Today officially marks the start of this year's New Zealand Eco Fashion Week, where 35 designers from around New Zealand and Australia will showcase their ethical, ecologically sustainable and up-cycled collections.
After the event's inception in 2013, which featured 13 local designers, NZEFW has grown to include a larger ethically minded line-up to cater for conscious consumers, with the schedule over five days set to include a wardrobe swap, runway show with collections from eco-focused designers, an evening with fashion designer Miranda Brown and a screening of documentary The True Cost.
Founder Denise Anglesey's passion for up-cycled fashion began in 2008 after entering a recycled trash event in Kaikoura. "After the show my friend and I arranged an exhibition of over 100 recycled trash fashion garments ... Along with the exhibition we cut up and re-made new skirts using denim headed for landfill."
A trip overseas saw her come to realise how most fast fashion is made and where it comes from. "I was shocked when I saw a young boy behind a sewing machine with sunken eyes and the size of the huge industrial sewing machine he was using. I have enough trouble trying to master one of those, let alone a small child of about 9 or 10. That was enough to stop me shopping in stores that stock fast fashion and I felt passionate about wanting to make a difference somehow, even if in just a small way," Anglesey explains.
"I hope people come to realise that the current fashion industry is not sustainable. Many people are being hurt or killed and the environment is being affected by the toxic chemicals used in production. We all need to take responsibility for the earth's resources and taking care of people who are in a position that makes them vulnerable to being exploited. We can make a difference by how we use our dollar. We want changes to be made to the fashion industry so that both the people making our clothes and the environment are taken care of."
For more information and to buy tickets, see ecofashionweek.nz
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