SOPHRO Magazine Issue 01

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Issue 01 SPRING/SUMMER 2020

ON OUR COVER, LEFT TO RIGHT:

Despina wears Ahniko jacket and Christy Dawn Dress; Anjuli wears Maria Maurio top and Christy Dawn skirt; Alexis wears Ni.nêh top and vintage Rialto pants from Salvation Army.

@ S OP H R OM AG AZ I N E II S O P H R OM A GAZ I N E.C OM

OUR NAME COMES FROM THE WORD

sophrosyne MEANING "A HEALTHY STATE OF MIND, CHARACTERIZED BY SELF-CONTROL, MODERATION, AND A DEEP AWARENESS OF ONE'S TRUE SELF, AND RESULTING IN TRUE HAPPINESS."

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Contents: Words.

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WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE FASHION, REALLY?

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THE SUSTAINABLE FABRIC GUIDE

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CREATING YOUR OWN CAPSULE WARDROBE

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ON PURPOSE How to cut through the clutter and live your life with intention

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SOMETHING BORROWED When it comes to jewelry, all that glitters is certainly not gold

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GOING BEYOND Milena Marchetti-Kozlov’s brand Marchetti Sustainable goes beyond labels, standards, and genders

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GOING GREEN? Are fashion brands actually becoming more sustainable, or is it just greenwashing?

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PRETTY UGLY | UGLY PRETTY Fashion’s contribution to pollution & climate change

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PUT IT IN (CARBON) NEUTRAL? Why fashion brands are buying carbon offsets and what it really means

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FILLING THE BLANK CANVAS How The Canvas by Querencia is changing the sustainable fashion retail landscape

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ARE FASHION SCHOOLS ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABILITY? How NYC’s Fashion Institute of Technology measures up

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THE LOOK

Images.

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BEAUTY IN REPOSE

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A FRESH GAZE

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INTO THE WOODS

Letter from the Editor Hi there.

However you’ve made your way here, I’m happy you have. This magazine has been a dream of mine for some time, and to have it finally come to fruition is unbelievable.

I kind of stumbled into the sustainable fashion space by accident. I have shopped at thrift, consignment, and vintage stores as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved the thrill of the find and I’ve never really been enticed by brand labels. And I’ve never wanted to spend that much money on clothes. But even though I have been shopping secondhand for a while, I never had really thought about it in a sustainability standpoint. Not until about three years ago.

I had been working at a small publication company working as an assistant on its fashion magazine. For Earth Month, we decided to make it a sustainability issue. And so while I was doing research and fact checking for articles, I realized how wasteful the fashion industry is. At first I was upset — the industry that I had grown up loving so much was not good for the environment, and the worst part was that it didn’t care. But then I realized, I did, and that I could do something about it. I could write about it and share the knowledge.

And thus, the idea for this magazine came about. And here it is.

I hope you find that this magazine can serve as a resource for inspiration and knowledge in the sustainable fashion landscape. I want you to learn about what makes brands actually sustainable, and then get excited about it.

So keep perusing. Learn. Question. Adapt. Join the fashion revolution. xoxo,

Alexis McDonell, Editor-in-Chief

Contributors Anjuli Ramos Busot, Managing Editor

Brandon Cobian, Director of Photography

Caroline Durkee, Visual Designer & Editor

@ANJULIRBUSOT

@COBIAN.CREATIVE

@THEFRECKLEDLIFE

At her day job, Anjuli is an environmental scientist and atmospheric chemist (casual) for the state of New Jersey. And all other times she is a creative devoted to sharing her love of sustainable fashion. Originally from Puerto Rico and with a thirst for travel, she draws inspiration from her various experiences with the people and places all across the globe.

Originally from Orlando, FL, Brandon is a freelance photographer and videographer.

His passion is helping people share their stories, brand, and personality. “I love creating and collaborating, and this project has been the epitome of just that,” he says. “Full honesty, thrifting and living more sustainably is new to me. It’s been eye-opening to see how easy it can be to make a small change.”

A graphic designer living and working in good ol’ NYC, Caroline is a “city girl until I die!” Monday through Friday she’s a graphic designer for a major fashion retailer, which she considers her true passion (besides shopping!). She also is the fashion and beauty blogger behind The Freckled Life.

Favorite thing I ever thrifted: Prada 2000s bag and Stella McCartney slip-ons

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Favorite thing I ever thrifted: tan London Fog trench coat

Favorite thing I ever thrifted: vintage Christian Dior buttons to put on one of my blazers

Helena Madden, Writer & Editor

Gi Shieh, Writer & Editor

Despina Parthemos, Writer & Editor

@HELMADDEN

@THESENSIBLEFAY

@THEFASHIONNOVELIST

Helena pens real estate, style, design and travel coverage across Robb Report’s print and digital offerings, as well as Muse, RR’s biannual women’s publication. A recent graduate from Fordham University, she’s forever on the hunt for fresh art (and furniture) to cram into her Bushwick apartment.

Gi is a sustainable fashion blogger based out of New York. She hopes to merge sustainability, conscious mindset, and creative expression through content creation. In her spare time, you can probably find her hanging out at the local yoga studio (or cafe across the street).

Despina is a freelance journalist and founder of sustainable lifestyle blog, The Fashion Novelist. She studied knitwear design at the Fashion Institute of Technology while writing for different platforms relating to animal ethics, including Vegan Fashion Week and Sentient Media. Her work aims to branch the disconnect between sustainable living and animal rights.

Favorite thing I ever thrifted: patchwork brown leather jacket

Favorite thing I ever thrifted: black leather jacket

Favorite thing I ever thrifted: a black anklelength denim jacket with colorful floral panels

Zineb El Boukili, Writer

Holly McDonell, Consultant

Matt McDonell, Consultant

@ZINEB.ELBOUKILI

@HMCSKATE

@MITEREDBYMATT

Zineb is a blogger and lover of writing living in France. She has an affinity for everything Parisian. When it comes to sustainability, she says, “I’m not perfect, but trying to do my best.” (we all are!)

Holly has vast and deep passions for education, figure skating, and design.

She has degrees in mathematics, early childhood education, and as a reading specialist. She has been a skating coach for 18 years and she has certifications in floral design, home staging and redesign, and color consultation. Holly loves to repurpose & refine her attire and home furnishings to let her personality shine through fashion and interior design!

A chemical engineer by degree, Matt coordinates design, development, and delivery activities to introduce new consumer goods to market. Additionally, he mentors young men through coaching lacrosse in the Cincinnati area. On weekends, Matt can be found restoring and fabricating furniture and home accessories, rooting for Syracuse sports, or finding a local fishing hole.

