Page 20 - Designing Ways 271

FASHION

Why South Africa needs sustainable-

fashion awards

by twyg.

hen it comes to the Strategies for South Africa: The Textiles
South African fashion Value Chain’, retail sales of imported
Windustry, we’re in a bit of a clothing, footwear and textiles totalled
predicament. It’s imperative to encourage more than R175 billion in 2018, while
more sustainable and eco-friendly the 800 local clothing manufacturers
fashion, not only for climate reasons generated a significantly smaller revenue
but for socioeconomic ones too. Locally of R19 billion in the same year. At the
produced sustainable and eco-friendly same time, according to GreenCape, a
fashion (also called slow fashion) has non-profit organisation that drives the
to compete with cheap, imported fast widespread adoption of economically
fashion, which is made mostly from viable green economy solutions, about 6%
fossil-fuel-derived synthetic fabrics. of our country’s total landfill waste is made
The truth of the matter is that up of textiles.
sustainability and social inequality
are deeply intertwined. By prioritising So, how do we change things?
sustainable, locally made textiles and Twyg, a leading South African
products, we ultimately support the sustainable-fashion and beauty non-profit
South African economy, create more jobs, organisation, is on a mission to inspire a
strengthen communities and reduce the fashion and textile industry that’s kind,
impact of imported fast fashion on the fair, inclusive, diverse, nature-friendly and
environment. sustainable, and that embraces circular
South Africa currently imports most of design principles. One of the ways the
its textiles and finished products. According solution-driven platform champions
to the government-commissioned report this path is by hosting the annual Twyg
‘Designing Climate-Compatible Industrial Sustainable Fashion Awards.

20 Issue 271 • dw