​Introduction

92 million tons of textile waste is produced in the fashion industry every year which contributes to our current environmental crisis (Anguelov, 2016). Textile waste is defined as any discarded fabric or clothing item. To tackle the problem of excess textile waste, the project explores the practice of upcycling and sustainable marketing to reduce the harmful environmental impact of fast fashion. Sustainable marketing is defined as a plan to promote environmentally responsible goods and services to create long-term value. 

Literature Review

The clothing industry is amongst the biggest and most globalized industry in our world today. Around 20% of all water pollution is due to textile dyeing runoff (Anguelov, 2016). Specifically, my capstone project is centered around the impact of fast fashion on the environment because this industry places emphasis on quick production cycles to keep up with current trends. This leads to cheap material costs which is how this industry produces around 100 billion garments annually and causes 10% of global carbon emissions (Hill, 2024). Therefore, the need for clothing that is both sustainable and fashionably timeless is prominent as garments can last through many years.

• Artistic Influence - Luciana Domenica Pacilli paints her own original designs on clothes that have been thrifted, the underlying values of this artist are reflective in the purpose of my project as I am finding new ways to sustainably repurpose old clothes (Padar, 2023).

• Scholarly Influence – Although many consumers state that they value the environment their purchasing habits may contradict their beliefs because the cheap and accessible prices in fast fashion cause people to disregard their personal values (Papasolomou, Melanthiou, Tsamouridis, 2023). However, my project will include marketing campaigns that will highlight the negative impacts this habit has on our planet. Furthermore, the capstone project includes handouts in which the audience will be informed on which retailers in this industry are particularly important to avoid and which have strong goals of sustainability. This addition to the project will challenge audience members to truly change their negative purchasing habits by having this information at their fingertips.

Methods

In my project I will use sewing as the main method to transform the thrifted clothing items into new fashion pieces, which focuses on mending fabrics together. Through this technique I can ensure my pieces are unique and can be made using other sustainable materials such as organic thread or yarn and fabric. The marketing campaigns were created through Canva, and my handouts are color printed.

Audience & Impact

Individuals who have a passion for fashion and the arts will be interested in my project because they will gain a new perspective into how upcycling clothing can be a way to upgrade and individualize one’s wardrobe while practicing sustainability. Also, people that truly care about the environment will be a great audience for my project I am trying to contribute to a healthier environment that can be sustained long-term. My target demographic are younger adults ages 12 through 20 because my pieces include more trendy patchwork that is popular among this age group. The impact I want to have on my audience is to truly get them to see the horrible effects this industry has on our planet and allow them to become more informed on how to reduce this problem. Therefore, my audience can learn ways to create their own unique pieces or learn which companies are particularly important to stay away from and which companies focus on sustainability when purchasing clothes.

References

Anguelov, Nikolay. The Dirty Side of the Garment Industry : Fast Fashion and Its Negative Impact on Environment and Society. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 2016. Print.

Padar, Kayleigh. “12-Year-Old Artist Launches Crying Tiger Streetwear, Created by Painting Original Designs on Thrifted Clothes.” Block Club Chicago, 27 Nov. 2023, blockclubchicago.org/2023/03/02/12-year-old-artist-launches-crying-tiger-streetwear-created-by-painting-original-designs-on-thrifted-clothes/.

Papasolomou, Ioanna, Yioula Melanthiou, and Anestis Tsamouridis. “The Fast Fashion vs Environment Debate: Consumers’ Level of Awareness, Feelings, and Behaviour towards Sustainability within the Fast-Fashion Sector.” Journal of marketing communications 29.2 (2023): 191–209. Web.

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to my Arts Scholars Professors. I am thankful for Heather Bremenstuhl in always providing insightful critiques during our CPSA250 section, to Irene Park for giving me detailed feedback and being supportive during our faculty conferences, and to Harold Burgess for always being there to help all of the students.

I am also grateful for my Art Scholars peers who have given me many ideas on how to develop my capstone project and have watched my work develop over the course of the semester.