Designing for use, rather than designing for consumption
Wintec tutors and researchers, Rebekah Harman and Emily Russell launched their book Worn Well at R Block Social Space on Thursday, November 13.
Lead researcher, Rebekah Harman said the book is bringing awareness to harmful effects of textile waste and how critical it is to wear our clothing longer as it reduces our garment’s environmental footprint.
The book contains a series of photographs of people living in Waikato, wearing their most loved and worn clothing, along with quotes from the research survey. It brings awareness to the over-consumption and over-production of fast fashion, which produces large amounts of textile waste each year.
One of these facts is from the Wall Street Journal which said that people, on average, wear a garment seven times before it is discarded.
Harman acknowledged the creative team of Holly Russell and Muredach Daly from One Man Crew who produced the images for the book and some cinematography, and thanked the people who made the book possible. She said, “The book sets about to celebrate clothing that has been worn well and collates information about what garments people are consistently loving, wearing and wearing out. Ultimately, this type of information could form the basis for ‘designing for use, rather than designing for consumption.’”
Designer, Emily Russell was wearing her most-worn and loved dress at the launch, which she said was made by a family member when she was pregnant. The book contains images of a well-darned jumper, a vintage dress, a leather jacket and humble cardigan amongst others, and includes statistics and information from the research. In the process of publishing the book, it reminded her of home, “This project has brought back many memories of my own around garment making, my mum and aunties sewing, brown tissue patterns fluttering around the room and grandma’s knitted creations.”
It has been special to Russell on reflecting on those moments and incorporates them with the design of the book.
One of the participants was artist Bridget Barnett wearing a vintage dress and pendant.
Being and living as a sustainable advocate, I loved being part of this research project. I am wearing my retro NZ-made Maggy dress with my mum’s 70’s copper ball bell pendant necklace, both very precious pieces as mum was called Maggy and was in a band with Dad of the same name. – Bridget Barnett, Artist
Sithma Illangasinghe, one of the attendees who studied her masters in Fashion Design said, “I was motivated to support this cause because the research answers a critical problem in New Zealand which is the overconsumption and overproduction of fast fashion in the country. Since I have studied fashion design, the best lessons I would keep in mind would be to use my clothing items longer and be mindful of their maintenance.”
As well as the garments featured in the book, stainable fashion can come from thrifting, something student Julia Bartley knows well. Her favourite item of clothing is her dark denim Levi’s jacket which she bought at a Mamata charity shop ten years ago.
“I love this jacket because this has been with me through different chapters of my life.” She added, she also loves her Dr. Martens boots which she bought from the same op shop.
The Worn Well book launch showcased that our most loved and worn clothing holds onto the precious memories of loved ones and different chapters in our lives, that cannot be mimicked by fast fashion.
