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The never-ending life cycle of our clothes: how technology, innovation and sustainability have come together to expand the lifetime of our clothes
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The never-ending life cycle of our clothes: how technology, innovation and sustainability have come together to expand the lifetime of our clothes
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Content
THE NEVER-ENDING LIFE CYCLE OF OUR CLOTHES: HOW TECHNOLOGY,
INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY HAVE COME TOGETHER TO EXPAND THE
LIFETIME OF OUR CLOTHES
by
Michelle Luczo
A Thesis Presentation to the
FACULTY OF THE
USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL FOR COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM (THE ARTS)
December 2021
Copyright 2021 Michelle Luczo
ii
Acknowledgements
A big thank you to everyone who taught me so much this year.
Thank you to my thesis committee -- Sandy Tolan, Sasha Anawalt and Mary Traester -- for
always challenging me to do more, supporting my work and inspiring me to be better. Learning
from you all has been a once in a lifetime experience.
To Chetna Prajapati, the wonderful textile researcher who taught me so much about the amazing
world of textiles and sparked my interest in this topic to begin with, thank you. I am so excited to
keep learning more.
To my lovely roommates Anne and Esmee, who heard me talk about my thesis for over a year,
thank you for always listening.
And of course, to my amazing cohort -- who I could not have asked for better peers to help me
grow into the journalist I am today. Without your support daily, this experience would be
completely different and to have you all by my side each step of the way has meant the world to
me so thank you.
iii
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………….……………ii
Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………………iii
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………...…iv
The Fashion Industry Can Save Us………………………………………………………………..1
Societal Pressure…………………………………………….…………………………………….3
Buy Less……………………………………………………...……………………………………5
Does Sustainability in Fashion Create an Unsustainable Economy?………………...……………8
Blend Meaning and Recycling………………………………………………...…………………10
Trends and Cyclability…………………………………………………...………………………11
Repurposing…………………………………………………………………...…………………13
Mushroom …………………………………………………………………….…………………18
The Now……………………………………………………………………….…………………20
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………..……24
iv
Abstract
In this piece of work, sustainable fashion practices are investigated in order to understand what
brands and companies are doing to practice sustainability while still creating clothes to be sold to
the consumer. With the fashion industry creating one of the largest negative impacts on the
planet out of any industry, a change needs to occur in order for our planet to be saved and the
fashion industry holds that power. As the impact of the fashion industry on the environment
becomes more prevalent, companies are changing the way they produce and market their clothes.
They are doing so by creating a change in societal expectations, materials and technologies used
and envisioning the clothes to be recycled in new ways as time goes on to contribute to a circular
economy. The new technologies that are being discovered and used today are still in their
beginning stages, but as they advance and sustainable efforts become common practice, they
could become the new standard practice in years to come.
1
The Fashion Industry Can Save Us
California blue skies are turning red
1
, the Mississippi River’s flow has been reversed due to
Louisiana’s Hurricane Ida
2
, megadroughts are reducing water levels across lakes and reservoirs
in the West
3
, and just this year, there has been an estimated 579,614 acres already burned in
California up until August
4
.
In order for us to survive these drastic changes in our environment, we’re going to need all
hands-on deck. Governments, citizens, businesses, and industries need to make major changes.
And one of those industries that can make a major impact that can potentially save us is the
fashion industry.
Patagonia, We are Hah, Reformation, Louis Vuitton and many other fashion brands have made
public commitments
5
, pledging to sustainability goals for now and the future of their company.
Louis Vuitton has public sustainability commitments on their website committing to a more
circular economy in order to “extend the sustainability of their products.” Some of their
1
Fareeha Rehman, “Why the Sun and Sky Are Orange in the Bay Area: Photos,” KRON4 (KRON4, August 18,
2021), https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/why-the-sun-and-sky-is-orange-in-the-bay-area-photos/.
2
John Bacon and Andrew J. Yawn, “'We Will Get through THIS Together': EXPLOSIVE Hurricane Ida Makes
Landfall ALONG Louisiana Coast as Category 4 MONSTER,” USA Today (Gannett Satellite Information Network,
August 29, 2021), https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/08/29/hurricane-ida-takes-aim-louisiana-
coast/5641741001/.
3
Brad Plumer and Henry Fountain, “A Hotter Future Is Certain, Climate Panel Warns. but How Hot Is Up to Us.,”
The New York Times (The New York Times, August 9, 2021),
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/09/climate/climate-change-report-ipcc-un.html.
