Blog Post 2-Creative Practice
Diversity, Social Responsibility and Sustainability are the main themes presented to us throughout the Better Lives unit. Since being introduced to the many topics surrounding these three key themes within the industry relating to ongoing problems that many people face, I have become more informed, aware and conscious of how crucial and essential it is for us as students to be informed and know about these themes as we are the future of the fashion industry, able to direct change.
One of the main themes that I keep reflecting on through my lectures within Fashion Activism is sustainability. Having thought that the industry was making progress moving forward through sustainable and ethical approaches, I have realised that realistically there is still a long way to go in gaining a more sustainable environment. As the fashion industry produces 10% of global carbon dioxide emission every year, amongst the problems is Fast Fashion. As trends are forever changing, the industry must adapt to a more sustainable approach ensuring a greener industry which will benefit the environment. It is evident that the current practises within the industry place severe burdens on our planet. Therefore in my future work career, I will aim to be more aware of the approach of brands I work with and hope that they use more ethical methods in gaining a sustainable brand, whilst implementing my own ideas of new approaches that can help to influence them in taking a more sustainable approach to the environment.
Having touched upon well-being in my previous post I believe that the industry still has much room for improvement in this area but it is positive to see that within some approaches and brands there is improvement and change when it comes to diversity and acceptance. I hope to inspire my future workplaces wherever that may be, to ensure more positivity and diversity continues to evolve within the fashion industry.
In my current study of Public Relations and Communication, the unit of Better Lives continues to feed my brain with the knowledge I require around the three main themes. I have learnt that social responsibility is promoted by increased efforts in the areas of diversity and sustainability and this inspires and motivates me in my attempts to influence and better the fashion industry within future working projects I may undertake. As I become more aware and am gaining an understanding of how the practices within the industry put severe pressure on our planet, I am changing my own behaviours in regard to sustainability by recycling more and buying less plastic products and fast fashion clothes. The more I learn the more I realise that sustainability is a mindset, it is about appreciating what I already have. When it comes to clothes, the most sustainable thing I can do is to just keep the clothes I already have, love them, wear them, mend them and revamp them.