| LIFESTYLE |
14 | FALL 2023
the MIRROR
Crocheting has got Gen-Z
HOOKED BY SKYLIE MOLINA
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THE MIRROR STAFF
solated, lonely and bored during quarantine, she sat in her room searching for something to do, something to keep her hands occupied. Out of the corner of her eye, junior Anait Atkozyan spotted some vibrant red yarn peeking out at her. Taking the hook from the dresser, she began to tie knots and shape the yarn. After fiddling around with the material for two hours, she had made a beanie. During the period of isolation brought upon by the pandemic, many students found interest in a particular activity that has been increasing in popularity over the past year: crocheting. This new hobby captivated teens across the country by reducing their stress and clearing their mind, and is continuing to do so. With the resurgence of Y2K fashion in popular culture and on social media, crocheting has been a great addition to the realm of fashion. Founder of the Crochet Club at school, Atkozyan was first introduced to crocheting by her seventh grade teacher, but really discovered her love for it during the
pandemic. As a result of viral TikToks and easy-to-follow tutorials, more teens have become interested in crocheting as a hobby. Regaining interest through TikTok, Atkozyan learned how to make a variety of figurines and articles of clothing. “I think crocheting has grown in popularity over the past year because of how social media has really spread the art of it,” she said. “I think it’s amazing because people start to develop more hobbies.” Her obsession with the activity eventually motivated her to start her own small business on Depop called Stitched by Anna. Since August of 2021, she has been crocheting a variety of items, including figurines and clothing accessories, which range in price from about $16 to $40. Whether it be a hobby or a business endeavor, crocheting also helps teens cope with stress, as junior Dhara Patel explains. When under stress, she crochets as a means of escaping from reality, even if just for a short while. “It helps me to get my mind off things like school,” she said. Although crocheting does take time and a certain amount of commitment, with
determination and a positive attitude, it is possible to create cute accessories as well as masterpieces. “When you are making something on your own and you are doing it for yourself or for someone else, it has more of a personal connection too, since you are hand-making it,” Patel said. In addition to providing a personal touch to projects, crocheting allows for creativity when personalizing your wardrobe. Crocheted tops and dresses are integrating themselves more into teens’ wardrobes. “My favorite thing about crocheting is creating my own accessories, such as beanies and bags, to go with my outfits,” Atkozyan said. It has been reported that crocheting also has some mental health benefits. According to a study conducted by the American Counseling Association, 81 percent of participants with depression reported feeling happier after crocheting. For beginners, it is recommended to start with flat patterns, like those used to make scarves. Like any art form, crocheting comes with
THE CRAFT Dhara Patel’s miniature
plushies rest in front of flowers. She uses crocheting as a way to relieve stress from the school day.
CROCHET AWAY Junior Anait Atkozyan starts on a
new project, a Spider-Man beanie. As the founder of the former Crochet Club, she took up crocheting as a hobby during the pandemic.
its fair share of challenges. “The most challenging part about crocheting would be trying to follow a complex pattern with confusing directions,” she said. Atkozyan has some pro tips that have helped her through her crocheting journey. “Keep going and trust the process,” she said. “Although it can be frustrating at times when your work is looking wonky, all you need to do is put in the time and practice and always try again if it isn’t looking as expected to achieve your goal.” For more practice and to meet with others with the same interests, the Crochet Club will be meeting next semester on Tuesdays in room 413.
THE MIRROR | PHOTOS BY FARAH ALSIBAI
Frighteningly fast fashion: It’s time to let go of polyester BY DELMIS VAQUERANO
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THE MIRROR STAFF
he term “fast fashion” emerged in the late 90s and early 2000s, when brands such as H&M and Zara launched campaigns to rapidly produce affordable products for consumers in a short period of time. According to the Clean Clothes Campaign, from 2000-14, the number of clothes manufactured has doubled. Fashion brands produced over 100 billion new garments in 2014, and an estimated 92 million tons of clothing from the fashion industry annually ends up in landfills. Research published by Greenpeace Germany in 2016 reveals how the average consumer annually purchases 60 percent more clothing than people did 15 years ago, and maintains it half as long. The largest consumer and producer of fast fashion is China, purchasing approximately 40 billion units of clothing in 2017, according to Euromonitor International. Other significant consumers include the United States at 17 billion, India at 6 billion, Japan at 3.3 billion and Brazil at 2.3 billion. “Consumers gravitate towards fast fashion
brands because of their affordability and momentary pleasure when shopping,” AP environmental science teacher Ms. Tracey Kim said. Inexpensive and mass-made clothing enables the fashion industry to globalize in order to satisfy the demands of consumers, resulting in additional carbon emissions as items are shipped around the world through multiple means of transport. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the fashion industry accounts for percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, is a substantial consumer of water and a significant contributor to microplastics entering oceans. “Microplastics are harmful because they act as hormone disruptors and affect the development of all organisms, including humans,” Ms. Kim said. The fast fashion industry uses an estimated 74 trillion liters of water annually, making it the second-largest consumer of clean water globally according to a research report by the United Nations in 2019. Furthermore, the fast fashion industry is responsible for one-fifth of industrial wastewater pollution from dyeing textiles. Weak regulations in developing countries,
where most fast fashion companies are based, enable wastewater dumping and endanger aquatic ecosystems. Approximately 63 percent of mass-produced clothing comes from petrochemicals, with an estimated 70 million barrels of crude oil used each year to produce fabrics such as nylon, acrylic and polyester. A polyester shirt produces an estimated 5.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide, and a singular wash can release up to 4,000 microfibers that travel through drains, into bodies of water and eventually contribute to the plastic pollution found in the ocean. Synthetic fabrics take decades, if not centuries, to break down. Polyester can take 20 to 200 years to decompose, in contrast to organic fabrics such as cotton, which can take a week to five months to decompose if placed in the right compost. Fashion companies such as Urban Outfitters, Shein and Gap are popular shopping destinations for students at school. “I’m not a fan of fast fashion, but I understand why Forever 21, Temu and Shein are popular clothing industries, especially among young people,” she said. “Fast fashion gives people of any income bracket purchasing power. The affordable price
appeals to many, especially with the current inflation countries are experiencing.” The fast fashion industry also enables unethical labor practices by exploiting children and undocumented immigrants, maintaining poor working conditions and engaging in animal cruelty. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that 170 million children are used for child labor globally, making the fashion industry the most infamous child exploiter. Repurposing fabrics and shopping from “Fair Trade Certified” companies may relieve the tension fast fashion has on the Earth. The Fair Trade Federation (FTF), a nonprofit organization in North America, evaluates its members’ internal commitments through a rigorous screening process in order to determine if their members’ products are Fair Trade Certified. But the circumstances of this problematic situation deny most solutions. As long as people are able to save money, the environmental and social impacts of fast fashion will likely be overlooked. It is up to each individual to decide whether or not they’re willing to modify their lifestyle to reduce the burden fast fashion has on the world.
