Eco-fashion Club strives to improve the environment by experimenting with new ways to reuse and recycle old clothing.
The club meets every Wednesday to discuss the effects of fast fashion on the Earth. Eco-fashion Club was created to inform students of the different options they have regarding helping the environment. The club president creates weekly presentations to inspire club members to recycle used clothing and shop sustainably. Members of the club get together and pitch ideas on how to help the environment, such as wearing recyclable fabrics and buying from beneficial brands.
“We just bond over our love for clothes and the environment, and everyone brings a different aspect to the club,” Ashley Zheng, a junior and club vice president, said.
Although fast fashion makes trendy clothing affordable, buying mass amounts of cheaply-produced apparel heavily damages the environment. Similar to how plastic negatively affects sea life, the production of fashion pollutes waterways and dries up water sources. Since 2000, clothing production has doubled, and most of the clothing ends up in dumps. Polyester-based clothing doesn’t break down in the ocean and emits twice as much carbon than cotton does. The fashion industry as a whole is responsible for 10% of the planet’s carbon emissions and heavily consumes the global water supply. The negative contribution from these materials adds to the decline of the environment.
While many people may enjoy shopping for new, affordable clothing, members of the Eco-fashion Club recognize how fast fashion may affect the Earth.
“This club informs people of what is behind the fashion industry and what people often don’t realize,” Cassandra Areff, a junior and president of the club, said. “There is a lot about fast fashion that is important for us to understand, and we need to realize that when we buy clothes, it has a significant impact on our planet.”
There are many local clothing stores that offer ethically produced apparel and strive to protect the environment. Affordable and eco-friendly stores include Kotn, Taylor Stitch, and Amour Vert. Eco-fashion Club’s ambition is to visit these stores and learn more about how to save the environment.
Ultimately, the club just wants others to understand the effects fast fashion has on the environment.
“People buy new clothes just because they want new clothes. They like the trend, but they don’t seem to understand how this can harm our environment,” Justin Wong, a junior and club member, said.