Favorite thing I ever thrifted: a pair of leggings

Favorite thing I ever thrifted: Bloomingdale’s leopard print cashmere sweater

Favorite thing I ever thrifted: mid-century modern dresser and side tables

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What is sustainable fashion, really?

by G I S H I E H

According to Wikipedia, everyone’s online resource they love to hate, sustainable fashion is “a movement and process of fostering change to fashion products and the fashion system towards greater ecological integrity and social justice. Sustainable fashion concerns more than addressing fashion textiles or products. It comprises addressing the whole system of fashion.”

But what does that really mean? What does sustainable fashion look like for the everyday person who wants to

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make a difference for the environment and for those who are unjustly impacted by the practices of conventional fashion?

Well, as it turns out, there’s no one way to practice sustainable fashion. Sustainable fashion is a spectrum.

It can range from purchasing new items through transparent and sustainable companies to shopping exclusively secondhand. The best part about sustainable fashion is that it’s a journey, and you get to decide for

yourself what works for you and your lifestyle.

For me, sustainable fashion mostly looks like decreasing consumption and increasing the number of wears that I get out of my current closet. I almost exclusively purchase secondhand and find that restyling my current wardrobe in new and creative ways both benefits the Earth and pushes me to be more innovative.

The fashion industry has become so unsustainable because we treat our clothes as disposable goods and cycle through them at a rapid pace. According to a case study performed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, on average, a garment was only worn seven to 10 times before it was tossed. By wearing the same garments often and for a longer period of time, you can decrease your environmental impact.

However, this is just my personal take on sustainable fashion. Again, the lifestyle is a spectrum and each individual gets to experiment with what works for them.

Here are some unique ways that our team, and community advocates, have defined sustainable fashion.

For Alexis McDonell, sustainable fashion is about analyzing your shopping habits and changing those habits in a way that cuts down your environmental impact. “I personally have cut out fast fashion. About 75% of my shopping is secondhand, and the rest is done at a smaller retail store or department store. I have also tried to cut down the number of items I buy in general. Overconsumption and viewing clothing as disposable are two of the biggest reasons for our clothing waste problem, and I hope in trying to buy and get rid of less myself I can make some sort of impact,” she says.

Anjuli Ramos Busot has a similar viewpoint. Whenever she shops she considers two things: the environmental impact of what she is buying and buying consciously—no overconsumption. “I ask myself, do I really need this, can I use it often, what is it made of, and who made it?” she explains. “I shop sustainably in different ways—it really depends on what I am looking for. When I look for a specific piece or a specific fit, like a swimsuit or a sexy dress, I go with a new piece from a sustainable brand. When it is not so specific, or I am splurging on a luxury item, I go secondhand.”

Shopping secondhand is one of the easiest ways to shop sustainably, and one of our team’s favorites. And, obviously, buying used clothing significantly cuts down on the fashion industry’s carbon footprint as it extends the lifespan of existing garments and eliminates the carbon costs associated with the production of new clothing.

“I used to be so into buying new clothes—I previously worked at Anthropologie, and am still very much hooked on that aesthetic—but in recent years have turned down my spending almost completely in favor of secondhand shopping,” notes Helena Madden. “I live in Bushwick, so there’s a ton of amazing thrift/consignment stores in my area—L Train, Urban Jungle, Chess & the Sphinx, Flamingo Vintage Pound, the list goes on. The thrill of discovering something really amazing and cleverly styling it is far superior to anything the Anthro checkout line ever offered me. It’s like this weird little treasure hunt.”

Another common thread for our team: buying with intention. For Despina Parthemos, sustainable fashion is an unwavering necessity. “I never buy something I don’t intend to keep for years,” she states. “Whether it’s a thrift store purchase, from a sustainable brand, or even in the rare case not from a sustainable brand, it is always something of ever-lasting quality. I never, and I repeat, never buy fast fashion. Quality over quantity is important to me and that is how I ensure I only buy what I love and what I know I can use for years to come.”

Sustainable fashion is such a personal journey. While for many there may be common threads, it looks different for everyone. One of the best parts about this practice is the community of dedicated individuals that comes with it. Join us on our journey to make the world a better place as we explore different aspects of this industry!

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The Sustainable Fabric Guide What’s in a fabric? Shopping mindfully starts with understanding the materials that go into our clothing and selecting those that are good for us and the planet. But that’s easier said than done. Choosing an eco-friendly fabric is complex—there are pros and cons to each one. And fiber choice is only part of the equation.

When looking at the sustainability of a fabric, there are four things to keep in mind:

1. How the raw material (fiber) is extracted / 2. The process of producing the textile 3. Dyeing, printing, washing and finishing / 4. The textile's end of life NATURAL FIBERS

ORGANIC COTTON

HEMP

Natural fibers are sourced from plants and typically have a lower environmental impact. Look for organic fabrics where minimal chemicals are used in the production process. GOTS-certified fabrics are those that are made using high standards in production.

Traditional cotton uses a lot of water, pesticides, and chemicals to be produced.

Organic cotton is harvested with low to no pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or genetically modified seeds. The growth of organic cotton also creates a biodiverse crop, meaning that other crops can flourish alongside them, aiding in soil fertility.

Hemp is one of the most versatile plants on the planet. It doesn’t require a lot of water or any pesticides, can produce two to three times more fiber per acre than cotton, and naturally replenishes the soil that it grows in.

ORGANIC LINEN

PEACE SILK

QMONOS

Linen also comes from a very versatile crop: the flax plant. Linen uses minimal water and doesn’t require any fertilizers or pesticides; it can even grow in poor-quality soil. Plus, every part of the plant can be used, so nothing is wasted. One caveat: its production. Traditional linen is produced in a way that pollutes waterways (retting) and uses harmful chemicals, while organic linen does not.

While silk is a natural fiber, there are ethical questions about the process of actually extracting the fiber—it requires boiling live silkworms. The production of peace silk waits until the cocoon has been shed naturally.

Qmonos is a synthetic spider silk that is created through the fusion of spider silk genes and microbes. It is said to be stronger than steel, tougher than Kevlar, while also being very lightweight, incredibly elastic, and entirely biodegradable. No spiders are farmed or harmed in the manufacturing process.

RECYCLED POLYESTER

TENCEL

Virgin polyester is one of the least sustainable fabrics. But recycled polyester uses PET from plastic water bottles and breaks them down into fibers. This process uses nearly half the amount of energy as creating virgin polyester and keeps plastic out of landfills. But it also sheds microfibers and is not decomposable.

TENCEL® is made from the wood pulp of eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus trees don’t require any toxic pesticides, and only need a little water. Plus, the chemicals used to produce TENCEL® are managed in a closed-loop system, meaning they are recycled which reduces dangerous waste.

PIÑATEX

ECONYL

Piñatex is a vegan leather alternative made from pineapple leaves.