4
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), “2021 Incident Archive,” Cal Fire Department
of Forestry and Fire Protection, 2021, https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2021/.
5
“Environmental Activism,” Patagonia (Patagonia), accessed September 8, 2021,
https://www.patagonia.com/activism/.
2
commitments are “100% of event & window materials reused or recycled by 2025,”
6
“100%
responsibly sourced raw materials by 2025,” and “0% single-use plastic by 2030.”
7
These types of public pledges not only allow consumers to align their values with the brands they
purchase from, but also create social pressure for other brands to do the same.
And some of that advice seems to contradict the very idea of fashion, and of capitalism itself:
buy less.
Levi’s is one of the most popular denim brands across the globe and has a message for its
consumers. “Don’t throw away your Levi’s.”
8
As an act towards sustainability, they’re pushing
for their customers to bring their old Levi’s to their stores so Levi’s can recycle them or donate
their jeans to a secondhand shop to combat clothes ending up in landfills.
“The jeans are then either sold, or Levi’s use them to make something else. If they can’t be
resold, we donate them to either a women’s shelter or homeless shelter,” explains a Levi’s sales
associate at their Irvine Spectrum store. “There’s an incentive to donate them because the
customer gets an egift card which can be used at other Levi’s stores.”
6
Louis Vuitton, “Committing to Circular Creativity,” LOUIS VUITTON (Louis Vuitton, September 12, 2020),
https://eu.louisvuitton.com/eng-e1/magazine/articles/committing-to-circular-creativity-2020#.
7
Louis Vuitton, “Sourcing Responsibly,” LOUIS VUITTON (Louis Vuitton, September 14, 2020),
https://eu.louisvuitton.com/eng-e1/magazine/articles/sourcing-responsibly-2020#.
8
Unzipped Staff Levi Strauss & Co., “Don’t Toss Those Old Jeans. Here’s What to Do Instead.,” Levi Strauss &
Co, April 7, 2015, https://www.levistrauss.com/2015/04/07/flowchart-so-youre-ready-to-discard-some-denim/.
3
Levi’s creates a system for their customers where they can purchase new jeans, then once they’re
done with them, donate them to be bought or used by someone else, and reward them with
engaging in that cycle again with this program.
“There was even a week where Levi’s HQ in San Francisco sent us vintage jeans that were
recycled in this program and we sold them in our store for the week,” said a former Levi’s sales
associate of the Malibu Country Mart Levi’s location. “The Malibu location was also a vintage
shop so when the vintage pairs came in, they sold quickly because they were the original styles
and also 100% cotton.” These styles are highly sought after for the denim lover not only because
of the fit and quality, but because if they’ve lasted since the 80s, they’re high quality. And to top
it off, buying a pair of vintage jeans is sustainable since these were produced and re-worn again
and again rather than dumped in a landfill.
Even if Levi’s solves the environmental problem, we still have a social problem that there’s
societal pressure to keep up with the latest fashion trends
Last fall, YouTube star Emma Chamberlain posted a selfie on Instagram in her flared yoga pants
and those pants became an instant sell out. Celebrities like Chamberlain start fashion trends with
one Instagram post and create a domino effect of that item being the new most popular item to
wear that season. With access to an endless list of fashion influences on Instagram, how could
someone resist following a trend targeting right at them?
4
Last year, it was reported that the global apparel market was worth 1.5 trillion U.S dollars
9
. What
we wear defines who we are and the ability to express ourselves through fashion plays a major
role in many people’s lives.
As we engage in social media, we see these new and exciting ways to stand out with our fashion
and can’t help but catch onto these fashion trends even if we aren’t trying to. With an audience
so impressionable, perhaps the trend of being conscious with our fashion decisions to be more
sustainable can become the “new thing” just as quickly.
What once seemed atrocious, like dad shoes, now becomes the new normal and once you see it
like this, it’s hard to imagine a time that was ever not cool. This is how fashion trends catch on
so fast and with social media making certain fashion trends seem more prevalent than they are,
we get used to them even faster.
So, with fashion creating such a huge impact on culture and vice versa, how could we reimagine
a world that focuses on the fashion that already exists today? If this trillion-dollar industry
10
were
to come to a halt, what would be affected and how would the world adapt?
