, it is flawed, but there is still good that comes from it. So, let’s look at some of the silver lining.

Photo courtesy of Pintrest

ed on what is in cosmetics, what those things do to them, and what those things do to ecosystems.

The cosmetics industry is a dangerous one, both in the amount of power it gives industries and the power it takes from the buyer. Cosmetic brands do not have to list any ingredient that has less than a 5% concentration in any given product which is because companies don’t want to be forced to give their secrets to competition. But, this can be very dangerous for people with allergies, because they do

“I may not know a lot about cosmetics, but I am certian that the legal aspect of the buisness is ineffective and outdated.”

- Sephora worker

Cosmetics can be an art form! People do intricate designs and impressive looks. People have fun expressing themselves, or feeling more professional at work. And, it has been proven that cosmetics can be changed, because after much pushback and protest, product testing on animals has severely decreased in recent years. Although it remains a small problem, it is nowhere near what it was before. It is now much more common to

see the PETA mark of approval than not. And it is illegal for cosmetics to fake a PETA mark, so buyers do not have to be worried about that. Cosmetics are a good concept, and not one that should be discarded for it’s flaws. However, the flaws exist and it is important to acknowledge them.

One of the biggest problems with cosmetics is the amount of waste. Over 120 million pieces of plastic are manufactured annually for packaging of cosmetics. The majority of this plastic ends up in landfills, in ecosystems, or in the ocean. Chemicals in products can be extremely harmful to the environment. The rate at which our modern society produces and uses cosmetics is unsustainable. However, there are many brands that are privately owned who recognize this issue and are making an effort to be more environmentally friendly with biodegradable packaging and truly natural ingredients. The best way to remain happy and healthy while not harming the environment is to research the cosmetics bought and used. Even just reading the ingredients on the side of the bottle can help you spot immediate red flags if you know what to look for. The most common harmful substances found in cosmetics, according to health and beau-

ty site radience are:

-Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)

-Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)

-Coal tar dyes

-Diethanolamine, or DEA

-Sodium laureth sulfate, or SLS

Some of the good cosmetic brands that advertise as eco-friendly are:

-ILIA

-RMS Beauty

-AXIOLOGY

-Juice Beauty

-Antonym

-100% Pure

-Avida,

-PHB Ethical Beauty

-River organics.

Cosmetics are not necessarily a bad

thing. Unfortunately some people abuse the power that comes with them, but that does not make them bad. If we can find a way to make cosmetics sustainable and non-toxic, then it could be a wonderful

Photo courtesy of Science News

“Honestly, [makeup] just makes me feel better. Hotter, you know? More put together.”

How Foundations are Made

Foundations tend to be made from a base of water, oil, or wax. Every foundation is difffrent but this mostly applies to all of them.

Products may be tested on animals. Awareness has been raised in recent years, but still check for the official mark of PETA approval.

The

produces 120 million pieces of plastic a year!

The product is finished and packaged into plastic. Plastic from cosmetics often makes its way into the ocean and envoirnment causing all sorts of harm.

cosmetics industry

This guy!

The cosmetic industry is a very powerful one. It has the resources to present itself however it wants. A lot has and can be swept under the rug. But people deserve to know what goes on their skin. I hope this little foundation formula will help shed light on some of what goes into a basic cosmetic.

Talc, or a simmilar substance, is used for a smooth spread. There is also typically iron oxide for pigment.

Brands do not have to share all of their ingredients. Do research to ensure there is nothing toxic or that you’re allergic to in a produ . And always patch test.

Foundation is then shipped worldwide. Average foundation sells for anywhere from 30 to 50$.

Roughly 4.4 million units are sold a year.

Riley Gonzalez Orr

CCompanies all over the world are mass producing clothes daily. Clothes that are made out of hundreds of unique materials each have different implications for the environment. While some are made from recycled or natural materials, others are made from artificially manufactured materials such as polyester. These harmful materials increase pollution and excess carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere.

carton of eggs for $1. Or you can investigate the local armers here and go to the farmers market and four bucks for that, but that egg is gonna taste great. And there’s no chemicals in the chickens.” She explaned how it is more impactful and worthwhile to purchase a quality product.

We have process, we don’t waste. One is when an item is called Seven D which means it’s damaged, it goes to a huge store in Arizona. It’s called 808, and people can buy clothing at a extremely low price.

