Heather Kaye’s talk was very insightful and eye-opening. Prior to her talk, I had never wondered what our clothes were made of. I think I blindly assumed that clothes were made of cotton or some other material, but I never expected it to be plastic. I think it’s due to the nature of the appearance of our clothes, which is very different from that of plastics we use on a daily basis. I really enjoyed how Heather backed everything up with informative videos or information sources.
Brands like H&M and Zara have always caught my attention, and I’ve been impressed by their efforts. I feel very betrayed after knowing that there is a catch to all these efforts. These showy tactics work as a form of advertising the brand when in reality, they are not as helpful as they are made to be. The process behind mass producing and fast fashion is the problem that should be acknowledged and worked on. Workers are treated very harshly all to expand the company’s profits. Materials are overused and waste is created. The recycled plastic ends up being thrown in landfills or used to gain more profit while employing dirty tactics to get consumers to buy more.
In addition to everything I learned in class, it is essential to educate all my friends and family about the shocking information I have learned. When it comes to the fashion industry, I have to start avoiding blindly falling for their marketing strategies. The thrifting culture is becoming more and more popular among people my age, and I think it is the move for the future. Clothes should always be donated or given to friends rather than back to these cheating brands. Many websites are responsible for displaying and selling used clothes and I should start getting behind them. I also am more inclined to be part of campus opportunities involving clothing and donation, and I’d love to have an influence on fighting these lying schemes.
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