Cover Photo Courtesy of WTVOX
November Editor's Letter
The culture surrounding the fashion industry keeps telling us that we need more. Each season comes with a list of “must have” items and “can’t live without” trendy pieces for our wardrobes. This is a linear process. Buy, use, discard. I am here to say something completely different. What we really need is more compassion. More knowledge about where our clothing comes from. More focus on the world around us and less on the contents of our closets. For EVERY SECOND you’re reading this article, 7.6 to 10 cubic meters of discarded textiles and fabric waste is being dumped into our landfills around the world. It is predicted that in 2020 alone, 18.6 million tonnes of clothing will end up in a landfill (Young, 2020). These facts are daunting, and point to a very serious issue that reaches far beyond the fashionista.
I share this not to elicit fear, but rather, hope: hope that every person who reads this will have MORE knowledge of the dangers of the industry; MORE consideration in the clothes they buy; and MORE know-how on the part each one of us can play to GIVE BACK.
Giving Back Is the New Black. Next time you decide to buy something new, research its origins. Find brands that are giving to charities, watching their waste responsibly, and are transparent with their customers. Subscribe to Nu View and read about a few brands we love that are doing the fashion industry some justice. GIVE BACK. Instead of tossing your old, unwanted clothing in the trash, donate it! If it is not of a quality to be donated, the American Textile Recycling Service (http://atrscorp.com/services/) accepts most clothing and even old couch cushions and carpets to be repurposed. Let’s change the game from a linear process into a cyclical one. Buy, use, recycle, repurpose, buy, use, recycle, repurpose, and on and on it goes. On, into a better tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Victoria Eidson
Nu View Editor at Large