According to luxury designer Sara Rothan Trends are usually fads, so the clothes must be produced quickly. Angelina, the floor manager at Nordstrom Rack explained how buying sustainable clothing at a higher price is a better investment than buying a low-quality product that is less extensive. “Someone else is selling a t-shirt for five bucks less. It’s a consumer’s decision. You can go to the grocery store and get a carton of eggs for $1 or you can

Fast fashion has a harsh impact on the environment, in particular, the ocean. According to the United Nations Environmental Program, marine animals can mistake tiny microfibers, accumulated into large amounts, for food and ingest them . Then, the consumer of the animal takes in those toxic particles and it moves up the food chain. In addition, plastic is leaking into the ocean, and toxic dyes are killing marine wildlife. Factories produce carbon emissions, almost 10% of humanity’s total emissions.

Employees in factories are getting paid less and less because of environmental costs rising, and a higher demand for quickly produced products. Angelina stated that “[people] don’t know how fast fashion works and it’s terrible for the environment.”According to sizer.me environmental blog, 85% of textile workers earn below minimum wage. Low waged workers have been an issue dating back to the industrial revolution. Statsia.com stated that Ethiopia has the lowest-paid garment workers, who are paid $26 a month, or less than a dollar a day. Some of the main companies that pay their workers minuscule wages are Nike, Zara, H&M, Shein, and American Eagle. Many fashion industry workers are unable to afford basic needs and are one of the lowest paid industries in the world.

Cassidy Butler

The beginning of COVID-19 had a large impact on the fashion industry in general. Operations halted in production because of the virus, and the retail demand plummeted. People stayed home and so the need for clothes diminished, and textile factories slowed their production. As a result of this, there was less of an impact on the environment.

Animal testing has been a long standing issue for a tre mendously long time. According to the National Institute of Health, “Animals have been used repeatedly throughout the history of biomedical research. Early Greek physician-scientists, such as Aristotle, (384 – 322 BC) and Erasistratus, (304 – 258 BC), performed experiments on living animals.” In addition with the sustainable aspect of products, these companies choose to not test their products on animals. Examples of these companies are Dove, e.l.f., Herbal Essences, 100% PURE, Dr. Bronner’s, Aveda, and Seventh Generation. Testing is not only an issue for its cruelty towards animals, but according to faunalytics,

Osei-Duro’s Imperium Dress Color:White $240

Osei-Duro’s Bula Shirt Color:Red $153

Photos by Osei Duro

“Millions of animal bodies — as well as supplies such as bedding, caging, needles, and syringes — are disposed of each year. The routine disposal of hazardous waste also produces harmful substances and air pollutants.”

Since fast fashion contributes to the diminishing environment. Molly Keogh, an fashion designer in South Africa said, “All production is affecting global warming - more pollution, more consumption. Not to mention the effect on people’s mentalities of expecting everything they use to be cheap and disposable.” Climate change is also a result of using up the worlds’ natural resources and from the usage, it creates greenhouse gas emissions. The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10 percent of global emissions which is more than aviation and shipping combined.

Ways that companies are adapting to the changing climate and improving their products quality and waste management are diverse. People all over the world are trying to stop the increase in fast fashion. There are protests, informative sites, buying sustainable clothing, and more. However, despite all of these efforts, the true savior is just by the act of one individual. According to Keogh,“There is a much more denial on buying fastly produced products than accepting. The power of profit is very overwhelming, and works hard to be the loudest voice we hear.” Ways that one can contribute to expanding sustainability are to thrift, buy clothes that will last a while, not ones that are poorly made, and pay attention to what materials are in the clothes bought. 3

Curtasy of Britannica

Image shows a young girl working in a textile factory during the Indistrual Revolution.

Fast fashion is produced very cheaply, and it is worn for just a handful of times, then people get rid of it because it’s no longer cool or the look that they want. So it’s definitely a problem.

Ways You Can Help Stop

Fast Fashion:

- Participate in protests

- Spread awareness through family and friends

- Shop through sustainable brands

- Upcycle clothes

- Don’t throw away old or used clothes, instead donate to places like Goodwill.

Photo by Osei Duro

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Cassidy Butler

Credits Page

Cover Page- Clara Swartzendruber

Tear Out Pages- Clara Swartzendruber

Table of Contents- Mae Ready

Meet the Editors- Lina Morris

Letter from the Editors- Cassidy Butler

Crossword- Riley Gonzales Orr

Photo by Clara Swartzendruber

Photo by Clara Swartzendruber