9
M. Shahbandeh, “Topic: Apparel Market Worldwide,” Statista, January 22, 2021,
https://www.statista.com/topics/5091/apparel-market-worldwide/.
10
M. Shahbandeh, “Topic: Apparel Market Worldwide,” Statista, January 22, 2021,
https://www.statista.com/topics/5091/apparel-market-worldwide/. Ibid.
5
Solution: Buy Less
Patagonia is also known for its sustainability effort that makes sure their clothes don’t end up in
a landfill after they’re worn. Because of this, they have a trade-in program called “Worn Wear,”
which allows customers to sell their used clothes back to Patagonia, if they are in good
condition. Other customers will buy as is, or Patagonia will recycle the materials for a new item.
Patagonia blazed the trail for sustainable fashion when it launched its Black Friday campaign,
“Don’t Buy this Jacket,” in the New York Times, urging customers to not buy their clothing
unless they actually needed the items.
Although it could be risky to tell their customers to not consume, this ad strategy has actually
been seen as a tactical move for Patagonia as its customers watched Patagonia practicing what
they preached. According to Marketingweek.com, Patagonia’s European marketing director,
Jonathan Petty says, “it has helped to establish a strong community of people who appreciate the
brand’s values and its products. ‘Our customers expect very high quality and that’s why they
always come back to us.’”
When fashion brands are recognizing the overconsumption of clothes and actually making an
effort to create a positive change within their own company, this is where the road to
sustainability within the fashion industry begins.
6
According to the UN, the harsh reality
11
of a surplus of clothes is that “85% of textiles end up in
landfills when most of these materials could be reused.”
Fast fashion
12
, which Merriam Webster defines as, “an approach to the design, creation, and
marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply
available to consumers” has traditionally been unsustainable in a multitude of ways.
To begin with, many of the used materials such as rayon, polyester and nylon
13
are not
biodegradable so when the consumer is done wearing the clothes, the item gets thrown into a
landfill which can protrude toxic chemicals
14
for hundreds of years. Secondly, some of these
materials, such as Nylon, create a gas that is 300 times more potent
15
than carbon dioxide. The
production of these materials in clothes not only creates huge waste of resources and energy but
also emits large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Lastly, with most fast fashion
companies creating new clothes all the time to keep up with the trends, so much of it goes to
waste as new items keep coming in and the trendiness of the pieces go quickly in and out of
style.
11
“UN Helps Fashion Industry Shift to Low Carbon,” unfccc.int (UNFCCC, September 6, 2018),
https://unfccc.int/news/un-helps-fashion-industry-shift-to-low-carbon.
12
“Fast Fashion,” Merriam-Webster (Merriam-Webster), accessed September 8, 2021, https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/fast%20fashion.
13
“Environmental Impacts,” Green Choices (Green Choices, April 19, 2018), https://www.greenchoices.org/green-
living/clothes/environmental-impacts.
14
“Waste,” Community Action Works (Community Action Works), accessed September 8, 2021,
https://communityactionworks.org/issues/waste/.
15
Peter Grace Professor of Global Change and Louise Barton Research Associate Professor, “Meet N2O, the
Greenhouse GAS 300 Times Worse than CO2,” The Conversation, December 8, 2021,
https://theconversation.com/meet-n2o-the-greenhouse-gas-300-times-worse-than-co2-35204.
7
So how can we figure out how to use what we already have? If we figured it out, could we stop
the production of fashion? How would that change the world today?
Recycling clothing seems to be highly functional and is growing in popularity so does that mean
companies are leaning towards only using recycled materials? Does it mean the clothes we wear
are going to be reworked in different ways once we are done with them? How will this affect
clothing companies today and what is it going to look like in the future?
At first, I wondered whether production of fast fashion would ever go on pause. It sounds insane,
but with the data being available to us to see the massive amount of pollution the fashion
industry leaves on our planet, I had to explore this possibility. Regardless of how sustainable a
fashion company aims to be, the incentive to create more clothing is slowly putting our planet in
danger. Water is being wasted, millions of pieces of clothes are ending up in landfills and the
emissions released from beginning to end of one clothing item is unimaginable.
As fashion trends among Gen Z have shifted a focus to thrifting and secondhand clothing being
trendy, I genuinely thought, maybe the production of clothes will come to an end. I mean the
clothes that already exist should be enough, right?