As Piñatex is made from a food byproduct, it reduces food waste and helping the farming communities that grow pineapple.

Econyl is fabric made of 100% regenerated nylon that comes from synthetic waste, such as industrial plastic, waste fabric, and fishing nets. This waste is cleaned and shredded, depolymerised, polymerised, transformed into yarn, and then remade into textiles. This regeneration system forms a closed-loop, uses less water, and creates less waste than traditional nylon, while being the same quality as virgin nylon. However, washing Econyl still sheds microplastics and is not decomposable.

RECYCLED V. RECLAIMED FABRICS Recycled fabric and reclaimed fabric often get confused or lumped together, but they are very different. Recycled fabric is made up of fibers that have already been used and are then broken down and turned into a new fabric. Reclaimed, or deadstock, fabric is material left over from production, vintage fabric, or any other unused fabric that is bought secondhand.

Creating Your Own Capsule Wardrobe

by Z I N E B E L B O U K I L I

Capsule wardrobes have been gaining momentum for the last couple of years now. Thanks to Marie Kondo and the rise of minimalism, scaled down closets are popping up on everyone’s Instagram feeds and Pinterest boards. The concept of the capsule wardrobe is loving every item you own and investing in pieces that will last—quality over quantity. It’s a sustainable approach to owning fashion that is curated and therefore more simplistic.

When discussing capsule wardrobes, the person that first comes to mind is blogger Caroline Rector. In 2014, Caroline decided to minimize her wardrobe to 27 items, and documented her journey on her blog Unfancy. She suggests paring down your clothes to 37 items, wearing only these 37 items for three months, and shopping for the next capsule during the last two weeks of the season. Nothing too crazy, right?

If you want to have a go at creating your own capsule wardrobe, here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

There is no magic number

Aim for 50 pieces or less, but don’t force yourself or limit yourself to a certain number just because it seems to be working for someone else. Everyone’s number is different. Go with what makes you happy and content.

Find your style

“I’m much better at dressing for the life I have, rather than a fantasy life,” Caroline says. “My closet matches my lifestyle now.”

So ask yourself: does this fit my style? Am I actually going to wear this? Think about what you want to express about yourself through your style and what important aspects of your lifestyle impact what you wear.

Make a plan

Planning can be very helpful; it limits mindless spending because when you know exactly what you want, you can just look for it and justify spending money on it. Make a list of the pieces you need for your capsule wardrobe and then find what you love. Make sure to also make a budget, so that you don’t end up breaking the bank.

Aim for fewer high-quality pieces that you love rather than buying too many and on impulse.

Take care

Because your wardrobe will now be smaller, cherishing the pieces you have and taking care of your clothes is very important. You should be mindful of the upkeep of your items so you can extend their longevity. It’s recommended to wash your clothes at no more than 86°F and to air dry your clothes as much as possible because it’s better for their fibers than tumble drying.

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On Purpose How to cut through the clutter and live your life with intention

by A L E X I S M C D O N E L L

As human beings who live in a modern, digitally-driven society, we are constantly bombarded with stuff every second of every day. According to a 2014 study from Media Dynamics Inc., we receive messages and see brand “exposures” (the number of ads, labels, brand names, logos, etc.) 3,000 to 20,000 times per day. We receive dozens of notifications, messages, emails, and calls from multiple apps on our phones and computers.

And, if you live in a city, you are surrounded by overwhelming noise from the many people, cars, construction, and more around you.

It can be incredibly difficult to cut through all this stuff when it is telling you to do more, be more, and buy more. Interestingly, that is exactly what the conscious living movement is trying to do. It wants you to do, be, and buy things, but with intention.

This is obviously easier said than done, but the first step to living with intention is to ask yourself the hard questions. You need to discover who you are, what you believe in, what you

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want, and why you want these things. Life is made up of a series of decisions, and it’s important for you to make these decisions in ways that stay true to yourself and your values.

This isn’t going to look the same for every person, but you can look to others to help guide your own decision in the right direction.

For many people, living a conscious lifestyle first starts with cutting down on what you buy. You watched Marie Kondo, realized the clutter, got rid of it, and are watching what you buy so the clutter doesn’t come back (and it also saves up money and reduces waste, which are huge bonuses).

If you are overwhelmed with things, buy less—keeping a log will help you stay accountable. Reduce your food waste by only buying what you know you will eat. Don’t buy things so you have “extras”—one will most likely get buried deep somewhere and you’ll only use one anyway. Do something as simple as making sure you use up all of your product

before you buy a new one—you don’t want two half-full bottles lying around.

Watching your purchases is typically the first step for intentional living because it’s something that you can see, which inherently makes it easier. But just as we are conscious about the clothes and products we buy and use, we need to apply this same mindset to our activities (both our jobs and extracurriculars) and friendships. The whole quality over quantity argument pertains to the things you do and the people in your life, too. You shouldn’t do things you don’t enjoy because other people want you to (obviously), and you don’t need to hang out with people you don’t have meaningful connections with. Those are complete wastes of your time and energy.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by all the things you are doing, know that it is okay to cut back.

Our society has normalized the “busy from when I wake up to when I go to sleep” lifestyle. Just think of all those extracurriculars you did in high school just because you knew they would look good on college applications. That kind of living doesn’t need to apply to your adult life. If it does not bring you any amount of joy, do not do it. But at the

same time, if you have a lot of things that you do enjoy, you can only stretch yourself so thin; you need to reevaluate these activities and only do those that also bring you the most value. You don’t need to be the person who does everything, you only need to be the person who does what they love to do.

The same thing can be said for relationships. You should spend the most time with people who bring value to your life. Do they make you happy? Do you have deep and meaningful conversations?

Do they motivate you and push you to be a better person? Do you want the same things out of life?

Relationships take time and investment, so you want to make sure you’re devoting your time and energy to the people who are going to help you get the most out of life.

We’ve all heard the saying “less is more.” I don’t want to say that is true for everybody, but what is true is that everyone needs take a step back every once in a while, and analyze what they actually need in their life, be it things, activities, or people.

Quite often, we realize we are holding on to way more than we actually need. And when we live with intention, we find what is just right.

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Something Borrowed When it comes to jewelry, all that glitters is certainly not gold

by H E L E N A M A D D E N

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We encourage DIY in all things—after all, stitching something together rather than buying it oftentimes will cut your carbon footprint down a size (or two). But if you’ve found yourself strapped for time and craving good drop earrings or a set of beads, we’d recommend upcycled jewelry. Why? In many cases, the mining of precious metals and gems inherently harms the earth. On the more industrial end of the spectrum, it can generate harmful waste, dumping a toxic cocktail of cyanide and heavy metals right into Mother Nature’s lap. Sound like bad news? Then here’s a few of our favorite upcycled pieces. Each one utilizes pre-existing materials in order to cut down their environmental impact. Plus, they look pretty good while doing it.

