Beyond Plastic

Local event sheds light on the fashion industry’s environmental impacts

PIRG and partners hosted a film screening and panel discussion at a local Olympia theater, showcasing the journey of a fashion designer navigating sustainability in the industry.

TPIN Staff | Used by permission
From left to right: Kathryn Horvath, PIRG; Christine Rayburn, Surfrider Foundation Olympia Chapter; Drea Johnson, Hidden Opulence; JeLisa Marshall, Remake; Shari Trnka, upcycling clothier; Zakiya Nicole, Chayah Movement

On September 29th, Olympia locals and advocates gathered in the Capitol Theater for a viewing of the film, “Fashion Reimagined.” We watched together as designer Amy Powney from Mother of Pearl created a truly sustainable line of clothing. Spoiler alert: this turned out to be more challenging than expected. 

This documentary gave us a peek into the complexities of the fashion industry. Some facts were hard to swallow– like the fact that over 100 billion items of clothing are made each year, and 3 out of 5 garments produced end up being landfilled or burned each year. 

We also know that an estimated 30% of the clothing produced each year is never sold or worn and is likely headed to the nearest landfill or incinerator. This is a huge waste of resources and further pollutes our environment, showing that waste is so out of fashion.

Amy is just one of many inspiring advocates, and her work has helped to form a pathway for other advocates and designers who prioritize the planet in fashion. 

Anyone who wears clothes should watch this film!

Owned by Together Films | Public Domain

After the documentary, local advocates and industry experts took the stage to have a discussion about the impacts of the fashion industry and the importance of transitioning to a more sustainable system. 

“With issues related to climate change, people can often feel isolated and overwhelmed.  Our Voices for Sustainable Fashion Collection shows that there is a community of people around the world, like Amy, who are making great progress in advancing sustainability in the fashion industry,” said Kathryn Horvath, Waste is Out of Fashion Campaign Associate with PIRG.

Panelists included Kathryn Horvath, Waste is out of Fashion Campaign Associate with PIRG; Zakiya Nicole, Executive Director/Founder of The Chayah Movement; Shari Trnka, Local Olympia upcycling clothier; Drea Johnson, Founder & Creative Director at Hidden Opulence. The event was moderated by JeLisa Marshall, Community Organizer with Remake.

Thank you to the partners who co-hosted this event with PIRG: Remake, Surfrider Foundation- Olympia Chapter, and The Chayah Movement.

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