Think2Fast, against fast fashion.
Betty Tsakarestou,O T, Anastasia Bliona, Jennyxemona, ΜΑΡΙΑ-ΛΟΥΙΖΑ ΣΟΥΝΙΟΥ, Christinanaka
“Conception of the idea”
Think2Fast is a student non-profit, volunteering organization, fighting against fast fashion. Our team is consisted of Anatasia Bliona, Evgenia Cheimona-Mavrogeni, Christina Naka, Maria Louiza Souniou, Otilija Tolockaite and Joanna Zygoura. The reason we decided to get involved in the field of fast fashion, is due to our sensitization on the issue of environmental pollution.
We are all aware of the damage fast fashion does to our planet, so we chose to follow a different path and try educating people in Greece about the matter. There are five main reasons why we chose fast fashion waste. Firstly, as said before, we are really concerned about environmental pollution, meaning that water is polluted too. About 20% of the world’s clean water is polluted, leading to a certain reduction of its surface, which causes the death of fish. Also, the world faces biodiversity loss, which means that many species have severe loss risk and that their habitat is in danger. We have raw material waste, since 92 million tons of clothing ends up in landfills each year and only 20% is being reacycled. We also have to mention that fast fashion is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions contributing to global warming.
Secondly, we have to talk about unethical labor. In order for fast fashion clothes to be made, many employees in the third world parties have to work under terrible conditions. People usually work with no ventilation, breathing in toxic substances, inhaling fiber dust or blasted sand in unsafe buildings; on top of that workers regularly face verbal and physical abuse. Employees in fast fashion industry are frequently paid poorly, since they get less than the minimum wage that represents the bare minimum a family requires to fulfill its basic needs (healthcare, food, rent, education). Fast Fashion has impact on human’s health, because the materials that clothes are made of have low quality, people notice rashes on their skin due to harsh chemicals.
Last but not least, fast fashion clothes can’t be recycled, because the materials their consisted of such as polyester, carbon dioxide and methane are non-biodegradable. Lastly, we have the destruction of fast fashion. People tend to overconsumption being effected by influencers that advertise fast fashion and it’s a new doping for people. We have to address design stealing, because big corporations copy designs from other brands/ designers, which is illegal. Influenced by all things above we have serious concerns as a student team about fast fashion waste and the impact it has on our planet. So education is the only solution to this matter.
“Our Journey”
The name ‘’Think2Fast’’ fits perfectly with our objective. The phrase “fast fashion” refers to the rapid creation of low-cost apparel to keep up with current trends. By utilising the name “Think2Fast,” we are implying that individuals should think twice before partaking in the quick fashion cycle. It encourages individuals to consider “two” (twice) before purchasing fast fashion goods, advocating a more mindful attitude to clothes consumption. The name is notable because of its play on words. This might be useful for marketing and raising awareness about our cause. ‘’Think2Fast’’ also implies that there is a better way to approach fashion consumption — thinking before acting impulsively. It is consistent with the concept of slow fashion, which prioritises quality over quantity and addresses the environmental and social consequences of garment manufacture.
Talking about the logo, we chose pink shades and orange colours which refers to energy, creativity, approachability, contrast, attention, and gender neutrality. The colour orange is frequently linked with energy, excitement, and innovation. It communicates a sense of action and mobility, which is consistent with our organisation’s forceful stance against fast fashion. This colour represents the colourful energy and ingenuity required to address such an important subject. Pink, particularly in gentler tints, can convey sentiments of warmth, friendliness, and approachability. This is a conscious decision to make our company appear inclusive and accessible to a diverse spectrum of people interested in sustainable fashion. Pink has recently been utilised to challenge traditional gender stereotypes. Our organization’s logo signals inclusion and diversity within the sustainable fashion movement by combining pink and orange, which is normally a more gender-neutral colour. The use of orange and pink produces a strong contrast that might attract attention. This is vital for a logo since it must stand out and be remembered. In a sea of logos and visual noise, a bright and contrasting colour palette may help your business stand out.
Moving on to our social media (Facebook and Instagram), Think2Fast’s experience has been a rich tapestry of education, inspiration, and community development. Our Facebook and Instagram sites began as a purpose to oppose fast fashion and have since become information hubs, offering data, environmental insights, and inspiring tales. Also for further communication with our audience we also made a website, in which visitors can get information about our latest projects and events.We’ve progressed from humble beginnings, encouraging early backers to join us, to posting often with intriguing material. Our campaigns, events, challenges, and first partnerships have not only broadened our reach, but also built a strong community of people who care about sustainable fashion. As we continue on this road, we are committed to starting discussions, promoting change, and encouraging people to make conscious decisions for a more sustainable future.