For the record

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Put your records on if you must, but consider what will happen after you’re through taking them for a spin. The term vinyl is actually short for polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, a plastic made from crude oil—both harmful to make, and almost impossible to recycle. Thankfully, this necklace works to remedy the conundrum, while still showing off your love for all things analog. ($24, lescreationsdana.com)

Gotta spare?

Tire inner tubes are typically made of rubber or latex, both of which, in most cases, are synthetic, resulting in a negative environmental impact.

Thankfully, many manufacturers have introduced recycling programs to remedy this, breaking down the materials and incorporating them into basketball courts, shoes, and other items. In this cuff, the inner tube is cut, and holes are punched into it to create a fun, wearable design that’s also quite sustainable. ($28.79, rekrea on Etsy)

Plastic, it’s fantastic

At first glance, this cuff could easily be mistaken for a strip of lapis. In reality, it’s composed of recycled plastics found on the beach, made to shimmer like a precious gem with bio resin. Who would’ve thought salvaged plastic could look so beautiful? ($100, lagarzabermuda.com) 5

Through the glass

Handmade in Ghana, these recycled glass beads are striking in their white opacity and are made by crushing previously used glass into tiny bits, placing the dust into a mold, and firing it. The materials can be from anywhere—be it old-school cola bottles or broken windowpanes. ($8, thebeadchest.com)

Piece by piece

It goes without saying that you should recycle paper at home. What might not be as obvious is that you can also reuse it—for earrings.

These come in a fun puzzle piece shape, and are available in gold, black, green, and purple, as well as the pink iteration shown here. ($24.26, paperrosecrafts.com)

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in-house and by hand with low impact, water-based inks. And both the fabrics they use and the clothing they produce are made in conditions that support people and the planet. We spoke with its founder Milena MarchettiKozlov about the unique process behind each design.

S: WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE BRAND?

Our inspiration is based on our philosophy: truly beautiful things make a difference. We are actively committed to using only materials that cause no harm to the planet or the people that produce it. We believe that beautiful pieces cannot sacrifice the wellbeing of the people who make those garments. But, at the same time, we are also driven to show that sustainable and ethical fashion can be bold and vibrant. Our capsule collection is a mix of classic, trans-seasonal silhouettes and unique textile art and solids.

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Going Beyond

Milena MarchettiKozlov's brand Marchetti Sustainable goes beyond labels, standards, and genders Sometimes in fashion, sustainability can seem like an afterthought. Not for Marchetti Sustainable; it’s part of its core. Marchetti makes genderless ready-to-wear exclusively from sustainable fabrics in Guadalajara, México. The brand’s signature textile art is done entirely

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S: SUSTAINABILITY IS ENGRAINED IN THE CULTURE OF MARCHETTI. WHAT SUSTAINABLE ASPECTS DO YOU IMPLEMENT IN YOUR BRAND AND WHY WAS THIS IMPORTANT TO YOU?

When Marchetti was in its earliest stages, we struggled to define precisely what sustainability meant to us. We decided that if we were going to be bringing new clothing into the world, we had to do it in the most sustainable and ethical way possible. For this reason, it was extremely important to know exactly how our fabrics were made and the working conditions provided for those who made them. To us, slow fashion and sustainable fashion must begin with the raw materials used to make the garments. Materials matter.

M:

From our use of GOTS-certified and other recycled or organic fabrics to our commitment to fair compensation to all team members to the entire design process and our adaptable pieces, we do our absolute best to have a positive impact on both people and the planet.

S: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE UNIQUE STRUGGLES YOU HAVE AS A SUSTAINABLE BRAND?

Being a more conscious consumer in this day and age is extremely complex. Convincing people that they need to get rid of their wardrobe and only purchase our GOTS capsule collection is far from our goal. We believe in a balance of thrifted clothing, sustainable brands, and working with what you already have. Asking people to wear one of our statement pieces with what they M:

already have in their closet can cause confusion for some customers. When basics need to be replaced, we hope you will think of us. Until then, we hope you will use what you already have.

Having a genderless collection is our first small step towards reaching as many people as possible.

S: YOUR PRINTS ARE SO UNIQUE. TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT GOES INTO

S: YOUR COLLECTION IS ALSO GENDER NEUTRAL.

CREATING THEM.

WHY WAS THIS ALSO SOMETHING YOU WANTED

M:

TO INCORPORATE INTO YOUR BRAND? M : When we are asked the question: “Why gender neutral?” our response is “Why not?”

Fashion is extremely powerful. It is meant to be about freedom, expression, and empowerment for all.

"Our inspiration is based on our philosophy: truly beautiful things make a difference."

Our prints are a labor of love in many ways. Maria Palos and I are the two-woman textile team behind Marchetti’s hand-printed and -painted pieces. Our inspiration comes from so many places and painting the fabric is one of my absolute favorite parts of the design process. I see it as my way of putting a unique mark on each and every piece. It can take up to four hours to paint the fabric needed to make just one garment, and I really think you can see how much love goes into the process.

S: WHAT'S IN THE FUTURE FOR MARCHETTI?

I would love to know the answer to this question!

What I can say is that we are extremely grateful for the response we have gotten and are hoping to continue doing what we are doing. Currently, we’re working hard to have more inclusive sizing, and a few other very exciting things.

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THIS PAGE:

Anjuli wears Maria Maurio top and Christy Dawn skirt.

OPPOSITE PAGE:

Despina wears Maria Maurio scarf and Reformation dress.

Beauty in

Under the gaze of the slowly setting sun and doused in effortless silhouettes tranquility takes over drop by drop. photographed by B R A N D O N C O B I A N

Repose 17

Alexis wears Ni.nĂŞh top, vintage Rialto pants from Salvation Army, and Mejuri ring.

ABOVE:

Despina wears Ahniko jacket and Christy Dawn jacket.

RIGHT:

Despina wears Maria Maurio scarf.

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LEFT:

Anjuli wears Christy Dawn dress.

BELOW:

Alexis wears Ni.nĂŞh top, vintage Rialto pants from Salvation Army, and Mejuri ring.

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Are fashion brands actually becoming more sustainable, or is it just greenwashing?

by A L E X I S M C D O N E L L

Over the past year or two sustainability has become a buzzword in the fashion industry (well, really everywhere, but we’re just going to look at fashion here). As ecoactivism has risen across the globe, consumers have started to express their concerns over where their clothes are coming from, what they’re made of, and how they’re made. According to a 2019 McKinsey & Co. study, online searches for “sustainable fashion” tripled between 2016 and 2019. And according to Nielsen’s 2015 Global Corporate Sustainability Report, 66 percent of consumers would spend more on a product if it comes from a sustainable brand.

