Camosun College Student Society sponsored content
Ever wondered where all our clothing trash ends up?
Sustainable fashion is all about reducing the massive environmental footprint created by the fashion industry. Society’s modern clothing habits are driving an unprecedented environmental crisis, fuelled by must-have trends from online shopping apps, ASMR videos encouraging people to buy more, and posters in shopping malls promoting constant consumption. According to Changing Markets, 92 million tons of textile waste are generated annually on a global scale. Do the math, and that’s like a garbage truck full of clothes ending up in a landfill every second. So, imagine reading this article for five minutes—yep, 300 garbage trucks filled with clothes are wasted in that time.
One of the biggest culprits? Polyester. A synthetic fibre used in more than 60 percent of our clothing which, unfortunately, sheds microplastics with every wash. So, where do these microplastics go after the laundry cycle? It eventually seeps into our rivers and oceans, harming aquatic life and making their way up to the food chain.
Seeing the need for change, Business students Dona Palo, Marjoe Bantillo, Marivic Perez, and Reveena Macabare, in collaboration with myself, hosted an event on November 7 at Camosun’s Interurban campus. The event, held in the Cultural Centre of the Health and Wellness building, aimed to raise awareness about sustainable fashion and give students and community members a space to rethink their clothing choices. Attendees shared stories of thrifted treasures and beloved hand-me-downs, like a vintage dress from grandma or dad’s old (but still cool) jacket!
Camosun College Student Society international director Phuong Thanh Tran (Polly) shared stories about her grandmother’s necklace and a chic blazer from her mom, both brought from her home country, Vietnam. Camosun instructor Laura Basar shared her purple ear mufflers, which she has been using for over five years. Solamae, a social science student, also shared her love for shopping at thrift stores and consignment shops. She mentioned that the top she was wearing that day was from a thrift store, while the skirt came from consignment store The Patch.
From the Business students, Elham shared the story of her favourite scarf, bought at WIN Victoria, her go-to second-hand shop that also supports women in need; Himanshu spoke about his bleached pants, which he continues to wear, embracing the design rather than throwing them away. An impromptu speaker, Giovanny Lopez, shared a story about his jeans, which he bought when he first arrived as an international student in Canada. The memory reminded him of how he started with only a few pairs of pants, and how these jeans became a symbol of his journey.
Among the 19 participants, Camosun alumni Mariale Vasquez commented, “Wow, I never thought about how my clothing choices affect the environment. I’ll be more careful not to join every fashion fad, probably save more money for travel and creating memories rather than buying new clothes!” Kaye, an exchange student from the Philippines, playfully said, “When I go home, I’ll ransack my mom’s clothing wardrobe. It would be nice to sit down and hear her stories about those clothes and wear them to school!”
The event sparked thoughtful conversations, and we hope to keep them going!
For more sustainable fashion content and updates on future events or if you have any collaboration ideas, be sure to follow @camosunsustainability on Instagram. Each step toward sustainable fashion is small but a powerful one—this is not the end but just a start!