Well, to answer that question simply, the answer would be no. But it's not because there aren't
enough clothes, but rather that production of clothes just can’t stop and there are many reasons
why.
8
Even if we solve the social issue of overconsumption of fast fashion with this initiative,
would fashion itself become unsustainable economically?
I began searching the internet for the answer to this question and an article came up titled, “Five
weird and wonderful ways nature is being harnessed to build a sustainable fashion industry.”
16
Not knowing what this could possibly mean I began reading and became enthralled.
The author of this article is lecturer in textiles within the creative arts at Loughborough
University, Chetna Prajapati. After reading this article, I reached out to her needing to know
more about mushrooms being used as leather and cow manure to produce new textiles.
It’s a sunny morning in Los Angeles and a gloomy day in London, when we meet over Microsoft
Teams. We begin our conversation about what sustainable fashion looks like right now and
where it’s headed looking through the lens of technology and sustainability.
Prajapati explained to me, “although the production of fast fashion is a leading driver of why
fashion is unsustainable, to completely get rid of it would harm the economies of countries that
produce it such as China, Bangladesh and Vietnam, so it is highly unlikely for those countries to
ever completely give it up.” She then explained it by looking at it through the consumer lens,
fast fashion allows people who can’t spend a fortune on clothes the luxury of new clothes and the
ability to purchase a new shirt even if it is only $5.
16
Chetna Prajapati Lecturer in Textiles, “Five Weird and Wonderful WAYS Nature Is Being Harnessed to Build a
Sustainable Fashion Industry,” The Conversation, August 27, 2019, https://theconversation.com/five-weird-and-
wonderful-ways-nature-is-being-harnessed-to-build-a-sustainable-fashion-industry-119840.
9
As of right now, most sustainable fashion brands
17
come with a high price which ends up making
sustainable fashion mostly accessible only to someone who can afford it.
Sustainable fashion brand, Reformation sells its clothes with the conscious consumer in mind,
but the average top is well over $100. This lime green silk Reformation top sells for $128, when
there’s an almost identical one being sold on fast fashion site Shein, for only $8.
Although sustainable fashion usually means that the materials used are of high quality and will
last longer making the higher price worth it since the piece of clothing will be in their closet
longer, paying a higher price upfront rather than $15-$20, once every few months is a luxury for
few. Many people in the world don’t have a surplus of disposable income set aside for new items
in their wardrobe that at times cost upwards of $200- $300 at a time. Especially those who not
only have to buy clothes for themselves, but their family members too.
So, although unsustainable, fast fashion is highly important since it gives a large group of people
access to new clothes.
“Cheap fashion allows us to have fashion anyone can enter” says Prajapati. To elaborate, fast
fashion is necessary because being able to purchase something new also allows fashion to be
accessible to anyone. This is significant because although clothes can be a fun and creative way
17
Emily Chan et al., “Why Isn't Sustainable Fashion More Affordable?” British Vogue, August 1, 2020,
https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/sustainable-fashion-affordable.
10
to express, we, at the end of the day it is still a basic need that each person deserves. Fashion and
clothes should always be accessible to anyone as it is the mix of multiple people and culture that
have turned clothes into the fashion they are today.
It appears as if fast fashion will never go away. But this doesn’t mean our planet should continue
to pile up with clothes that are slowly destroying our environment.
Solution: Blend Meaning and Recycling
Recycled fashion therefore must focus on creating a sustainable system that will support
environment, social, and economic well-being:
1. Technologies that create sustainable fashion to become accessible to the majority of
fashion production facilities
2. Fashion companies giving people the opportunity to donate or sell their clothes back so
the company can either reuse the materials or donate them in order to avoid the items
ending up in landfills
3. Consumers being accepting of recycled textiles in their clothes
4. Society normalizing outfit repeating
5. A circular economy being the main focus of the fashion industry
11
Trends + Cyclability
As sustainable fashion technologies advance and become more widespread, they can be used in
multiple ways. Today, Gen Z has popularized 90s and early 2000s trends once again, and all of
the magical pieces that define those eras have reappeared in the world.
With fashion trends repeating themselves usually every fifteen years
18
fashion has a natural
cyclability to it. So as this natural cycle happens, we can expect to an extent which materials,
patterns and styles will be popular each year.