As a result, brands have been touting new sustainable fabrics or dedicating themselves to

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becoming carbon neutral left and right. But are they really living up to their claims, or are they just greenwashing to increase sales?

First, let’s actually define greenwashing. Environmental activist Jay Westervelt coined the term in a 1986 essay after noting that hotels encouraged guests to reuse their towels supposedly to “save the environment,” while, in most cases, making little or no effort toward reducing energy waste or making any significant positive impact to the environment.

Broadly speaking, greenwashing is a deceptive marketing technique where companies use misleading or false claims to promote themselves as “green” when their actions prove differently or exaggerate their true benefits to the environment.

In some cases, greenwashing is unintentional and results from a lack of knowledge about what sustainability truly is. However, in most cases, brands are using the label “sustainable” to distract from or cover up their other unsustainable practices.

Christie Miedema, campaign coordinator of Dutch-based Clean Clothes Campaign, told Fashion United that brands have become experts in “eco messaging” with “one-off collections or clever initiatives to make it look like they are doing something” without actually making significant or systemic changes to their operations.

For example, both Zara and H&M have their own “sustainable” lines of clothing, called #JoinLife and Conscious collections, respectively. Both are also fast fashion brands. So while people will applaud their sustainable efforts, their businesses are built on a fast

turnover of styles, don’t disclose pertinent information about their factories, have worker’s rights violations on record, and are known for low-end (essentially “disposable”) garments. Making a supplementary line that is “sustainable” doesn’t negate their essence and business strategy. Their sustainable efforts are shallow and for marketing purposes to pacify consumers and casual sustainable supporters. In the end, these tactics just end up being tacked on top of everything they normally do with no lasting or tangible impact.

Another big trend is for companies to buy carbon offsets to negate their carbon emissions. While offsets are indeed important because they provide funding for sustainable initiatives, organizations, and projects, they don’t do anything to reduce the emissions companies currently make. It is far more important and impactful to support companies that are trying to reduce their emissions, while also buying offsets.

Leading eco-friendly companies will integrate sustainability into everything they do—not just one collection or a handful of pieces. They will integrate sustainability into every aspect of their company, from the energy usage and waste at their headquarters to design practices, manufacturing, shipping, sales, etc. If these practices are not in place already, they commit to having sustainable practices in the future, setting goals that can be backed by science. They measure and are committed to reducing environmental impacts every year and they share these goals publicly. And then they back up their promises with actions.

Most companies, on the other hand, “will only invest in sustainability when sustainability is driving efficiency,”

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Elizabeth Cline, author of “The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good” and a well-known fashion journalist, told Greenbiz.

In McKinsey & Co.’s study, half of the industry players stated they want at least half of their products to be made with sustainable materials by 2025. But at the same time, companies face issues such as the cost and availability of sustainable materials, cost of research for developing more sustainable practices, and so on.

So, where do we go from here?

The first big hurdle is transparency. Brands need to be explicit about all their practices in every part of their supply chain. If a brand claims to be using “more sustainablysourced cotton,” for example, that phrase, “sustainablysourced,” alone cannot be enough.

Instead brands need to detail what makes this sourcing more sustainable, and provide a collection of data to hold them accountable for the sustainability claims they make.

One way to provide this accountability is through a comprehensive certification program across the fashion industry. One common thread among brands that are pioneers in the sustainable space is they are certified companies or use certified materials. For example, they use cotton that meets the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) or Oeko-Tex Standard. They are members of the Fairwear Foundation or a Certified B Corporation, or their products have a Cradle 2 Cradle certification. These are just a few common certification programs that are proven effective that deliver a dramatic and positive impact to fashion companies sustainability results.

A further step would be to create a guideline that brands must follow to be considered sustainable–essentially a checklist that brands must tick all the boxes in order to get sustainability creds. One reason why greenwashing is such an issue is that there isn’t an explicit definition for sustainable fashion and there isn’t a common set of standards for companies to abide by. By making the criteria clear, information will become transparent to consumers as to companies true sustainable practices. And by having a set criteria, the industry may even be able to be regulated

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in the same way that the FDA regulates the food industry—certain fabrics won’t be allowed, brands can only make sustainable claims unless they prove that it’s made with renewable resources, etc.

The United Nations does already have what are called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which many eco-conscious brands look at when trying to decide what sustainable tactics to implement into their supply chain. And then there are retailers such as Fashionkind, which only carries ethical and sustainable brands that must meet its own strict set of criteria, and brands like Endless Clothing Supply Co., which has its own Brand Sustainability Maturity Model (available on its website, too, so other brands can use it as a tool), and lands in the “leading” category for almost all sustainable criteria. But the fact still remains: there are no universal standards.

At the same time, we can’t put the full responsibility on these brands in the fashion industry alone. We, as consumers, have a large role to play, too. One of the biggest problems in the fashion industry is that there are just too many articles of clothing out there. And that is due to overconsumption. If we call brands out and refuse to buy from them unless they become accountable and implement sustainable practices, we should be able to make some change ourselves. Because companies are driven by profits, once we put our money where our mouths are, they might actually do the same.

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Pretty Ugly

Fashion's Contribution to Pollution & Climate Change

by A N J U L I R A M O S B U S O T

When you think of pollution and climate change, the first thing that tends to come to mind is the oil, automotive, or plastics industries. There is so much documented data on and awareness of these big polluters, it is almost impossible not to think of them. But what if I told you that your beautifully curated closet also plays a big role in pollution and climate change? Yes, that closet of yours that shows off your individuality and allows for self-expression, but also carefully incorporates you into trend and society.

This is certainly hard to grasp. Air, water, soil and people were compromised to make each item of clothing in your wardrobe In fact, the fashion industry as a whole is responsible for a great deal of pollution, and due to its lack of transparency, consumers are blindfolded to all of it. In some cases, the globalized complexity and intricate supply chains connected to the oil, petrochemical, agricultural, manufacturing, and shipping industries make it impossible for even the fashion brands to know their own impact.

To elaborate, let me take you through each of its moving parts, one by one. It starts with the creation of the fabric, then the dyeing and treating of that fabric; later the construction of the piece, the placement at a store or warehouse for purchase; its use and washing, then to its end-of-life. Let us not forget that there is transportation, logistics and packaging between most, if not all, of these steps. Every one of these steps contributes to pollution and climate change.

