Fashion sustainability has become much of a buzzword in recent months. The term refers to a growingly popular concept which encourages us as consumers to be more conscious of what we’re buying in order to better the environment and labour conditions of those involved in the production process. 

Basically, it’s asking us to think: is this teeny plastic backpack that hardly fits one lipstick, really worth €40, child labour and 450 years to decompose?

I would like to think everyone would answer that question with a swift “no” but unfortunately, as fashion design graduate, Rion O’Donovan points out “everyone is a sucker for a €3 top” - it can be challenging to take a step back and see the bigger picture.

Also, more often than not, the real problem lies in the fact people are unaware of what this “bigger picture” truly entails.

According to statistics, the fashion industry follows a close second to oil in contributing to greenhouse gases due to the mass amounts of energy used during its production, manufacturing and transportation processes.

A whopping 20% of industrial water pollution comes from textile treatment and dyes used in the clothing production process. 

In response to this, Rion (22) has begun using more environmentally friendly methods of dyeing fabrics. As part of her final year project, Rion decided to use non-bleached, non-dyed cotton (of a similar texture as denim), which she dyed using avocado pits- yes you heard me right, avocado pits.

“I collected loads of avocado pits from Canteen and Boojum, they think I'm crazy they gave me a big bucket of like 30 avocado pits”.

Turns out boiling avocado pits turns the water pink, consequently turning any fabric soaked in it a beautiful salmon-coloured pink!

Aside from the negative effect's toxins have on the environment and wildlife, they are also said to be responsible for up to 20,000 cancer deaths every year- avocado pits don’t sound so bad now, eh?

On top of this, there’s the too-often forgotten factor of who is behind the actual manufacturing of these clothes and the conditions these people are under. 

The collapse of the Rana Plaza, killing 1134 garment workers back in 2013, shot this issue right into the media’s eye but since then, workers continue to work 96 hours 7 days a week and the rest of the world have gone back to blissful ignorance.

And how is this still happening you might ask? Because we keep funding it. 

“I think because it’s such a money-grabbing industry people don’t care once they’re making money or getting a bargain,” says Rion, highlighting the fact the best way to initiate change is to hit companies where it hurts; by decreasing their profits, forcing them to change.

With an Instagram following of 32.8k and a YouTube of 33.4k, Keelin Moncrieff (22) brings attention to the responsibility she, and other public figures on social media have to make a positive influence.

“Influencers are so quick to accept free clothing and free merchandise just to post on social media and what this is doing is creating false advertising for the online world and creating an image that you have to get all these clothes and have to own this many pieces”.

“It’s basically just influencing younger audiences that they have to buy and buy”.

Earlier this year Keelin waved goodbye to her job at Dublin Vintage Factory and life in the capital, to move to Galway where she set up her clothing store ‘Angelz Vintage’.

Keelin is aware that not all fashionistas out there are satisfied with run-of-the-mill hand me downs found in charity shops- some need a little extra pizzazz; that’s where Angelz Vintage comes in.

“You don’t have to be given outfits on a silver platter to be stylish”

“I try to modernise items to the best of my capabilities so I can offer pieces for customers who might not be into vintage style clothing,'' says Keelin.

Keelin isn’t alone in her quest for a more sustainable Ireland, Rion O’Donovan also recently began making and selling her own pieces following her graduation from LSAD earlier this year and her final year project very much sums up what this young feminist/ environmentalist stands for.

Rion’s final year collection was based around the theme of menstruation and superheroes. 

“I dyed all of my own fabrics using natural materials which symbolised the staining in which blood can leave on clothing due to menstruation. The evil in which she is saving her city from could be anything from the toxins that are put into fabrics to colour them to the number of toxic chemicals that the fashion industry produces every day/week/year” says Rion.

Just recently Rion did a custom order for a client in which she dyed the fabric using a mixture of berries! She even included an extra bottle of the berry mixture so that if the dye faded with time, all the client would have to do is soak it overnight to get the colour back!

^^^ Now this is the sort of initiative we need more of in the fashion industry, and she didn’t even learn this in school, it’s all self-taught!

In the words of Keelin Moncrieff: “You don’t have to be given outfits on a silver platter to be stylish”- don’t make online shopping your first port of call for an outfit; check your local charity shops, throw an eye to Depop, maybe even follow in Rion or Keelin's footsteps and grab a pair of scissors or some avocados and jazz up some outdated pieces you already own.

Don’t give in to the convenience of fast fashion. Look up to the influence of people like Rion and Keelin and strive to incorporate sustainability into your own life and wardrobe.