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Princeton Fashion Week: Sustainable Fashion Initiative

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SFI organizers and designers

“It’s like Studio 54 in there” says the security guard as he closes the door, “I don’t know if you’re going to be able to get in.” My coworker and I share a perplexed look; we R.S.V.P.-ed! We arrived early, mingled, and were waiting anxiously, pleasantly surprised to see the large turnout. Luckily, we were able to get into the evening’s exclusive event: the Sustainable Fashion Initiative’s (SFI) Fashion Show. After being counted by the museum staff, we were ushered in and directed to our seats just as the lights dimmed. There might not have been a disco ball in sight, but the evident energy certainly felt like we were at a famous hot spot. The audience hushed and prepared for the show to begin as Co-Founder Jenna Rodrigues took to the podium.

Princeton Fashion Week could not have had a more appropriate ending to the seven-days-long series of events and panels—the show was spectacular and ignited inspiration with every model’s pose. Set against preserved paintings and sculpted statues, one could not help but study the revolutionary art form. Fashion has long been wearable art and an extremely personal expression of one’s self, but until recently, one’s values would often times have to be compromised. Now, with designers like Tabii Just—a brand grounded in a “0% waste” philosophy, even incorporating this mindset into the garments’ designs with beautiful draping and flattering construction (see our Tasha Skirt below, available online at Modavanti.com) and REBORN by Soham Dave—a brand that uses natural dyes and partners with artisans, we as consumers and more importantly, as people, have access to an amazing variety of brands that fit our values without compromising on style.

Seated a few rows behind the action, I was able to take in the scene as a true spectator. How exciting it was to see young, educated, stylish college students point out their favorite pieces as they strolled down the runway or to hear whispering among friends as they exchanged validating eyebrow-raises, confirming “CUTE!” while nodding their heads in agreement.

the Tasha Skirt by Tabii Just takes its final twirl on the runway

Models, designers, and participants alike were decked out in the latest sustainable fashion. “This is from A Peace Treaty!” SFI Co-founder Meg Partidge exclaimed with pride, flashing her jeweled finger. Is it true? Are we finally returning to a place in history where fashion can be regarded as valuable and desirable? We have come a long way since 1954. Perhaps we’ve even entered the future?

Want to learn more about the Sustainable Fashion Initiative at Princeton University? DIY: Be fashainable and check out the SFI’s first edition of VERTE magazine, the new e-zine publication for sustainable fashion.

sustainable jewelry at the SFI’s brand showcase

Be sure to view more photos like the one above from the Brand Showcase (held before the fashion show) to find products from A Peace Treaty, Indego Africa, and more!

Sustainable Style – Choose Eco-Friendly Fashion

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^ special thanks to writer Eve for her take on how to be ‘fashainable’ in this guest post:

Anyone with an ear to the fashion grapevine will know that sustainability is totally on-trend right now. Medical advancements mean that infant mortality rates have dropped hugely and we are now living longer than ever before – with the result that our clothing consumption has hit an all-time high. This means higher production rates, an increase in the number of designers wanting to break into this tough industry and, above all, a need for more and more materials.

Sustainable fashion, also known as eco fashion, has begun to infiltrate local chain stores as well as the catwalks, with designers from the top down using fair trade workers and non-toxic dyes in order to make a sustainable statement.

Understanding Eco Fashion

Many people assume that eco fashion is all about recycled fabrics and clothes made from leaves, but this is not true at all. There are a number of different ways you can make a difference to the way you shop without changing your style at all – in fact, you could already be eco-shopping without knowing it!

For example, if you choose faux fur over the genuine article or avoid leather like the plague, you are already following a vegan fashion pattern. Vegans will not wear (or eat) any animal by-product, therefore keeping fur and leather well away from their wardrobes. Or maybe you prefer your fashion one of a kind and therefore buy handmade items? In doing this, you are helping to cut down on waste which is created by mass manufacturing, whilst also ensuring you are buying a quality product which is created to last for years. This cuts down the need to constantly replace worn or damaged clothing, and thus saves the planet. Easy, huh?

There are plenty of resources out there which provide information on sustainable fashion, and once you understand how many ways there are to adopt a sustainable wardrobe, making the switch is a piece of cake.