A report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation states that textile production generates 1.2 billion tons of CO2 equivalent per year. Out of that textile production, 60% is used for

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Ugly Pretty clothing production. As we all know the majority of our clothes are made in countries that rely heavily on coal, like India and China. It has been estimated that up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the fashion industry; that is about the same as the total impact from the aviation sector. The World Bank estimates that 20% of industrial wastewater pollution worldwide originates from the textiles industry. Each year the world uses 1.3 trillion gallons of water just for fabric dyeing, and 43 million tons of chemicals to produce textiles. Unfortunately, due to the inefficiencies in the dyeing and finishing processes, 200,000 tons of dyes (worth $1 billion) are lost to effluents every year.

Every fiber has its own different carbon footprint as well. Cotton, a natural fiber, accounts for around 33% of all fibers found in textiles. In order to create one cotton shirt you need around 700 gallons of water, and its farming requires high volumes of fertilizers and pesticides (unless farmed organically). However, in terms of carbon footprint, synthetic fibers like polyester have a much larger impact. A polyester shirt has more than double the carbon footprint of a cotton shirt. Polyester production for textiles released about 1.5 trillion pounds of CO2 in 2015, the equivalent of 185 coal power plants annual emissions. On the consumer end, our washing of clothes releases half a million tons of microfibers (microplastics) into the ocean every year, equivalent to more than 50 billion plastic bottles. While all clothing sheds fibers when washed, synthetic fibers like polyester don’t biodegrade. Microplastic pollution is so severe that it has even been found in seafood, drinking water, beer, honey and sugar. It is estimated that more than 22 million metric tons of microplastics will enter the

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"The irony: an industry that relies on beautiful and innovative design is itself very poorly designed." ocean between 2015 and 2050 as demand for clothes rises.

Currently, the fashion industry operates in a linear design–the product is created, used and thrown away. Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that

$500 billion is lost every year due to clothing that is barely worn and rarely recycled. Less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing. The irony: an industry that relies on beautiful and innovative design is itself so very poorly designed. Synthetic materials such as acrylic, nylon and polyester (petroleum-based) could take many hundreds of years to fully decompose, generating more CO2 emissions. And while natural fibers are arguably better, they still have a similar decomposition process to food which produces methane emissions.

With the rise of fast fashion (quicker turnaround of new styles and often lower prices) and clothing consumption over the past decade, it has been estimated that there are 20 new pieces of clothing manufactured per person each year. According to the World Resources Institute we are buying 60% more than we were in 2000. Worldwide, clothing utilization—the average number of times a piece is worn before it ceases to be used—has decreased by

36% compared to 15 years ago. In the U.S., clothes are worn only for approximately a quarter of the global average, and 84% of discarded clothes wind up in an incinerator or landfill.

Many consumers, however, have found ways to continue the lifespan of clothing and accessories by mending or repurposing, reselling, donating and recycling. These are all smart ways of contributing to less waste and emissions.

There is, however, much more to be done for these alternatives to truly work. There is forthcoming evidence that donating clothing is currently a failing system, as all donations do not make it to the indended recipients, and the overflowing weight of donations far too often just ends up in a landfill, many times in the country the donated clothes were shipped to and intended to help.

When it comes to recycling, the challenge is even more difficult. As of now, the recycling of clothing is a science and design problem. The majority of our clothing is created with blends of fabrics, to which some portions are recyclable and others not. Have you noticed the infamous 2% elastane in your jeans? Some of these blends are impossible to be

broken apart, therefore making the piece unrecyclable.

Various large fashion brands have initiated recycling programs to reduce the waste, however this does not suffice the continuous over-consumption of resources to make raw materials and new products. The solution of course is in the re-use of materials of the already used product. This is the premise of circular design. Circular fashion is the future of the textile and fashion industries.

Otherwise there will not be enough resources in this world or allowable carbon emissions (carbon budget) to sustain the business of fashion with the growing world population and developing economies.

As a scientist, I can tell you, the fashion industry needs to adapt and change fast, but we need to change our mindsets and our ways of consuming fashion faster.

Society thinks and acts, business will follow.

SOURCES: ELLEN MACARTHUR FOUNDATION (2017), WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE (2019 AND 2017), AND CARBON TRUST (2018).

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Put it in (carbon) neutral?

Why fashion brands are buying carbon offsets and what it really means

by D E S P I N A P A R T H E M O S

Declaring your company carbon neutral has been the cherry on top for a plethora of small-scale already sustainable-minded brands. Reformation has called themselves climate neutral since 2015 and luxury fashion houses, like Gucci, have begun to enter the mix, now realizing carbon neutrality makes for good PR. There are a few ways to achieve carbon neutrality for businesses. Most commonly, it is achieved through the purchase of carbon offsets—essentially

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"Carbon neutrality is an important aim, but so is what lies underneath it."

paying someone else to extract the amount of carbon a company emitted from the atmosphere.

Thus, negating their emissions and essentially “cleaning-up” after themselves.

While this is not the only method, it is the easiest and can be replicated on an individual level as well. For example, say a man takes a flight from Los Angeles to Hawaii, and he calculated the round trip to amount to roughly 0.78 tons of carbon. He can then purchase $6.18 worth of offsets to negate his carbon footprint for the flight (there are many carbon calculators available online to help you do this).

But the offset business has come under a lot of fire. Environmental critics have accused carbon neutral companies of “greenwashing,” arguing that the purchase of offsets does nothing to encourage brands to reduce their gross emissions. Instead, offsets just allow companies and consumers to feel a little bit better about it. The whole industry is also notoriously unreliable when it comes to its bookkeeping. A well-meaning brand could believe themselves to be carbon neutral, but in reality, they have only reduced their emissions by half, at best.

This becomes an incredibly frustrating enterprise for companies and consumers alike, especially those that are true sustainability advocates.

Some of the most popular (and cheapest) offset

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programs involve planting trees. Surprisingly, something as simple as this poses a huge risk. “There has not been one [forest offsetting project] that we have found that has been able to provide the long-term, verifiable emissions reductions without [negative] human rights impacts,” Greenpeace’s Dr. Moas confessed during an interview with Fashionista, “Not one.”

Forest offsetting projects have a permeance and additionality problem. The forest you are paying to protect could burn down, consequently negating its permanent value. Furthermore, it’s incredibly possible the forest you are paying to protect was never in any danger of being cut down, thus the additionality of your investment was negated, and trees were cut down somewhere else instead making the environmental project essentially worthless.

All of this has given the offset business a bad name.

Amazingly, they have still come a long way from where they were 10 years ago. When carbon offsets were a shiny new investment prospect, some companies were discovered to be lying to their investors, taking people’s money without lifting a finger to invest it in impactful projects.

As for the guy on the plane, it will come as no surprise that personal offsets have been criticized as well. For the most part, personal offsets play on individual guilt and reduce the desire for real and lasting low carbon alternatives.

