Making Change.
With over a decade’s experience in the fashion and retail industries, I have an innate knowledge of how these industries operate. The many legacy systems in place continue to contribute huge amounts of waste and pollution, as well as mixed messages for consumers via jam-packed marketing calendars and unrelenting product promotions.
We are all aware of the problems the world faces as a result of climate change. With the fashion industry ranking as a top contender for the devastating impact on planet and people, things have to change. Small shifts have already been made in attempt to eradicate some industry inefficiencies and damaging processes, but we all need to be a part of enforcing and ensuring a greater change in mindset and approach.
As a creative at the start of many brand campaign and product journeys, my role is to find solutions and act as an advocate for positive change. I believe it is my personal and professional duty to raise awareness and take steps to empower a more sustainable consumer culture.
1. Change the narrative
The consumer desire for constant newness is cultivated by brands and media; causing a cycle of never-ending aspiration and resulting in excessive consumption. By working strategically with clients upfront, I want to reconstruct the message calendar to a ‘less is more’ approach, which will filter down to consumer behaviour.
I understand that brands exist to make money, but if we can educate people about investing in higher quality, long-lasting products, the price points can be higher, but with more justification. By being transparent on how quality is created, and waste reduced, we can educate the customer to understand their purchasing power.
2. Design Out The Waste
The industry is awash with disposable practices. How we make products and how we market them needs a redesign. I want to help educate companies on the choices they make in producing creative assets, and for new projects will always aim to choose zero or minimal waste design processes when creating printed collateral. By advocating for transition to systems which are regenerative and use renewable energy sources, I can be part of the changes needed to create a healthy and sustainable industry.
3. Empower Cultural Craftsmanship
Whether it’s wood-block printers in India, basket weavers in Uganda or traditional hand-looming from Chile, artisans have been teaching their children the crafts of their ancestors for generations. I want to champion the hand-made and the eternal love for ‘slow’ production wherever appropriate. Supporting artisanal craftsmanship, sustains communities and preserves the cultural heritage behind them.
4. Make Materials Matter
With the rise of fast fashion and cheap overseas manufacturing, I believe that we as individuals have lost touch with the materials we buy and are not aware of the damaging effects our choices have. I will be an advocate for natural and more sustainable materials and educate customers on their positive attributes. In turn, I believe this deepens the emotional connection consumers form with the products they buy, and supports the transition to a ‘buy less, but better’ consumer mindset.
5. A Collective Consciousness
The world is changing. 2020 has shown us we cannot wait. Brands have the power to use innovation, design and technological advancements to change the world for the better. What makes this even more powerful? Collaboration. Let’s encourage skills and talents from different industries to work together, share knowledge, data and resources, to create opportunities to design a new future.
Illustrations hand drawn by me.
Think similarly? Let’s collaborate.