How You Can Help

So you’ve already decided to cross-check every label for toxic dyes and sworn off anything which isn’t made from organic materials – excellent! You’ve taken a huge step forward and are definitely doing your bit for sustainable shopping. Yet the part many people forget is what to do with the clothes once you’ve finished with them. Shockingly many people forget that clothing and textiles are just as recyclable as plastics, cardboard and glass, and as a result tons of unwanted clothes end up on landfill sites every year. However, it is estimated that up to 95 per cent of these items could be re-worn, re-used or recycled. In that case – why not get creative?

Donating an unwanted sweater to charity or shredding up and old shirt to use as a cleaning cloth is a good place to start, but hardly the most inventive use of the materials at hand. An old pair of jeans with a hole in the knee could be turned into a cute pair of Daisy Dukes or a new purse, while the unused bottom half could be cut up, dyed or redesigned and turned into patches to customise other items. Sometimes, of course, things are too damaged to be saved or re-used, but this is where the true meaning of recycling comes in. Textile fibres or insulating materials can be created from these garments in an ideal example of preventing waste.

Smart Stores

Fortunately, fashion chain stores are now beginning to realise the impact our massive demand for new clothes is having on our planet. Last year, Zara announced its commitment to going toxic-free by reducing the number of hazardous chemicals used in its garment production, while H&M has recently launched an ethical fashion range called Conscious. As well as cutting down on the amount of water used in denim production and committing to using only organic cotton, the retailer is also rewarding customers for dropping off bags of recyclable clothing by giving them money off vouchers for each bag donated. It is very clear that the fashion world is embracing sustainability in a way few other industries are – while clothing manufacturers are making an attempt to use non-toxic dyes in clearing our waterways, the pharmaceutical industry continues to dump harmful materials in the system, for example.

As consumers, we dictate the trends, the styles and the way things are produced; or to put it more simply, if we don’t buy it they won’t make it. By raising awareness of the need for sustainability in all industries, we truly can change the world.

Celebrate Earth Day, Everyday! The Today Show Goes Green with Modavanti.com

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today

What’s the “new crop of eco-friendly clothes?” NBC News’ the Today Show says it’s “eco-chic” and doesn’t look quite like it used to anymore thanks to retailers like Modavanti.

Chassie Post from Gilt Groupe joined Today Show host Natalie Morales this morning to show us that yes, eco-fashion can be stylish. A family-friendly floral print from H&M’s Conscious Collection flounced down the outdoor runway—on a pair of women’s pants and on a dress for young girls made out of recycled polyester and organic cotton—setting the scene for what it means to be green.

Another eco-fabric showcased was Tencel, as seen on a model in a maxi dress by ecoSkin. Weary of water usage? The vest in that ensemble is from Levi’s Water<Less denim line which uses 90% less water in production. A vegan leather peplum top from Tinley Road followed and was paired with Edun jeans.

Edun will be on our site soon and joins our recently-added brand, Olsenhaus, which was featured in the next look of the Today Goes Green segment: the brand’s purely vegan sandals and a chambray shirt (by Kut from the Kloth) complimented our fairly-traded Peplum Skirt in Yellow by Afia. Help support a women’s cooperative in Ghana just by shopping the stylish skirt at Modavanti.com. Fahertybrand.com wrapped up the show with an eco-swimsuit and beach wrap.

The models looked great and you can, too, since Modavanti is moving #fashion #forward. The two fashion-forward hosts highlighted our philosophy—that eco-conscious means many things—so many, that we empower the consumer to design their own style philosophy and encourage users to shop what’s important to them. Wear our set of Sustainability Badges with pride as you decide for yourself what it means to be green.

Eco-fashion has evolved. Will you? #Jointhefuture

“A recent New York Times article confirms Kline’s observation. In the article, trend
experts and style leaders admit that trends are no longer the all -powerful dictum
they once were. Thanks largely in part to the internet, consumers now have access
to an unprecedented wealth of style information and are beginning to trust their
own interpretation and personal taste rather than mimicking select trends diffused
via fashion advertising and shop windows.”

BSR report leads the way in encouraging us consumers to define our own sense of sustainability

Make 2013 green with a fashion cleanse.

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The Zone diet. Grapefruits galore. Paleo or Vegan. From Low-fat to Atkins and more. Last year it was just juicing. The newest diet craze? A fashion cleanse. Shed the pounds from your closet hangers and dresser drawers by discarding leftovers from years’ past. Improve your wardrobe’s well-being with a design detox by recycling looks or investing in high-quality, people and planet-friendly outfits.