As our clothes circulate from purchased at the store to living in our closet, where it goes next is
highly dependent on the person. Gen Z and millennials have begun popularizing online websites
and apps where someone can buy and sell their clothes online. These apps, Depop and Poshmark,
have popularized and made it trendy to purchase secondhand clothes alongside multiple different
thrift stores depending on where you are in the world.
According to thredUP
19
, the world’s largest thrift shop, in their latest report they have concluded
that the secondhand clothing market is projected to double in the next 5 years
20
. Thus, it’s not
only fashion brands recreating these styles to sell to their consumers, but secondhand sellers--
like that Paul Frank shirt sitting in someone’s garage since ‘07.
18
Franca Sozzani, “Fashion Cycles and Recycles,” Fashion cycles and recycles - vogue.it (Vogue, September 15,
2010), https://www.vogue.it/en/magazine/editor-s-blog/2010/09/september-15th.
19
“Our Impact,” thredUP, accessed September 8, 2021, https://www.thredup.com/impact.
20
Thredup Inc., “2021 Fashion Resale Market and Trend Report,” thredUP (thredUP, June 2021),
https://www.thredup.com/resale/#size-and-impact, 8.
12
Shopping at thrift stores, finding old clothes locked up in the attic and using online reselling sites
like Depop or Poshmark are ways people are already getting creative with following these
resurfacing trends and the opportunity to buy new clothes and contribute to fashion in their own
way.
So, as we head towards a more sustainable fashion industry, we can try to make sure if we are
producing new fashion to follow these trends, to try to use new technologies that either recycle
used clothes and materials or are using these new natural materials that combine with new
technology to be sustainable.
Monica, a conscious fashion consumer and environmental lobbyist based in Utah, has only
purchased three clothing items in new condition this year: a workout bralette, a souvenir from a
museum and a new swimsuit.
“As I became aware of the effects of my consumer actions on the environment, I decided I
needed to make a change. I stopped buying new clothes unless I felt like I really needed it and
stopped eating meat.” Monica tells me over the phone that she knows how extreme her actions
may seem, but she assures me it became much easier as time went on. “I know how important it
is for people to have fast fashion because it is affordable and is meant for the mom who has to
run into the store when she’s not working to grab clothes for her children. But although
necessary to exist, it’s nice for people who can shop sustainably, to put in the effort to do so
when possible.”
13
For Monica, Instagram was what made her recognize her overconsumption habits. As a
photographer, her focus around her photos became about the item of clothes she was wearing and
felt like she constantly needed to get more to keep her photos interesting.
In her case, her individual reflection of overconsumption of fashion came from being on
Instagram, a place that is made up of organic and sponsored posts of fashion advertisements and
a platform used to display the newest thing a person “needs” --until the next item comes along.
As the secondhand market grows, companies will take note in getting creative with how they can
contribute to sustainability in fashion while still creating new items. Although the item may be
“new,” it’s important to note that there will most likely be some effort of recyclability within the
item such as recycled water, material or even the use of a laser to create color on the fabric like
at Levi’s.
With this social push to make fashion sustainable, it allows cyclability to become more common
and as more companies make it an important part of their company, others are likely to follow
suit.
Repurposing
14
We can also create a push toward taking what already exists and finding new ways to use and
wear it. This can be done so by making use of what already exists in new and different ways.
Luckily for us, this happens all of the time in our lives.
A mason jar that was once used for soup becomes a favorite water glass, a crate once used as a
makeshift table now stores books and a jacket once worn by a grandmother gets a new life as her
granddaughter adopts it into her closet. We find ourselves creating new lives for what already
exists and see them in new ways. This allows us to create with what already is and find
sustainability in our world oftentimes without being intentional about it.
Our innate drive to hold onto objects and find meaning in them allows us to create a space that
not only allows something new in but brings meaning to that object from us.
We as humans assign meaning to the objects and things that surround us. So, to a person who
may be extremely interested in fashion, (like me), clothes might have meant to us. But to
someone who wears the same cargo shorts and white t-shirt every day for the last 20 years like
my dad, his clothes may just be clothes to him.
If we take these two concepts, the interest in fashion, and create new meanings with those around
us, we can create sustainable innovation. This has already happened as researchers have begun
experimenting with new ways to use technologies already existing to create sustainable fashion.
15
The things that need to come together are the technological solution too.
Wrangler has created a new material called “Indigood
21
,” a sustainable indigo dye that uses
100% less water than usual in order to dye their jeans. It’s a foam-based dye that goes onto the
yarn without having to waste water. This is a revolutionary technology, and many other
companies are getting creative with new ways of dyeing denim in order to save water and
materials.
