Eco Fashion

ECO FASHION, THE NEW DESIGN TREND

The cutting edge of going green is gaining momentum. At London fashion week more sustainable types of garments were on show and newer “Luxe materials” can now be manufactured from discarded waste from fruits. Grape skins, seeds and stems tossed out by the wine industry are now being converted into a type of leather-look material, pineapple leaves, apple skins, fibres from coconuts and even compressed mushrooms have all been upgraded from waste to new “bionic yarns”.

The director of a top British fashion school prioritizes the education of the up-and-coming designers of the future stressing that eco-fashion has to be a safeguard for the future, a motto being “where it comes from, where will it end up”?

Recycling should not simply be a word but a pledge to make every effort, no matter how small towards the detoxification of our earth.

On a large scale, one of the UK’s most prominent charities receives tons of recycled items such as clothing, headwear, footwear and bedding all cleaned, sorted and classified by hundreds of employees. Even poor quality cloth is compressed into rolls to be inserted between the springs of mattresses. This ongoing endeavor gives employment to an endless number of people and opportunities for many who struggle with finances to purchase a variety of items and in a charitable manner.

Savvy individuals now realize that the culture of over-consumption is changing and a basic wardrobe having interesting extras like belts, scarves, hats, blazers, waistcoats and leg wear can ”spice-up” the plainest of clothes. Retro is “cool and the way to go”.

The finest way to find these garments is to snoop around second hand shops and charity outlets. With a little imagination these purchases can be dismantled and re-constructed to something unique and original.

One highly talented designer buys second hand clothes in Iran. The fabric having exotic middle eastern designs has huge potential, being cut up to create new prized apparel.

In conclusion, there is no end as to how discarded commodities can be utilized.
The cosmetic industry too can contribute by recycling plastic bottles, tubs and tubes and even discarded cardboard and paper that has played a role in advertising and packaging. Matsimela has a philosophy of reducing all packaging in their ethos of caring for our planet.