To ring in the New Year why not wring your wardrobe of its extra garments and give away any unnecessary items? For a guaranteed way to lose the weight of worrying about the latest in-thing just look inside yourself. “Buy a new coat to make you feel better!” the guy from “What Not To Wear” exclaims for Macy’s BIGGEST-EVER New Year’s Sale; he screams this declared diagnosis for mental health issues on the television screen. His backdrop? Shiny beginnings bright with promise as images of impeccably-trimmed figures pretend to lift weights or jump high with glee as they reach for the impeccably-timed figures denoting 70% off, the BIGGEST-EVER markdowns to sell-through the retailer’s full stock.

No, Clinton Kelly, I don’t need that new coat to make me feel better. No, Macy’s, I won’t rush to the store or fall for you online, even with your hook of free shipping, to gobble up what you’re throwing out. Just as we have become empowered as consumers to fight the fast food epidemic, confidently opting not to pick the ketchup red and mustard yellow Big Mac, so, too, can we fight our Fast Fashion fix, confidently opting for fresher, green picks. Like many readily-available conveniences in our fast-paced world, big box retailers have capitalized on our changing times—take the “H&M effect” of churning out unhealthy choices—tossing out the season’s projections quicker than a batch of the day’s deep-fried selections. But the times they are still a changin’ for now we have evolved social tools to fight the big retail chains’ advertisement reels telling us how we should look and feel.

Whether you believe that technology has advanced to meet our needs or that we’ve evolved because of an advancement in technology, social media is arguably an online reflection of an offline social revolution. There are political and economic influences, too, with increased government transparency, the rise of B Corporations, and CSR incorporation; this has created opportunities for genuine sustainable development initiatives, for inauthentic “greenwashing” tactics, and for brands like H&M to highlight their conscious actions.

Marketers know that time is of the essence, perpetually flooding our senses with urgency and stuffing us with overwhelm. But guess what: the world did not end. We made it this far; we were able to sustain. Now, it’s time for a come back in order for our culture to maintain. So, let’s welcome the year 2013 with open arms and embrace the 2013 collections with a full mind. As our eyes feast on the latest and greatest fashion statements off the runways and in window displays, let’s #DoItOurselves and make a shared fashion resolution to consume fewer, mindless trends and produce a more mindful, timeless mindset.

West: meet East; it’s for the best.

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Perhaps we shouldn’t treat our clothes as replaceable representations of self-expression, as a slew of one-night stands. Perhaps instead we should treat our clothing with special care, selecting what we wear as carefully as what we say or eat while on a date. Courting rules and marriage arrangements vary across cultures and treatment of one’s search for “the one” varies cross-culturally. Furthermore, a society’s relationship to its culture is a natural indicator of its people’s relationship to its preservation of one’s culture.

  • The Hmong of ancient China do not believe in symbolism of fate; they believe that a person is born into this world wearing a jacket, that its placenta is its soul mate, “ones’ first and finest garment.” The Hmong people are known for their direct connection to nature and appreciation for rituals. For matters of life and death, they dress their children in elaborately-embroidered garments that communicate with evil spirits and one’s availability to the opposite sex.
  • The nakshi kantha stich of Bangladesh and West Bengal is not a symbol, but rather a language: a sewed circle design of four parrots does not merely represent the idea of love. When one sees that particular pattern, the embroidery is actually speaking the innermost dialogue of ever-lasting love. Another popular phrase, the tree of life is more than a motif; it tells the story of community as it’s stitched by women into collections of wearable art.

Speaking of which, the art of nakshi kantha and other hand-crafted items were re-introduced as a community development solution to sustaining the fashion industry in Bangladesh by Aarong and helped solve the problem of rural women’s market access.  If only we treated our clothing’s livelihood as a sustainable fashion solution, we could help solve the problem of our shopping excess—it’d be a match! If we make a commitment to be fashainable, then maybe we wouldn’t take sustainable fashion for granted. Maybe we would learn that it’s not just the latest version of luxury or the newest fashion trend, but that like healthy codependency, it is a necessary step in deepening a lasting connection.

Such consciousness of resources is a pillar of Aarong’s foundation. Having repeatedly survived nature’s fatal forces, people in the South Asian nation of Bangladesh are forced to be resourceful and innovate. Bangladeshis themselves, including my former colleagues, are a force to be reckoned with; they are among the bravest individuals I’ve ever encountered. Aarong’s artisans are no exception as it is their heroic dedication and whose proud conviction speaks loudly as they face daily adversity in working to sustain fashion.

