In episode 296, Kestrel welcomes Kelly Drennan, the founder of Fashion Takes Action, to the show. A Canada-based non-profit, Fashion Takes Action works to remove barriers to sustainability through education, awareness, research and collaboration.
“We often talk about our school program, and just fashion is inherently cool, you know. And so, we’re able to really, through our school program, touch on some of these bigger, broader climate change issues, but through the lens of fashion, which for kids is relatable and cool. They get up every day and they put on clothes, but they don’t get up every day and drive a vehicle or pay the energy bills or go grocery shopping. So, for us, it’s just a really great way to reach them and we try to do it in a way that’s cool.” -Kelly
Have you looked into educational programs around fashion and sustainability? Or maybe you have completed a program focused on sustainability or fashion and sustainability?
The options out there are definitely growing in the higher education realm, but I think there is still a lot of work to do when it comes to ensuring the curriculum becomes more holistic and includes the root issues that have led to why we are where we are today.
But we are seeing changes at the higher education level, which is important. At the same time, what about kids? What about our youth?
When are they getting exposure to questions like:
Who made my clothes?
What are my clothes made out of?
What does a fashion supply chain look like?
I hear whispers from folks in my community that little projects connected to fashion and sustainability are sneaking their way into elementary and high school education through educators who care about it, but on a large scale, I rarely hear that our young people are getting access to learn about why what we wear matters, on so many levels.
This week’s guest developed a program back in 2014 to help teach youth about the impacts of fashion. While it was delivered in person by educators for several years, their workshops are now available online.
As she says –
“If we can reach these young people before they’re out there in the world buying things, then, maybe we have a better chance at changing that behavior.”
Quotes & links from the conversation:
“We realized early on — we weren’t just going to be working with industry, because if consumers (I hate that word, I know we all hate that word now), but if the general public wasn’t aware of the negative impacts of the industry and what sustainable alternatives there were, then they weren’t necessarily going to have access to sustainable designers. And so, we always felt that we needed to keep educating the general public, while at the same time, supporting the industry.” -Kelly (10:22)
My Clothes My World Program
WEAR Conference
Fashion Impacts 101 (RCGD Global x Fashion Takes Action Video Series)
Fashion Take’s Action Website >
Follow Kelly on Instagram >
Follow Fashion Takes Action on Instagram >
S02 Episode 64 | MIA VESPER, FOCUS + CUTTING THROUGH THE NOISE
S02 Episode 63 | THE NEW DENIM PROJECT + UPCYCLING WASTE INTO TEXTILES
S02 Episode 62 | THREAD, TIMBERLAND + RECYCLING WASTE SYSTEMS
S02 Episode 61 | GALERIA.LA, PERSONAL STYLE + CURATION
S02 Episode 60 | THE SUSTAINABLE APPAREL COALITION + QUESTIONING FASHION'S IMPACT
S02 Episode 59 | PATAGONIA, FAIR TRADE + THE FASHION REVOLUTION
S02 Episode 58 | EILEEN FISHER, FISHER FOUND + CLOSING THE LOOP
S02 Episode 57 | GLOBEIN, ARTISANS + THE SUBSCRIPTION BOX MODEL
S02 Episode 56 | STYLE LEND + THE ONLINE FASHION RENTAL MARKET
S02 Episode 55 | SLOW FOOD + FASHION, CROSS POLLINATION + THE QUESTION OF SCALE
S02 Episode 54 | GOOD ON YOU + APPS FOR CONSUMER ACTION
S02 Episode 53 | NATURAL DYES + BOTANICAL COLORS
S01 Episode 52 | WHITNEY BAUCK, FASHIONISTA + DIGITAL ACTIVISM
S01 Episode 51 | YOUTH FASHION SUMMIT + THE NEXT GENERATION
S01 Episode 50 | THINK DIRTY + THE SEARCH FOR CLEAN BEAUTY
S01 Episode 49 | FABSCRAP + REUSING TEXTILE WASTE
S01 Episode 48 | PANAH + MADE IN AFRICA
S01 Episode 47 | TIMO RISSANEN + ZERO WASTE DESIGN
S01 Episode 46 | THREAD CARAVAN + ARTISAN ADVENTURES
S01 Episode 45 | JASMIN MALIK CHUA, ECOUTERRE + AN INSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE
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