At Think2Fast, we’ve created personalities that represent the different people we hope to reach and inspire in our fight against rapid fashion. Meet Eco-conscious Emily who is conflicted about the environmental impact of fast fashion and wants to be more sustainable. Our other persona — Mark strives to reduce his environmental footprint. These characters drive our content, marketing, and initiatives, ensuring that we reach a varied audience committed to positively improving the fashion industry.
INTERVIEWS
“Conscious buying is a way of living and expressing oneself. Vintage is not only in the past whilst fashion is a form of art and not all about consumption.”
Now moving on to the interviews we conducted regarding Vintage shops and their contribution to the fight against fast fashion waste , we spoke with Konstantina and Alexandra , two young and ambitious women that own their small business in the fashion industry . Both of their businesses are vintage shops in the heart of Athens .
Konstantina is the owner of the Handpicked cherriesand the Emerald hut Vintage is owned by the lovely Alexandra, who both opened their shop in 2021 andshared with us their experience with thrifting and how that expanded into launching their curated vintage shop.When the doors opened , a lot of the locals supported the shops and became regular clients and through social media promotion and awareness more people started coming . Also a big part in promoting the shops is the existence of the online shops .
Moreover, as far as it goes for the actions that these businesses take and the steps it will take to be part of the dissemination of sustainable buying , the key points from both women were the creation of “fashion chats” where discussions about sustainability will take place and educate people on why it’s important and why everyone should try to be more sustainable in every which way in their life. These discussions would take place online and in the store in the form of seminars where qualified people will talk
about the issue:
- Tik tok videos about the perks of sustainable buying and minimizing carbon footprint and the ethical aspects of fast fashion waste.
- Educating about the work conditions of people in the fast fashion industry .
- Sharing tips ans tricks of knowing weather a brand is actually sustainable and not just greenwashing.
Moving forward into the digital aspect of owning a small business and the importance of social media presence, we asked Konstantina and Alexandra if the significance of social media engagement it’s a key role in expanding their businesses and what activations they partake in, in order to create buzz around their brand. Their answer was quite simple:
- Instagram and TikTok are the key social media platforms in which they promote Handpicked cherries and The Emerald Hut Vintage on.
- Giveaways and paid partnerships.
- Create a community, through the connection with the audience by the tonality and content of the videos.
- Share their experience and the daily aspects of their work .
- Promote events that they will participate in the near future .
Coming close to the end of the interviews we prompted Konstantina and Alexandra to give us some tips and tricks on how to find little “gems” from vintage shops. The most important tip was patience and devotion of a lot of hours while searching but also to have fun exploring new styles. Make it a hobby and shop in stores and not online if you do not know exactly the measurements of your body.
Play and experiment by mix and matching textures ans styles and aim for quality and not quantity. The main point was that each person should have an idea of what influences their personal style and search for items that align with that. To not follow trends and establish their own personal style and be unapologetic about it , to love fashion and to play with it and test what they like and don’t like.
Concluding the interviews, our final question was for them to give us any advice for anyone that wants to open a similar business . The advice they gave was to rely on social media for buzz and awareness, but also use them as a medium to express themselves, to exchange ideas and educate people on conscious buying. Additionally, they should meticulously select each item on their collection and to build trust with their suppliers . But most of all to be passionate about their job and not give up on the first hardship and love what they’re doing.
“Our first activation”
When it came to our first activation, many ideas crossed our mind. For our very first event we wanted to create a friendly and interesting environment for people to get educated about the consequences of fast fashion. Through research we found out that in Greece there were little to no awareness programs or meetings about fast fashion, so we decided to make a change. However, we soon realized that such an idea needed hours of planning and communicating within the team.
After brainstorming for days, we decided to host a conference. Our goal for this first project was to gather people that are inside the fashion industry and know very well the dangers and consequences of fast fashion. We wanted these experts to talk about their experience within the field, their struggles and how fast fashion has impacted their career. We took our chances and communicated with some of these people to get some interviews, but also pitch our idea. In the process of that we got some marvelous feedback, which gave us a boost to continue. Apart from fashion experts, we also wanted to get in touch with some environment specialists who can analyze the environmental impact fast fashion waste has on our planet. As a team we thought it was of outmost importance to conclude in our speakers both people from the fashion industry and the science field, therefore we created 3 categories in which we would sort our speakers: small sustainable business owners (second hand clothes shops), fashion designers/specialists, environment specialist with experience in the fashion industry.