The impact of dyeing clothes not only impacts the planet of the water wasted, but also due to the
immense amount of chemicals
22
that contaminate natural water resources. According to
environmental news site, EcoWatch, “In China, the factory of the world, it is estimated that 70
percent of the rivers and lakes are contaminated by the 2.5 billion gallons of wastewater
produced by the textile industry.”
With a dye such as “Indigood” being used that eliminates the use of water, there can be a
positive impact on the environment eliminating those chemicals polluting rivers and lakes.
Levi’s jeans
23
, along with their program that lets customers bring their worn denim in, also are
getting creative with the way they dye their denim by using laser-powered technology to
“digitize the design and development of denim.” These lasers are being used to create color,
21
“Indigood: Eco-Friendly DENIM Story: Wrangler UK,” Indigood | Eco-Friendly Denim Story | Wrangler UK,
accessed September 8, 2021, https://eu.wrangler.com/uk-en/indigood-sustainable-denim.html.
22
Kathleen Webber, “How Fast Fashion Is Killing RIVERS WORLDWIDE,” EcoWatch (EcoWatch, March 22,
2017), https://www.ecowatch.com/fast-fashion-riverblue-2318389169.html.
23
“Levi's Presents Future Finish,” levi.com (Levi's, July 2019), https://www.levi.com/US/en_US/blog/article/levis-
presents-future-finish/.
16
pattern and texture onto clothes and allows no water to be wasted through this technology. Levi’s
already have been using these lasers to create a “worn aesthetic” and now researchers are seeing
how they can be used in new ways.
The customer has the option of which wash they want of their jeans, any design and how worn in
the jeans are while ordering these laser-powered jeans. There are other lasers that break down
materials such as polyester and either recycles them into a new item or just makes the material
able to break down and not be disposed of in a landfill where it will never be broken down. This
not only is sustainable from not using water to dye them, but also because they are made to
order, not creating a surplus of unused denim jeans waiting to be bought. Levi’s also does a good
job of contributing to the circular economy by allowing their customers to bring their jeans into
the store to be recycled by Levi’s and made into a new pair of jeans.
These efforts of sustainability allow someone to have a pair of jeans made up of materials
already used and stops these pairs of jeans from ending up in a landfill. As more companies give
their customers the option to shop sustainably without it being costly or inconvenient, major
changes are being made and our planet will be thanking us for it.
Researchers are investigating natural resources and their use within the fashion industry.
Collagen and fungi are being tried out as leather replacements and even cow manure is being
17
used to create new types of textiles.
24
With this exploration of already existing materials and
merging them with fashion, the innovation within them takes form in ways never seen before.
With this type of mindset, creating clothes that can be biodegradable or possibly grow into a
plant when their life living as someone’s leather shirt that has been made out of mushroom
25
has
come to an end, changes sustainable fashion immensely.
Although much of the fashion industry's impact on the planet comes from production, due to the
surplus of water wasted, energy used, and natural resources drained, once these items are
produced, the clothes that end up in landfills and take centuries to break down affect our
environment greatly.
So, with new technologies being introduced in fashion such as fungi and cow manure that can
become part of the earth once finished being worn, it opens a new path toward sustainability
helping the future of our planet. The use of new materials to create clothes that break down and
24
Chetna Prajapati Lecturer in Textiles, “Five Weird and Wonderful WAYS Nature Is Being Harnessed to Build a
Sustainable Fashion Industry,” The Conversation, April 8, 2021, https://theconversation.com/five-weird-and-
wonderful-ways-nature-is-being-harnessed-to-build-a-sustainable-fashion-industry-119840.
25
Daniel Cooper, “Stella McCartney Shows off Clothes Made with Mushroom Leather,” Engadget, March 18,
2021, https://www.engadget.com/stella-mccartney-bolt-threads-mylo-unleather-mushrooms-sustainability-
environment-high-fashion-
150054154.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS91cmw_cT1odHRwcyUz
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18
using technologies that already exist to break down clothes already existing today can create a
new space in fashion for sustainability.
It also leaves me with the question: if these sorts of materials become widespread, will we be
living in our clothes, or will our clothes be living on us?
One of these being a mushroom leather.
