A tool to express ideologies
Fashion throughout the passage of time has played a strong role in voicing opinions, be it political alliances, silent protests, matters of women's rights or the demand for a better world, fashion holds strong symbolism which speaks for itself.
It is also how streetwear as a subculture arose from the basic need of wanting to express, making fashion a medium. A medium that connects instantly with people from all walks of life.
Fashion symbolism
The 'No Plastic July'movement
To consciously make the world a better place we need to do better as a society which is why we believe in the no plastic movement so strongly. While it is difficult to eliminate plastic altogether we can try to minimise it's use by being mindful of how rooted this problem is. Plastic is a problem, that is masked as a quick and convenient solution, i.e. disposable cups and cutlery, plastic bags, etc. We need to see past that mask. 'No Plastic July' is a step towards recognising the use of plastic in our everyday lives for the span of a month. Unless one is living under a rock we are quite aware of why plastic is toxic for our homeland and this is a cause worth fighting for. Here the fashion industry works as a strong tool in bringing attention to crucial causes as such.
Art installations like sustainable art created at Kala Ghoda, Mumbai, competitions such as World of Wearable Art, Redress Design Awards or designers making ocean plastic wearable for World Ocean Day are all the fashion Industry's efforts at encouraging a movement for the cause.
Labels alligning with the movement
“It’s an attractive idea for a country that produces loads of plastic waste and banning it hasn’t been very effective,” says Baid the founder of Indian sportswear brand Paragon Apparels who believes in recycling plastic waste into freshly made clothes! ( Quoted from Baid's conversation with Quartz India)
Trash to Treasure, an initiative by Aditya Banger turns plastic into good quality fabric while also creating employment locally.
Hence Fashion is a tool in bringing plastic at the fore front and how different links of the industry are playing an active role in tackling plastic as a recycled medium.
Fashion & Sustainability can coexist
The fashion industry is a large consumer of plastic, as the production of garments is faster and less costly when plastic is integrated in the production process. Which is why steps need to be taken collectively by the industry to tackle the issue.
Designers all around share a trait, the gift of feeling strongly for a cause. Whether the cause arises from personal experience or a feeling towards greater good, there is always an inspiration that drives creative souls. In today's world sustainability is the need of the hour and a way of life that we need to respect. Hence many young designer brands are finding a way of coexisting with nature, their greatest inspiration. Protecting the old while creating something completely new is what labels today believe in. Hence the fashion industry is constantly coming up with new ways to utilize recycled plastic or to shifting to alternatives altogether.
Bio based plastic is one such example of an alternative to traditional plastic.
Lyocell is a form of bio based plastic made from cellulose-based resources, usually wood, but also bamboo, soy or seaweed.
This may come across as an eco-friendly alternative to non bio-degradable form of plastic.
Lyocell
As technology advances we will find more methods to eliminate plastic from the fashion cycle and till then we can learn to find a balance. The constantly growing world that we live in requires great balance between growth and maintaining the resources that we already have.
Bio Plastic Example
How 'No Plastic' can be integrated at different levels of the production cycle
A production cycle is the process of creating an end deliverable from raw materials. At the the production stage plastic can be avoided by selecting sustainable and natural fabric forms or by using recycled fabric. During packaging it is important to be mindfull of using minimal and biodegradable packaging. Like Bio-peel or bio plastic materials developed using orange peels and other organic materials such as potatoes, seaweed, even rose stems that are environment friendly alternatives to plastic packaging. The point being that there are so many alternatives available for sustainability and fashion to coexist and support the other in it's course and by being a little mindfull we can make 'No Plastic July ', a way of life.
Orange peel fabric
About Ashriya:
Ashriya is a fashion designer who also uses writing as a medium to express her thoughts with an intention to look at the world with a fresh perspective.
Bibliography
Image referencing
https://www.vogue.com/article/charting-the-influence-of-politics-on-fashion https://storage.googleapis.com/
thehundreds/media/2021/02/10492ab9-252c1701-bd65-4810-9861-2359a73b0c84.jpeg (fashion symbolism)
https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-UU998_1003wo_DV_20121002230832.jpg ( World of Wearable art).
https://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/pros-and-cons-of-lyocell-the-trendiest-eco-friendly-fabri (lyocell fabric)
https://www.gaiadiscovery.com/design-building/lyocell-a-sustainable-fabric-solution.html ( wood to fabric)
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dxUUphb1fI/XdlR3mgI4MI/AAAAAAAAM2U/K8jSALqk3zwETqURLVrqFRFwEdbZjTe1wC
K4BGAYYCw/s1600/cicular-fashion.jpg (circular production cycle)
https://pin.it/3BecDl8 (bio plastic)
https://orangefiber.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/blog-img-1-1024x610.jpg (orange peel blouse)
Text Referencing
://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-SJB-10213 ( World Of Wearable Art , Plastic Outfit)
www.redressdesignawards ( sustainable design competition)
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.news18.com/amp/news/lifestyle/
world-ocean-day-2022-heres-how-fashion-brands-are-making-ocean-plastic-fashionable-5330875.html ( World Ocean Day)
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thebetterindia.com/262204/plastic-bottle-wrapper-recycle-fabric-manufacturing-young-entrepreneur-sustainable/amp/( Trash to Treasure by Aditya)
qz.com ( Paragon by Baid)
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vogue.in/fashion/content/orange-peels-to-fish-skin-7-unconventional-materials-youll-find-in-sustainable-fabrics/amp (bio degradable packaging)
https://fabriclore.com/blogs/fabric-wiki/lyocell-fabric-information-on-lyocell