But just having some speakers come to talk about fast fashion would make this conference boring! So, we decide to include workshops. We thought it would be best for this conference to have a three-day duration (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) and within those three days there will be two workshops in which attendants can take part. The workshops will be based on the conference’s topics of discussion, which are:
· Fast fashion’s negative effect on the environment
· Destruction of fashion and the “virus” of microtrends
· The making of a capsule closet
· How to reuse clothes
For the first workshop we decided to bring in fashion designer experts and seamstresses so to teach our attendants how to reuse clothes into furniture covers. An easy concept that will make old boring clothes sustainable. The attendants will be provided will a selection of old fabric scraps or discarded clothes and will be shown how to stitch them together to make easy furniture covers, such as pillow cases. All the tools will be provided by us (scissors, threads, glue etc.) and all the attendants can keep their creations if they wish to do so. On the other hand, the second workshop concerns the making of a capsule closet. During this workshop the attendants will be taught a variety of ways to pick versatile clothing pieces of their liking, that can match with everything in their closet. Fashion stylist experts will be there to provide them with advice and show them how to match clothes in such a way that every shirt fits with every pair of pants! At the end of the conference if someone has participated in both workshops, they will be able to get an extra certificate of attendance.
Apart from the workshops we wanted to give this conference another twist and make our people have even more fun, so we decide to create an extra event. On the third day after the end of our two conferences, we will host a catwalk. But it won’t be just a “common” catwalk, fashion designers and fashion students will combine their powers to create 20 clothing pieces made out of second hand or discarded clothing pieces and fabrics. The purpose of this catwalk is to show people that used clothes can be remade to be beautiful and stylish again. But most importantly this will show people that sustainable clothing can be made from scratch and that styling doesn’t equal buying whatever is trending. After the duration of the catwalk there will be a cocktail hour with snacks where the attendants will be free to have a chat with our speakers and fashion designers.
Coming up with our first event was not an easy task. We wanted to prioritize combining education with fun, since we believe that it’s the best way to bring people abroad. Making fashion sustainable in Greece might be a long way to go, but we trust that through interesting events and conference education… fashion can become appealing to everyone!
We also created a small teaser video for our event:
“Challenges we faced”
As a fast fashion organization we faced various challenges, such as ethical concerns regarding labor practices in developing countries, environmental impact due to high water usage and pollution from textile production, and the disposal of vast amounts of clothing contributing to landfill waste. Additionally, the rapid turnover of trends can lead to overproduction and excess inventory, resulting in financial losses. Competition from sustainable fashion brands that prioritize ethical sourcing and production further adds pressure. To address these challenges, we are increasingly urged to adopt more sustainable practices, improve transparency in their supply chains, and consider the long-term impacts of their operations.
We faced numerous challenges but the most important is the general population’s lack of awareness about sustainable fashion. This is a significant issue because many consumers are unaware of the environmental and social impact of fast fashion, including resource depletion, pollution, and poor working conditions. Ignorance leads to continued support for unsustainable practices, perpetuating harmful industry norms. Education on sustainable fashion’s benefits, such as reduced waste, fair wages, and ethical sourcing, is crucial for fostering change. By increasing awareness and promoting transparency within the fashion industry, consumers can make more informed choices, supporting brands that prioritize sustainability and driving the shift towards a more ethical and environmentally friendly fashion sector.
Think2fast, as a fast fashion organization we can implement several solutions to address sustainability challenges. We can invest in eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, recycled fibers, and innovative fabrics to reduce environmental impact. Embracing circular fashion practices such as clothing rental, upcycling, and garment recycling can extend the lifespan of products and minimize waste and also to reduce our environmental footprint. Transparent supply chains, fair labor practices, and ethical production processes are essential for building consumer trust. Collaborating with sustainable fashion initiatives and supporting local communities can also drive positive change. By prioritizing sustainability, fast fashion companies can contribute to a more ethical, environmentally conscious industry and meet evolving consumer demands.
“References”
· Tidswell, E. (2022, April 6). The Pros and Cons of Sustainable Fashion: Is it Worth the Hype? Goodmakertales.com. https://goodmakertales.com/pros-and-cons-of-sustainable-fashion/
· Nast, C. (2024, January 31). Fashion is still neglecting its impact on water. Vogue Business. https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/sustainability/fashion-is-still-neglecting-its-impact-on-water
· Nast, C. (2024, January 11). Luxury brands aren’t doing enough to eliminate forced labour, report says. Vogue Business. https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/sustainability/luxury-brands-arent-doing-enough-to-eliminate-forced-labour-report-says
· Friedman, V. (2022, May 7). Redefining “Sustainable Fashion.” The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/07/style/redefining-sustainable-fashion.html
· Hempstead, M. (2022, September 15). Fashion and the UN SDGs. Springwise. https://www.springwise.com/sustainable-source/fashion-and-the-sdgs/