Mushroom
A mushroom seed is planted. It grows into the fungi of its desired form and thrives. Depending
on which form it takes, it could become an animal’s dinner, a human’s ramen garnish, or even a
beach goer’s drug of choice. The mushroom lives in multiple forms and now there is research
being conducted exploring the mushroom’s role in fashion. A leather created out of mushrooms
to help the planet. Not only saving an animal’s life, but also becoming biodegradable at the end
of its life, becoming one of the soils once again.
Right now, it’s safe to say we’re in the time of the mushroom.
The mushroom has existed since the beginning of time, yet its resurgence into popular culture is
on the rise right now. From psychedelics becoming an emerging tool for psychology, to cottage
core being a popular aesthetic with mushrooms, and now a new leather made out of mushrooms
being researched to replace what we know as leather today.
19
Researchers at MycoWorks are investigating natural resources and their use within the fashion
industry. Collagen and fungi are being tried out as leather replacements and even cow manure is
being used to create new types of textiles. Scientists are researching new ways to how fashion
can be disposed of because of the large amount of waste.
This not only allows us to use fashion from resources already created naturally, but also will
allow these pieces of clothes to break down and not live in a landfill for hundreds of decades.
The work that MycoWorks has created has taken its place in couture fashion. This past March,
they created a bag made with Hermés using Sylvania, a Fine Mycelium, which is a hybrid of
nature and biotechnology. This bag being the first of its kind and creating a new space in fashion
for the use of natural materials in an effort towards sustainability. This use of new technology
and already existing materials to create fashion contributes to the effort of making fashion
circular.
Using sustainable fashion meaning and technology to generate new economic forces comes to
life in the circular economy. The initiative, “Make Fashion Circular,” was launched by the Ella
MacArthur Foundation as an effort to join together fashion designers and companies to
“radically redesign the fashion industry.”
The Ella MacArthur Foundation is a UK based foundation aiming to create a circular economy
that aims at not wasting what we have and keeping products and materials in use. This
20
foundation focuses on the reuse of items within fashion, climate, finance, food and many others.
They not only educate about the importance of creating sustainability within our lives but create
initiatives to help us do so.
In doing so, The Ella MacArthur Foundation hopes to build an industry that designs products that
are “used more, made to be made again, and made from safe and recycled or renewable inputs.”
With these ideas in mind from the beginning, fashion designers can think before producing,
“how can these materials not generate waste.”
These types of efforts offer hope to keep clothing from ending up in landfills and also helping
reduce the energy and materials used to produce new clothing items.
The Now
The road to sustainability in fashion is endless. What I mean by this is that this road is neither
linear nor is there one specific, perfect path. There are so many ways to attain sustainability in
fashion and there isn’t really a beginning or an end. Successful sustainability in fashion doesn’t
only start at the beginning but happens along the journey, in multiple different ways and can
keep happening even after reaching the end. That’s the beauty of the path, you never know when
a mushroom might just sprout.
So, what now?
21
Do you want a sustainable outfit? It’s easier than it looks.
To show you how easy it can be to find sustainably made clothes from popular stores you may
already shop from, here is an outfit made from recycled materials, that is ethically sourced, and
with cyclability in mind, for these items to last more than a lifetime.
We can start with denim jeans. We can head to Levi’s jeans
26
and create a pair of jeans made up
of recycled materials
27
, and use laser technology
28
that doesn’t waste any water when dyeing the
denim. One pair of jeans being made from recycled denim, called Circulose
29
, and using a dye
that doesn’t require water, could save more than 10,000 gallons of water
30
that is required for an
average pair of denim jeans to be produced and dyed.
For the shoes, we can have a pair of “The Forever Sneakers
31
” from Everlane which is made with
“durable, more sustainably sourced materials, like a partially recycled cotton-canvas upper and
natural rubber outsole.” This sneaker is made from recycled materials and sustainably in mind,
and it meant to last for many years as it is machine washable.
26
“Levis Presents Future Finish,” levi.com (Levis, July 2019), https://www.levi.com/US/en_US/blog/article/levis-
presents-future-finish/.
27
Adele Peters, “Your New Levi's Will Now Be Part Old, RECYCLED Levi's,” Fast Company (Fast Company,
July 21, 2020), https://www.fastcompany.com/90529709/these-new-levis-are-made-in-part-from-recycled-jeans.
