Common Threads #11
This week, Common Threads is guest edited by Erin Allweiss, Co-Founder of No. 29 Communications.
🗓️ Thursday, December 12th 2024
Hello! Welcome to our first ever guest editor edition of Common Threads. We thought it would be interesting to give you a look at how some of the leading voices in sustainable fashion consume their news. First up, we have Erin Allweiss. Erin is the Co-Founder of No. 29 Communications, one of the leading PR agencies for sustainable fashion brands. Erin’s worked with Mara Hoffman, Veja, Maria McManus and unspun :)
Take a read below to learn more on Erin’s POV on sustainable fashion and how she makes sure she’s getting a well rounded perspective on the news.
Photo by Sunny Shokrae
What are your go-to sources to get your news?
“I get my news from too many sources these days, and at times it feels impossible to keep up. I’m old school and still wake up to NPR, and read everything from The New Yorker and New York Times to Vogue, Fast Company, Business of Fashion, and more. I’ve also become a Substack junkie, and have my go-to podcasts. But my most beloved reads are from independent magazines: Atmos, Gossamer, Mother Tongue , Byline , Acacia and ONE Magazine. My substack stalwarts these days areThe Isolation Journals, Passerby, NEVERWORNS, News Not Noise, HEATED, After School, ShopRat, Magasin, J. Wortham Chasing, TUESDAYS - by Chantal, "Long Live" Substack, and more. Podcasts are for my political news. On The Media is brilliant, and a voice of sanity in these times. I’m listening to Ezra Klein, the New Yorker Radio Hour, Lit Up (which is more about writing), Design Matters, and A Thing or Two.”
What’s the best way to ensure that you’re getting a well-rounded picture of what’s going on in the world?
“Having friends who challenge my perspective in a constructive way is the most valuable thing. I have friends and colleagues from so many backgrounds, and it’s their resources and ideas—and seeing things from new angles—that really challenges me. We live in a time of extremes, and I’m very interested in finding people who are bridging ideas and ideologies, as these are the people who (I think) will creatively solve our greatest challenges.”
How do you think we can get more people to care about the impact of clothing production and their consumption of it?
It’s a multipronged challenge. First, there is the education piece, but there is also shifting the culture around shopping. One of my favorite examples of educating people about trash fashion was this Saturday Night Live skit with Jake Gyllenhaal (if people click on any link, I hope this is the one). It covers every issue, from the toxicity of materials used in garments to slave labor.
Vestiaire Collective is also tapping into culture to make preloved pieces chic, with a cameo on Emily in Paris (a show I admittedly abhor…but I did appreciate the writers centering second-hand). And I loved Vestiaire’s campaign to show what it would look like if clothing waste took over our cities and beloved landmarks.
I also think many of our challenges stem from social media, and a lack of—and desire for— community. There is an epidemic of loneliness, and so much of our lives are lived on devices where fast/trash fashion and the message of shop, shop, shop, and shop more is pushed nonstop via IG and TikTok. It all impacts how young people experience the world. People feel the pressure to wear new things all the time, and it’s notable that Australia just banned social media for anyone under 16. I was excited about this for many reasons, including the potential to reduce consumption.
Lastly, I do think people care about (and are more aware of) the impacts of fast fashion, but we need industry to be held accountable. In no world should a shirt cost $7 when orange juice costs the same, if not more. The industry needs a reckoning and consequences for its extractive practices.
What aspects of sustainability in fashion do you think are being overlooked by the industry or the media?
I don’t think people realize the extent and impact of brands’ overproduction. The Or Foundation has led the charge in showing the world how much waste is being sent to Ghana, home to the world's largest second-hand market and waste site. If more people see what is happening there—or in the factories where slave labor makes it possible to buy a $7 shirt—things would change. The Fashion Act, and legislation that would require fashion brands to be transparent and honest about their supply chains and production, is critical.
I also don’t think people make the connection between fast fashion and climate change. Trash fashion is responsible for between 4 and 8.6% of the world’s global greenhouse gas footprint. Left unchecked, this one industry will be responsible for more than a quarter of the world’s global carbon budget by 2050. There are currently no legally binding environmental standards for the industry. And new industry players like Shein and Temu are accelerating the impact of the industry.
How do you think the concept of 'sustainable fashion' has evolved over the last decade, and where do you see it heading next?
When I started working in sustainable fashion a decade ago, it was barely a term. People thought of sustainable fashion as equivalent to a burlap sack. But I give so much credit to the designers and design teams who worked hard to create beautiful products without harm to people or the planet: Mara Hoffman, VEJA, Maria Cornejo, Baserange, and others. It’s a massive shift. If anything, because sustainable fashion is more in vogue, we’ve seen greenwashing increase, so that’s the thing to look out for these days.
What role do you think technology plays in shaping a more sustainable future for fashion?
Technology is critical in the fight against trash fashion. It has the potential to offer end-of-life solutions by recycling fibers; make supply chains more efficient and less carbon intensive; create on-demand garments; eliminate and clean up waste; and even help track who the biggest polluters are. We need to invest in technologies, but the potential for technology to remedy the worst impacts of fast fashion shouldn't be an excuse for brands to keep overproducing and using toxic materials. So we need policy and technology to work hand-in-hand.
What are two sustainability articles that have stuck with you that you think everyone should read? These can be from any date
Sarah Kent does brilliant reporting at Business of Fashion, and this one really stuck with me: What Will Happen to Fashion If the World Misses Its Climate Targets?
Esha Chhabra is one of my favorite writers, and her book on regenerative business is a must read. I go back to her early piece on trash/fast fashion in the Washington Post: The Dirty Secret About Your Clothes
What are 3-4 articles you read recently that you think people should read?
The End of Denial, New York Magazine
How Brazil Recycling Co-ops Are Helping Turn Plastic Waste Into Shoes, TIME
Reasons to Love New York, NY Mag
Costco Has a Magazine and it’s Thriving, New York Times
That’s it for now! Have someone in mind you think we should feature? Send us ideas! Until next week 🤙
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