A Word On Sustainable Fashion - Sustainability Hub for Innovation & Environment

I love clothes. I’ve loved them ever since I was small, so small that I had to stand on my tipped toes in order to dig through the old cedar chest my mom kept our dress-up outfits in. As I grew up, clothes continued to be a means through which I expressed who I was. I thought of clothes as an art form, with every new outfit came a new opportunity to explore a different side of myself. 

When I turned 15 and began my freshman year of high school everything changed. I had found a new love, a love of the Earth, and a ferocious desire to protect it. I began to learn about fast fashion, I learned that many of the clothes that I loved were made unethically, and most contained microplastics, and I hated microplastics (I still do). I saw my maximalist closet as a gross representation of who I now was, a climate warrior. I donated many of my clothes and began my journey into minimalism. I created a capsule wardrobe and felt that I no longer needed fun clothes in order to validate who I was. In hindsight, I was miserable. Deep down I missed all of the colors, and layering, and how my old wardrobe allowed me to be a new person each day. What I needed to find was a balance.

Returning to my eclectic roots, I started to research sustainable fashion and ethical consumption. What I found was an entire community of treasure hunters. I found people who loved the Earth and clothing just as much as I did. These were individuals who had denounced fast fashion and began frequenting thrift stores. They were discovering beauty in the discarded, upcycling what others viewed as broken, and keeping clothes from entering into the landfill. I had found my people.

I am passionate about the slow fashion movement because it challenges us to question our habits and vote with our dollar. The events that I have held alongside my fellow Earth lovers and menders have been deeply inspiring. As the sustainable fashion intern for SHINE, being in the presence of people who care about our planet's wellbeing has brought me hope for a greener future. When we choose to shop secondhand or mend our garments instead of buying new, we are choosing to put the planet first. Through the collaborative events that I will continue to host, I hope to inspire others to embrace creativity, learn valuable mending and upcycling skills, and adopt sustainable practices in all areas of life.

Written by Miki Rogers (she/her) 

SHINE Sustainable Fashion Intern