28
Phil Zabriskie, “The Story behind the Most Sustainable Levi's® Ever,” Levi Strauss & Co (Levi Strauss & Co,
July 22, 2020), https://www.levistrauss.com/2020/07/23/wellthread-renewcell/.
29
Phil Zabriskie, “The Story behind the Most Sustainable Levi's® Ever,” Levi Strauss & Co (Levis Strauss & Co,
July 22, 2020), https://www.levistrauss.com/2020/07/23/wellthread-renewcell/. Ibid.
30
“UN Helps Fashion Industry Shift to Low Carbon,” unfccc.int (UNFCCC, September 6, 2018),
https://unfccc.int/news/un-helps-fashion-industry-shift-to-low-carbon.
31
22
For the shirt, we can get a simple white long sleeve shirt from Gap’s “Generation Good”
collection. The shirt is created with less waste, less water, lower emissions, better materials, and
support for workers. It’s produced using “24% less water in garment washing through the
laundry process that the mill uses.” Gap also has also partnered with “Give Back Box” to allow
their customers to send their used clothes that are still in good condition to Gap where they will
donate these items, avoiding their clothes ending up in landfills.
The resources and companies exist to create widespread sustainable fashion at a fair price, it’s
just getting people to recognize the impact creating new clothes has on the planet, and how they
can choose to shop wisely when getting new clothes from brands that focus on sustainability.
The technologies used by companies that use lasers instead of traditional dyeing and use natural
resources that don’t damage the planet also need to keep developing so more companies can use
these technologies as well.
So, is fashion worth damaging the planet? Of course not. But we are at a point that we don’t have
to choose between one or the other, but rather when we need to buy a new item for a closet, we
can determine its cyclability beforehand and make sure when it is a time to. When buying
something new, is there a sustainable element to it that can keep it lasting multiple lifetimes?
Although fast fashion has no end in sight, it's good to know that sustainable fashion is projected
to keep growing at a fast pace, and both consumers and fashion producers are recognizing the
impact the fashion industry has on the planet.
23
I’m hopeful that mushrooms won’t only be eaten but worn by us and that fashion will be
produced to survive long enough that it can be brought back to life for each trend, rather than
made new every 15 years.
Fashion’s impact on our culture, life, and society goes beyond saying what should be and what
shouldn’t be worn: it has the ability to change our planet, society, economy and culture in
extreme ways. As consumers, we can foster this change and do what we can to create a space for
sustainable fashion in a world filled with overconsumption.
As we come together on this road, we create meaning with what already exists and give what
will be created meaning as it lives on becoming new forms throughout its lifetime. Each item has
the ability to sprout its spores and generate new life for a piece of clothes by being recycled. It’s
up to us to find the life of a mushroom in what we own and give it the ability to create that new
life cycle that can create so much out of what is left.
24
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https://www.levi.com/US/en_US/blog/article/levis-presents-future-finish/.
25
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Abstract (if available)
Abstract
In this piece of work, sustainable fashion practices are investigated in order to understand what brands and companies are doing to practice sustainability while still creating clothes to be sold to the consumer. With the fashion industry creating one of the largest negative impacts on the planet out of any industry, a change needs to occur in order for our planet to be saved and the fashion industry holds that power. As the impact of the fashion industry on the environment becomes more prevalent, companies are changing the way they produce and market their clothes. They are doing so by creating a change in societal expectations, materials and technologies used and envisioning the clothes to be recycled in new ways as time goes on to contribute to a circular economy. The new technologies that are being discovered and used today are still in their beginning stages, but as they advance and sustainable efforts become common practice, they could become the new standard practice in years to come.
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Luczo, Michelle
(author)
Core Title
The never-ending life cycle of our clothes: how technology, innovation and sustainability have come together to expand the lifetime of our clothes
School
Annenberg School for Communication
Degree
Master of Arts
Degree Program
Specialized Journalism (The Arts)
Degree Conferral Date
2021-12
Publication Date
11/17/2021
Defense Date
11/17/2021
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
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Tag
circular economy,Consumerism,cyclability,Fashion,fashion trends,innovative technology in fashion,mushroom leather,OAI-PMH Harvest,sustainability,sustainable fashion
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Language
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Advisor
Tolan, Sandy (
committee chair
), Anawalt, Sasha (
committee member
), Traester, Mary (
committee member
)
Creator Email
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Tags
circular economy
cyclability
fashion trends
innovative technology in fashion
mushroom leather
sustainability
sustainable fashion