Conversely, we Americans don’t face such harsh hardship, so our relationship with sustainable fashion development has been somewhat symbolic of our disconnectedness with the dire nature of the whole situation of sustainability, unlike the intimate interconnection that Aarong has restored. Part efficient retail, part effective development, Aarong has a unique relationship with its founding partner, BRAC, as a social enterprise.

When it comes to relationships, outward appearances are often the first characteristics we as individuals notice in a partner, sometimes including one’s outfit choice; this criticism exists in Bangladesh’s culture, too. However, the shared individualistic nature of American and Bangladeshi culture also coexists with a sense of community as we often ask our friends and family’s opinions when it comes to matters of decision making, like choosing a mate. Now, I’m the first to admit that I have commitment issues, often saying “I can’t” be at the same job indefinitely or “I can’t” imagine being with someone forever, but after seeing a toddler steering a motorcycle atop his father’s lap or a blind man crossing the busiest of streets, the words “I can’t” disappear from one’s vocabulary quicker than an exit from a bad date. I soon realized the disrespect I’ve shown in my treatment of the ones I love, for some aren’t as fortunate to have a choice in such matters and would give anything for never-ending assurance.

Similarly, it dawned on me that we demonstrate disrespect as a nation when we take for granted our relationship to the garments we don. As united citizens, we can easily take the plunge and update our relationship status from fashion-fling to being in it, full-fledged. Free from impossibility and inspired by fearlessness, the other hemisphere has reminded me that actions speak louder than words and when it comes to direct correlation and co-dependence, the other side of the world has influenced me to say that we are together; I am what I wear. Do you dare to care about your wear? Let’s arrange for a marriage between our mindful thoughts and items to be potentially bought.

Sense and sustainability.

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While explaining my seemingly “new” concept of sustainable fashion to my uncle in response to his question of why I was moving to Bangladesh, he questioned, “Sustainability?” and shared with me that, “Sustainability starts with your neighbor.” Flabbergasted at the simple complexity of his statement and tempted to attest, I shut my mouth in preparation for a trip to open my mind and thought: surely, it can’t end with that! There must be a more complicated model of development economics outlining in charts and graphs how sustainable development of the fashion industry is to start?!

Listening closely to him and to others I met during my time as a ‘bideshi’ in B-desh, I soon realized that indeed, sustainable development does begin with your neighbor—whether they live next-door or on the other side of the world. During my first month as an intern at Aarong, a BRAC social enterprise, I had the honor of meeting Chandra Shekhar Shaha, a creative connoisseur, master of product development, and oracle of handicrafts. Only after speaking with him and especially after reading this insightful passage on page 75 from his book Behind the Products: A Study on Crafts of Bangladesh which reads:

“Culture is not static; it moves on towards betterment.”

did I finally began to understand the resonance of my uncle’s send-off statement that “sustainability starts with your neighbor.” Now on my last day as an intern, soon to say farewell to Dhaka, I think I fully comprehend my uncle’s words and have attempted to interpret Shekhar Dah’s wise words as I try to be more mindful in my consumption choices.

We each define our own personal style as a

uniquely

             wearable

                              presentation.

We all express ourselves differently, the most uniform way being through our fashion choices. In a similar sense, we each outfit our personal outlooks, often voicing these opinions through our own choice of words

leaving space

for creative

 interpretation.

Naturally, not everyone associates the word sustainable with the same definition and logically, we all have our own representation.

Translation please?

The idea of sustainable fashion, like the terms sustainable and fashion themselves, to me means to re-examine the current thought processes behind existing fashionable operations with a mindful eye of everlasting execution. A more sustainable approach to fashion is more than green-washed terms like “environmentally-friendly” or marketing taglines like “eco-chic.” While these associations are rightful catalysts in the exciting mainstream movement of “going green,” they are wrongful to deter you from forgetting that the true source of change lies in our minds: we must first think individually about our personal consumption choices (myself included!), then collectively change our purchasing and production patterns as consumers, suppliers, and manufacturers, and finally, organize ourselves as citizens who practice conscious consumption, ultimately demanding a less unsustainable industry; we merely need to evolve as a species in order to sustain a new culture.

Think about it: a product changes over time because our needs change, too, so the improved version better suits us. Perhaps this sounds like a whole lot of rubbish, so forgive me for recycling the obvious, but only once we break the cycle—until we “strive towards progress and perfection” (Shaha, 75)—only then will we see a real revolution, in every sense of the word. In order for fashion to fully evolve into its final stage, we must define our needs as a generation—“the source of energy has to change” (75)—no matter how you wear it.