Do My Values at 90 Align with Gen. Z on Sustainability?
“The Past teaches the Present how to redesign the Future” Shirley Willett
I fully believe that my values do align, 60 years ago, and today. However, I was much too ahead of my time in the past and too old today at 90 to do much except write. Gen. Z is the first one possibly, after Baby Boomers, Gen. X, and Millenials whom most I did not.
Terry F. Yosie, “Zoomers differ significantly from their predecessors through their recognition of global trends, connection to domestic and international peers, and willingness to build intergenerational coalitions.”
I met with two 17-year-olds Saturday, and I felt more at home with them than any other generation. But I was a loner in the past, unlike Gen. Z who gathered together.
Saving money
Emma Tidswell writes: “Does Gen Z care about sustainability? Being unique — and balancing that with saving money — is a defining trait of this generation. … 37% of Gen Z in the United States claimed that addressing climate change was their top personal concern. This is compared to just 27% of Gen X and 29% of Boomers.”
They are referring to Gen. Z as consumers. I was never much of a consumer, because I designed, engineered patterns and made clothes for myself, which built a foundation for doing so in my Shirley Willett, Inc., design and manufacturing business. Also, when very young, I saved before I bought anything (even my first sewing machine). This led to the wise use of money and the creation of production systems in my business to make my quality fashions very affordable — even though they hung in retail stores next to high fashion names.
Jason Dorsey, Gen Z consultant and researcher, said that value can be achieved in two ways: by shopping for clothing from brands that already have low prices, or by buying more expensive things that last longer. “It’s not the brand leading the consumer; it’s the consumer using the brand or the product in whatever ways they want.”
Used Clothing
ThredUp recently estimated that one in three Gen Z consumers will buy used clothing in 2019.
Fast Fashion
“75% of Gen Z respondents forbes.com to one survey stated that they wanted to see brands ensuring employee and consumer safety demonstrating their demand for social responsibility from industry … Where Gen Z’s sustainable outlook comes under threat is from the rise of fast fashion. Despite their sustainable outlook and desire for sustainable clothes, this conscious generation still has a love for cheap and convenient fashion.”
There is a possibility of quality with fast fashion, because I did it in the 1970s, with innovation in pattern and production engineering, as well as design.
The gown had swirling curves which was great for cutting in suede because there were a lot of sharp points, which fit nicely into skins. The 3rd sketch is the drawing that was given to each stitcher on their machine. The cutters were given patterns that highlighted the edges that must be cut carefully because they were the top edge of the seams. Each pattern piece was lettered on the underside by the cutters, and every edge had a number to match with its coordinated seam. The stitchers would put together the pieces in each section first. Then they would sew the sections together following the sketch. The stitchers could put the shell together in 15 minutes, had a lot of fun, and called it “Sew By Numbers”.
I had to sell the gown at market price, not the low price of production — so I made a 60% profit! And it sold so very well. The stitchers shared profit with “piece-work” and the cutters shared, with an innovative “entrepreneurial” system I designed for them.
Power of Persuasion with Internet, and Repairing
WWD (Women’s Wear Daily), Oct. 20, 2023, “What sets Gen Z apart is the power of persuasion is available at their fingertips, access to the internet since their birth.… Gen Z tends to act on their concerns, and we see this reflected in their consumer behavior and as they are making decisions. … They struggle to trust large businesses only 34 per cent of the time, compared to 71 per cent for small businesses. … Sixty-six per cent per cent of Gen Z globally said they repair things rather than replace them. They are aware of the longevity of their purchases and are intentional in their spending choices.”
I did not have that “power of persuasion” in the 1980s, when I sold my business and re-incorporated as a small business consultant, to help young designers do what I had done. Young Baby Boomers just wanted power by working for large businesses and intensely disliked patterns and production systems. Gen. Z, as consumers, have power over retail but have yet to realize they can redesign the future of manufacturing by learning from the past — by innovating in production and pattern engineering to lower costs, instead of lowering wages.
I am excited about Gen. Z's “repairing rather than replacing”. I go further with help on repairing in my article, “REDESIGN, REPAIR, REWEAR for Sustainability.
I look forward to Gen. Z changing the world, especially the fashion design & manufacturing industry. Thank you for reading.
