On October 1, Zennor WI held its ‘Say No to Fast Fashion’ coffee morning as part of the Climate Coalition Great Big Green Week.
The members were joined by WI Climate Ambassadors Mary Lindsey and Fiona Hughes, and Mary took charge of the climate information stall, hanging up the beautiful climate banner.
MP Derek Thomas joined the event, and he was provided with information about microplastics and fast fashion.
In addition to information about fast fashion, there were also stalls stocked with bric-a-brac, books, plants and pre-loved clothes, as well as large numbers of delicious cakes kindly donated by Zennor WI members. Items for sale weren’t priced, but donations were requested for Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) and £350 was raised for them directly, with a further £60 from sales of CHSW Christmas cards and £100 raised by Zennor WI member Gilly Farrell from selling plants over the summer.
MP Derek Thomas in conversation with Zennor WI member Gilly Farrell
Most WI members shop carefully and are aware of the impact of the fashion industry on our environment. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global emissions and uses huge quantities of water in the manufacture of fabrics. It is guilty of gross employment abuses including child labour, and if it continues to grow on its current trajectory it will require 115 million hectares of land within the next 10 years – land needed for growing food and for rewilding.
We can all help by buying less, buying pre-loved clothes, and by mending and altering clothes to give them a new lease of life. If buying new, always check supply chains – where are they made and by whom?
And perhaps most important, write to your MPs and ask them to ask the Government to heed the advice of the Environmental Audit Committee and bring forward the planned date of the Waste Strategy Review from 2025 to 2022 – 2025 is too late. Look into the Fair Wear Foundation which gives some guarantee of fair wages.
If you would like a copy of the Fast Fashion Fact Sheet, you can contact Climate Ambassador Pippa Stilwell on cfwiclimate@gmail.com.