So, with all this negative information, it might surprise you when I say offsets shouldn’t be written off completely. If nothing else, they do encourage conservation efforts and can become a steppingstone for more permanent solutions. While it is better not to emit in the first place, if a company is going to release carbon into the atmosphere through air travel and shipping, it’s better to try and clean it up.

A lot of companies have used the unreliability of offsets as a reason not to invest in them or any other carbon reducing methods for that matter, but this is

not a good justification. This is just a bad excuse. Other methods that have proven effective include switching to renewable energy, transitioning the office staff to fair-trade coffee, and using 100% recycled or minimal packaging. These programs have lasting impacts.

Increasingly, regulation programs are put in place to help offset the negative offsets. With consumer awareness on the rise, fraudulent and dishonest companies are disappearing. There is still much work to be done when it comes to fixing the books (like transparency of financial investments and impacts), but if a brand wants a more reliable offset, they should consider investing in projects that focus on community involvement. It might not be as “exciting” as planting trees, but they will have a far greater and more enduring impact.

When communities are incorporated into conservation efforts, it creates new and critically needed employment while promoting environmental and wildlife preservation.

These projects can provide farmers and landowners with crucial funding to help them become more climate friendly.

Many offset companies now involve third-party overseers, so you can make a more informed decision when purchasing your own offsets. Even though it’s better to commit to a low-carbon lifestyle, some things can’t be avoided and any little bit for the planet certainly helps.

“Carbon neutrality is an important aim, but so is what lies underneath it,” Katherine Kremer, Christian Aid’s Global Lead on Climate Change, tells Refinery29. “We need to consume less, and more efficiently. In a fashion context, that may mean buying better-quality and wearing it for longer.”

Climate change and pollution aren’t going to be negated by carbon offsets, not at all. It is, however, a step in the right direction. With a little more care and thought, their impact could be much greater. With time, they will lead us to perpetually greener commercial standards. And truthfully, this is something we desperately need.

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Filling the blank canvas

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How The Canvas

by Querencia is changing the sustainable fashion retail landscape

by A L E X I S M C D O N E L L + ANJULI RAMOS BUSOT

Bowery. Williamsburg. Antwerp. Two New York City neighborhoods and a city all the way across the ocean with completely different energies and style. So, what do these three places have in common? Aside for being places of innovation, where change is always possible, they have The Canvas by Querencia, a marketplace for international brands working to address the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The Canvas started as a fashion brand itself, called Querencia Studio. After its founders, Tegan Maxy and Devin Gilmartin, introduced through The Island School, realized that together there was potential for an impactful project, Querencia Studio was born in 2016. Its mission: to introduce an alternative option for clothing that did not sacrifice sustainability for aesthetics, or vice versa.

Soon after, they realized that there was an opportunity for more. “As we took on various opportunities for exposure and sales via pop-ups and installations, in New York City and around the world, we took note of the challenges we faced and considered how we might be able to address them as a small business with a rapidly growing network

of like-minded individuals and partners,” Gilmartin explains.

"We see the future of The Canvas as one that provides a blank slate for people and businesses determined to change the world."

One of their main observations was the shocking amount of vacant retail spaces. “These were stunning places, sitting empty and doing little to contribute to the vibrancy and cultures by which they were surrounded,” he notes.

Gilmartin and Maxy considered ways to activate these spaces in collaboration with landlords, so they began to pitch revenue share agreements. They started in the Upper East Side of Manhattan in collaboration with Hunter College, and now in their long-term locations in Williamsburg and Antwerp, Belgium.

And this was how The Canvas, the store, started.

In June 2018, The Canvas occupied space in the former Hunter College bookstore. The school has a thriving arts program and hundreds of creative students, but no official

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fashion program. Gilmartin and Maxy saw this as an opportunity to do something unique by bringing a hub of fashion and collaboration to the college through a space that was formerly a textbook store.

Since then, the Canvas’ mission has evolved but its core driver has remained: to reimagine what retail can be in a time where in-store experiences do not provide an adequate connection between the brand and the guest.

The founders want to address the retail vacancy problem while supporting the rising sustainable brands of the world. Gilmartin explains, “This will allow us to lower the financial barriers associated with bringing products to a market like New York City, while simultaneously raising the sustainability standards.” They feel this is a way forward to also move the needle on ethical standards in fashion and design.

At the end of 2018, they launched their first separate

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retail location in one of Brooklyn’s hottest neighborhoods, Williamsburg. Since its opening, the duo has built a community of over 100 fashion, jewelry and cosmetic brands from around the world focused on sustainable and ethical processes and design. The criteria for entry to The Canvas are the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which serve as its framework for brand selection. “We encourage a focus on these goals by individual people, the media and governments around the world. Fashion is a medium for doing so, and we look to empower the efforts of our brands to be facilitators of change in this field,” Gilmartin adds.

With the success of their first location, a second location followed suit in Antwerp, which opened this past fall.

Gilmartin and Maxy saw there a similar opportunity as they did in New York. They connected with Kunstgezind, an art professional organization supporting a diverse community of artists, and MADE, an urban trend consultant and real

estate company, to make The Canvas Antwerp a reality. With now partners, Kunstgezind and MADE, and Steff Vermeesch leading the way as manager, The Canvas Antwerp is a hub for sustainable brands and art highlighting the UN Sustainability Goals.

And their success has led to travels all over the globe. Their journey has brought Gilmartin and Maxy to places from Bonn, Germany for a talk at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to Havana, Cuba for a runway show with Clandestina, a Cuba’s first independent sustainable fashion design studio.

“We’ve had the chance to meet people and create fruitful partnerships that continue to fuel our growth and optimism about fashion’s future,” Gilmartin explains. “To us, this is one of the most exciting fields in the world. Fashion sits at the crossroads of so many industries that require rapid change.

As a result, we find ourselves involved with projects beyond the realm of fashion, so there is never a dull moment for us.”

In the coming months, they will be launching their third location on Bowery in Manhattan. It will take up the former space of the International Center for Photography. The Canvas Bowery will be very unique and different than their other spaces. It will have an emphasis on process and storytelling, and its layout will be tailored to education and experiences.

So, where to next? That part may still be undecided, but the future of The Canvas is clear: it strives to compete directly with the largest companies in the world by providing a sustainable and ethical alternative to the fast fashion

business model, without sacrificing the convenience and style that comes with their approach. Gilmartin and Maxy believe the best way to take on the conglomerates of fast fashion is to bring in the brands making a real difference, whether through their design or supply chain process, and foster their growth in key areas. They do this by providing a full-service marketplace to bring their products to the world in cities like New York and Antwerp, and then surrounding them with activations including everything from SoFar Sounds concerts to popups with Google Cuba and The Economist. Their mission is to be a hub for the emerging brands of the world.

