Spotlight is a regular series where we feature a prominent person in the style scene. This month we speak with Christina Dean, founder of Redress.
The fashion industry is the world’s second largest polluter. Among the many voices drawing attention to this issue is a Hong Kong-based NGO founded by former journalist Christina Dean, who was named by Vogue as one of the UK’s “Top 30 Inspirational Women.” Before Dean’s presentation at Shanghai Fashion Week’s GreenCode Day Talks, we speak to her about a cause that she’s most passionate about.
What is Redress?
Redress is an environmental NGO working to reduce waste in the fashion industry through educating the supply chain and catalyzing positive changes, all across how our clothes are made, worn and disposed of. I started Redress because through my previous career as a journalist, I uncovered so many horrific truths about the fashion industry’s impact on the environment and this realization – along with the fact that China is the world’s biggest clothing and textile manufacturer – lead me to devote my life to raising awareness of this issue.
Why should consumers pay attention to sustainable practices in the fashion industry?
Don’t we aspire to be more than merely ‘consumers’? I think we want to be citizens of the world rather than robotic users of consumer goods. That’s why we should shop and dress with ethical intentions. The fashion industry is the world’s second biggest polluter and fashion ‘customers’ have the power to change this. It’s hugely invigorating to use our closet as a vehicle to express our deeper intentions.
Plus, who really wants to wear the world’s suffering on their back? Not me.
“Making the fashion industry more sustainable and ethical has moved from a moral issue to a money issue”
How can people make more sustainable choices for what they buy or wear, or reduce waste?
• Buy clothes from the heart. This means only buying clothes that you absolutely love and will wear – with a minimum of 30 wears at the back of your mind. Durability and how long you wear your clothes for is key while supporting more ethically designed and produced clothing is also important.
• Quality over quantity. Buy clothes that are well-made – so turn them inside out in the shop and check the fabrics, linings, hemlines, zippers and buttons. Then look after them well – so wash carefully and at lower temperatures so that you don’t damage your clothes. ‘Less is more’ will leave you with more space in your closet to breathe.
• Do a wardrobe edit. The first step to reducing your waste is to remember what clothes you already have. Take a few hours to re-organize and try new clothing combinations from what you already have. You’ll be able to ‘shop’ from your own closet for months to come.
• Find alternatives to buying. Consider secondhand clothing stores or use tailoring services to alter your unwanted clothes back to new again. Clothing rental services are another great option to get the look you love without consumption.
Since starting Redress in 2007, have you noticed any significant changes in the fashion industry in their efforts to become more environmentally friendly?
The fundamental and most exciting change that I’ve seen over the last decade is that people are now taking the fashion industry’s challenges seriously – there is no denying how caustic the industry is to people and the planet, and there is now a widespread genuine need (as opposed to merely a desire) to
find solutions. Making the fashion industry more sustainable and ethical has moved from a moral issue to a money issue. Not doing something is not an option and the industry must change in order to survive.
What about in China, specifically?
While China is often considered a polluter, we are seeing China move to becoming a pioneer across the supply chain. I’m really excited to see how China can use its power to innovate and promote more sustainable fashion design and production. The world should watch out for more good news from China. For more, visit www.redress.com.hk.
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