During the recent Climate Justice Camp in Tanzania, we participated in a session on Sustainable Fashion led by Trashion Kenya.
So, what is Sustainable Fashion? Basically, it means choosing clothes and de that are good for the environment. Many clothes are made from materials that don’t break down naturally, and when we throw them away, they pollute our surroundings. They block drainage systems, end up in rivers, and make our neighborhoods become messy and unhealthy.
If you visit places like the Dandora dump site, you’ll mostly see piles of clothes along with plastics. In Kenya and many developing countries, the problem is even worse because there’s a huge market for second-hand clothes. Some people end up wearing clothes that are passed down multiple times, often only for a few days, before tossing them away. Sometimes, bales of second-hand clothes even contain rags that can’t be used.
But there are solutions! Habiba Hemed, the CEO of Trashion Kenya, along with her team, Lucky Kahindi, Youth and Community Engagement Coordinator of Trashion Kenya, are educating schoolchildren and young moms about the impact of plastic and fashion waste and how to transform waste into fashion designs and art. For instance, they help local young Moms in Kenya in crafting beautiful outfits from leftover fabrics and also teach schoolchildren create artwork from single-use plastic bottle waste.
Trashion Kenya is also working on raising awareness through fashion shows, building skills, and pushing for better policies to encourage more sustainable fashion choices.
Another way to cut down on clothing waste is by wearing traditional clothes, which are usually more durable and have special cultural meanings. We should also support local manufacturers because it will help provide high-quality clothes that last longer for our communities.
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