Gilmartin and Maxy are confident that with the growing demand for more information pertaining to a brand’s supply chain, and an increasing awareness of fashion’s impact on the environment, this effort will be one that will push the industry to a reinvention. “We see the future of The Canvas as one that provides a blank slate for people and businesses determined to change the world.”

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Are Fashion Schools Encouraging Sustainability?

How NYC's Fashion Institute of Technology Measures Up

by D E S P I N A P A R T H E M O S

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The fashion industry is rapidly evolving. With the increasing pressure due to consumer expectations concerning ethical and sustainable production, the next generation of fashion designers have their work cut out for them. Now more than ever, new and emerging designers are putting green practices at the foundation of their companies and various long-established brands have changed their business models to incorporate sustainability. This is no longer a trend; it is a new playing field, and the next wave of fashion designers have to be problem solvers as well as artists.

So, are fashion schools catching up to the new standard?

Students at The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City are currently undergoing a “greening” of the curriculum, and FIT is not alone. Fashion schools around the country are putting an increasing amount of funding into faculty and student-run

sustainability initiatives. The problem is many students feel universities’ efforts to push sustainability aren’t reaching expectations.

As a graduate of FIT myself, I can contend that sustainability was a hot topic of the collective student body and resided at the forefront of many individual collections. Sustainable practices were taken into consideration during the production process in countless student works, including my own, but the general response from professors was often the same: the incorporation of sustainability was nice, but not necessary.

This might be surprising to hear considering FIT has recently been the host of numerous sustainability conferences, clothing swaps, and environmental activist groups. The university was also the first in the city to reach Bloomberg’s 2010 New York City Carbon Challenge goal, reducing its carbon emissions by over 50%.

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During the last eight years they have installed green roofs (which host a natural dye garden), solar panels, and additional energy efficient equipment to further reduce their footprint. Sustainable practices have become a prerogative of fashion schools all over the world, but when it comes to the curriculum, sustainability is still mostly juiced in each school’s extracurriculars.

“Sustainability has to be at the forefront of everything you do. Too many brands still look upon sustainability as trend analysis. But it is not a trend anymore, it’s a

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necessity,” says Jayanti Tiwari, a senior in FIT’s Fashion Design program and finalist for the prestigious Liz Claiborne Award, an award given to students that showcases innovation and implement sustainable practices in their process.

“I’m surprised to see this same attitude is still in a lot of our professors—the university and the industry need a mentality change. The ones who are the readiest for that change are the students. We shouldn’t be seen just as designers; we are also innovators,” she retorts.

It’s true that FIT students have really powered through the changing times. They have founded their own Sustainable Design Club along with other projects.

One being the Muslin Composting Program, which provides organic materials for their rooftop dye garden.

Something, Tiwari notes, unbelievably, most students don’t even know about.

“You have all been trained as designers first,” notes one FIT professor, who wishes to remain anonymous.

“Change has to come from the students and partly from a new faculty. The students are pushing for change. One major that really needs sustainability in the curriculum is the Textile Design major, but as of right now, I don’t believe there is any.”

Universities don’t want students to feel they are on their own when navigating the new expectations of the industry, but not all emerging designers have been given the chance to really experiment with this new playing field. Every new designer has the potential to change the industry. So hopefully, the demands of the students will push fashion universities to become “green” all over and encourage every step to be a step forward.

When asked if she felt FIT’s curriculum has prepared her for the demands of a changing industry, Tiwari’s instant reply was, “No.” The “greening” of the curriculum so far has mostly been adding courses to their new sustainability focused minor. “We have the Ethics and Sustainability Minor and that’s great, but it’s not the same as a full curriculum change. Not everyone who is interested can fit it into their schedule while studying here full time,” she says.

“I come from India,” Tiwari continues, “and I have seen firsthand the effects of hazardous dyes on the children who play around open drains. We have many international students who can say the same, and it is really a privilege to have seen this because it becomes a self-motivator. Most people in the U.S. will never see these things personally, and there is a lot of misinformation out there. There are some students who go beyond their comfort level to actively seek out more information because they are interested, and the topic of sustainability isn’t as integrated into the curriculum as it should be. The first place we should be getting that information from is our school.”

Understandably, change takes time. While FIT has encouraged sustainability and has even enforced mandatory student design projects with a focus on circular fashion, full curriculum integration hasn’t arrived yet.

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A Fresh Gaze Plush petals, pastels, and pearls are what you'll find forever-blooming amongst our own secret garden. photographed by B R A N D O N C O B I A N

LEFT TO RIGHT:

Anjuli wears Ni.nêh top and skirt, and Alajas ring; Gi wears Pamplemousse top and Ni.nêh skirt; Helena wears vintage hand-me-down Undercover Wear bralette, Christina Yother Designs pants, and Alajas jewelry; Alexis wears Christina Yother Designs top and shorts, and Alajas necklace; Despina wears Ni.nêh dress and Alajas earrings.

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THIS PAGE:

Gi wears a Christina Yother dress and Alajas earrings OPPOSITE PAGE:

Despina wears a Ni.nĂŞh top, Vitamin A hat, Mejuri necklace and earrings, and Alajas bangles.

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Helena wears vintage hand-me-down Undercover Wear bralette, and Alajas earrings and necklace.

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Anjuli wears Ni.nĂŞh top and skirt, and Alajas earrings and ring.

LEFT:

Alexis wears Christina Yother Designs top and shorts, and Alajas necklace.

BELOW:

Helena wears vintage hand-medown Undercover Wear bralette, Christina Yother Designs pants, and Alajas jewelry.

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Into the

Anjuli wears Reformation dress.

Woods

Nestled within the trees and greenery in the Ford Foundation Atrium we embrace simplicity and our call to the wild. photographed by B R A N D O N C O B I A N

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THIS PAGE:

Viancey wears Reformation dress.

OPPOSITE PAGE:

Rachel wears a thrifted Moon Light dress from Loveday 31.

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Rachel wears thrifted Zara bodysuit from Unique Boutique Consignment and thrifted Levi’s jeans from Goodwill.

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TOP TO BOTTOM:

Anjuli wears Reformation dress; Rachel wears a thrifted Moon Light dress from Loveday 31; Alexis wears Reformation dress and Mighrman mules.

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Viancey wears Reformation dress.

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THE LOOK

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LOREN YELLOW CROSSBODY,

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Thank you.

SOPHRO WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HELP OF OUR MANY SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING:

Bret Senior Christina Gandy Chris & Evangelia Parthemos Daljit Kaur Izarys Rivera Jim & Ann McDonell Julie Wagner Kim Piwko Matthew & Holly McDonell Michalis Galanis Sheena Mahrle + THE MANY OTHERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO OUR KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN AND HELPED US GET THIS MAGAZINE OFF THE GROUND.

Buy less, choose well, make it last.

-VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

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