Workshop Synopsis

Fast fashion has taken the world by storm and is about making trendy clothes quick, cheap and disposable. And when we say “fast” it generally means that the clothes don’t last that long in our wardrobe. Fast fashion brands produce clothes very quickly. This causes everyone to constantly feel like they need more. To keep up with this demand fast fashion brands such as H&M or ZARA “will use cheap labour, unsafe working conditions and operate in countries with low environmental regulations.” As a result they can produce high volumes of clothing at low prices.

But what most people tend to ignore is that fast fashion is second only to oil as the world’s largest polluter. In fact according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation the total greenhouse gas emissions related to textile production is more than those of all international flights and maritime shipping trips combined.

In this workshop, I would like to bring attention to how the manufacture of clothing is affecting our planet at such an alarming rate. And also how the disposal of said clothes is affecting are planets. This workshop would be an interactive one where we can dive deeper into this issue and hopefully come up steps we can take to contribute to a sustainable future at an individual scale.

In this workshop I will be talking about some of my experiences in the sport of fencing all the way from a beginner to a National medalist. Over the last 5 years, I have fallen in love with this sport and it has taught me many things about myself and about life. Through this journey of highs and lows, my life has changed drastically. I would begin by spending some time introducing the mystery that is fencing and the long journey it has gone through to evolve into its form today. I will also explain its unique blend of mental and physical needs, earning it the title physical chess. Then, I will talk about how many different aspects of fencing facilitates character building and teaches you valuable lessons that has impacted my life and will hopefully impact yours. One component would be how the different stresses of competition and training affected me and more importantly, how to recognize these, persevere and finally succeed. Through the medium of this complex sport and my countless failures and successes, I hope to inspire everyone to overcome and achieve in whatever their passion might be.