7 Powerful TED Talks About Sustainable Fashion
Sustainable fashion. These are two words we keep hearing more and more (not sure what sustainable fashion means exactly? I've prepared the ultimate sustainable and ethical fashion glossary for you).
The movement is gaining momentum as the world is starting to realise the terrible impact the fashion industry has on our planet and society.
Luckily, some fantastic humans on the planet decided to speak up and inspire all of us to make better fashion decisions.
Below are seven TED talks on sustainable fashion, which I found super motivating and enlightening!
The Wardrobe to Die For – Lucy Siegle
Lucy Siegle is a British writer and journalist on environmental issues, and she is on a mission is re-brand ecology and broader environmental issues as relevant and accessible.
If you haven't already read her book "To Die For" then this TED Talk is a great introduction to her work. In her talk, she focuses on key numbers and fashion industry statistics, highlighting the environmental and social impacts of our wardrobes. She believes that we can all be "ethical fashionistas", just by becoming aware of how, where and by whom our clothes are made.
My favourite quote:
"If we design for the landfill, if we produce clothes that are effectively disposable, we will all start to treat them like litter."
How to Engage with Ethical Fashion – Clara Vuletich
Clara Vuletich is a designer and sustainability educator. She has worked on implementing sustainable practices in big companies like H&M, VF Corporation and other global companies. In her talk, Vuletich explains more about our clothes life cycles, the issues related to the industry and gives us tips to become more mindful consumers of fashion.
My favourite quote:
"Fast Fashion has turned us into passive consumers who are constantly chasing the fantasy that buying more clothes will make us happy".
Changing the World Through Fashion – Eva Kruse
Eva Kruse is CEO and President of the Danish Fashion Institute, which is behind the world's largest and most important event on sustainability and fashion: The Copenhagen Fashion Summit.
In her TED Talk, Eva Kruse tells us that the fashion industry has the potential to address critical environmental, social, and ethical challenges on a global scale. But as she rightfully says, us consumers cannot just sit back and wait for more sustainable options to hit the shelves. We, consumers, can play a pivotal role in making the industry transition towards more sustainable and ethical business models.
My favourite quote:
"We can have a conscious choice in how we use [fashion], and we can ask the industry to give us a sustainable choice."
You Are What You Wear – Christina Dean
Dr Christina Dean is the Founder and CEO of Redress, an NGO with a mission to promote environmental sustainability in the fashion industry.
Building on a quote from Anna Wintour "Fashion is a reflection of our time", she shares her story and travels, which led her to realise the impact of fast fashion on our world. She ends with three tips to become a more mindful consumer: buy less and buy better, take care of the clothes that you have and recycle.
My favourite quote:
"You really need to have an emotional bond with your clothes; you need to love your clothes."
Wear Nothing New – Jessi Arrington
This one is short and sweet. Jessi Arrington explains why she only brought seven pairs of underwear in her suitcase to go to the conference and how she found all her outfits for the week by shopping exclusively in second-hand shops in LA! A super fun and inspiring TED talk to watch!
My favourite quote:
"If you believe you’re a beautiful person, inside and out, there no look that you can’t pull off."
Redressing the Fashion Industry – Orsola de Castro
Orsola de Castro, an up-cycling pioneer and the founder and creative director of Fashion Revolution. In her talk, she brings awareness to green fashion. She believes that turning 'waste to fashion' can foster healthy attitudes on sustainability in fashion.
My favourite quote:
"Some of our best dishes come from leftovers."
Why I Live a Zero-Waste Life – Lauren Singer
While this one's technically not on sustainable fashion, it's fascinating to watch nonetheless, especially since we know that a lot of the clothes we consume are made of plastic or end up being wasted.
Lauren Singer is a zero-waste blogger and founder of New York's zero-waste store, the Package Free Store. In her talk, she explains how she became zero-waste herself and gives tips on how to start your low-waste journey. If you're looking for inspiration and DIY ideas, go check out her awesome website Trash is for Tossers.
