How Emotional Connection Could Tackle Fashion’s Waste Problem
Consumers today often have a very temporary attachment to the items in their wardrobes. Fast fashion offers an endless cycle of trends that has created a throwaway culture around apparel and footwear. According to a 2015 study from Barnardos, one in three young women in Britain consider clothing to be old after wearing it less than three times.
A dissertation from Nottingham Trent University fashion design graduate Nadia Hodges explores how to transform the attitude toward fashion ownership to reduce overconsumption and get consumers to rewear their clothes. In the research, she writes, “There is a necessity for creativity and innovation to re-style, re-use and re-purpose our existing wardrobe in order to adapt to our shrinking attachment and attention spans. We need to replace a throwaway society with a culture that fosters strong person-product relationships, if we want any chance of combatting the fashion industry’s direct waste problem and the Western world’s addiction to reinventing our wardrobes.”
Creating longer fashion lifecycles is in part tied to making durable designs that consumers can keep in use. Also feeding into garment longevity are services such as renting, repair and resale.
At Carved in Blue, we enjoy reading the perspective of students are inspired by the views of the next generation. We spoke with Nadia about her research and her plans for the future.
Carved in Blue: You referenced your love of vintage got you to this topic. What did you learn after all the research?
Nadia: From my research, I’ve learnt that people often attach a sentimentality to vintage items because of the rarity and the process that went into sourcing it. These can be really valuable ideas to transfer into the design process of new pieces to ensure that people will treasure that garment and love it for years to come. My research has also encouraged me to continue restraining from making thoughtless purchases, teaching me how important it is to really consider the fabrics, quality, ethics of manufacture and the potential for how long my interest in that garment will actually be sustained. And to apply the same to my own designs.
Carved in Blue: What are your career aspirations? Have they changed from the pandemic?
Nadia: My current aspirations are to continue pursuing a career within fashion design and styling, preferably within work environments that prioritize sustainable practice. This has stayed more or less the same since the pandemic, however I have learnt to be very fluid with my goals and to create opportunities for myself. As the job market has been so competitive since I graduated in the summer, I have branched out into freelance work and am also working on launching my own ventures.
For a full copy of the dissertation, connect with Nadia on LinkedIn.