Lara's Pint of Style: sustainable fashion

Last night, I was invited to the opening of local sustainable fashion designer James Dimech's annual wearable art exhibition at the lavish AX Rosselli in Valletta. The works of James Dimech are not new to this blog as I have witnessed his exceptional work in the past.

Model's portrait, ICAM STUDIOS

Between the Folds: Giving Plastic A New Life concludes 2019 for James Dimech where his expertise in architecture and origami really shines through, reflecting an exploration of form and structure. The collection of 7 garments was created in response to 'The European Week for Waste Reduction'. In fact, the fabrics used for this collection are made out of plastic bottles. Yes, that's right! From plastic bottles to flakes to polyester yarn, to ultimately, fabric, this is in James's own words, the material of the future. There are different textures and thicknesses of materials some of which even simulate fabrics such as silk.

The collection features some of these materials in what in my opinion is a love letter to sustainable fabric, a gigantic step in the right direction of we are to really start helping the dire climate situation our planet is in. The clothing industry is known to be one of the worst polluters of our planet with the trash produced, not to mention the exploitation of thousands if not millions of child labourers and adult workers in third world countries. I have to agree with Mr Dimech when he says that this is the way forward to reduce the use of plastic and recycle the plastic we use. Having experienced the fabric first hand myself, I could feel it is sturdy and durable, thus providing sustainable fabrics that will last.

The exhibition will be open to the public at the AX Rosselli until the 24th of November 2019 and I really encourage you to visit as artists like James Dimech and concepts such as sustainable fabrics made out of recycled plastic deserve all our support.

October 24th marks World Sustainability Day, in a bid to try and preserve the world and maybe reverse some of the damage we inflicted on our planet over time. I was just introduced to Made With Respect, a New Zealand sustainable fashion and design project and in celebration of World Sustainability Day, I thought of introducing you to the concept as well as some tips and ways you can implement in your day-to-day life to help preserve the environment.

🌍 Use less plastic

Perhaps the most worrying concern is plastic. Plastic takes hundreds if not thousand of years to decompose. Everywhere you look there's plastic, and what's worse? Most people don't care of the impact it leaves on the planet when disposed of correctly. It looks impossible at first but by making small changes, it can actually turn into a big statement over time. Here are some examples of how you can slowly achieve a plastic-free lifestyle:

- Switch to stainless steel straws

- Use bamboo toothbrushes

- Eliminate the use of plastic trays and cutlery

- Use refillable water bottles and refill as you go instead of purchasing countless plastic bottles. Consider installing a reverse osmosis system at home too and it will also spare you the hassle of carrying heavy water packs!

- Take your own shopping bags when grocery shopping

🌎 Reuse and recycle

Re-use any packaging that you can, for example small tic-tac boxes can be used to store bobby pins in, thus reducing the chance of you losing them altogether. Larger containers can be used as lunch boxes or just use them as compartments to organise drawer contents.

When recycling, take care to dispose of items in the correct bins and bags. Organic waste can also be used for compost as it makes an excellent fertilizer for your garden.

🌏 Shop for sustainable clothing and materials

Fashion is one of the largest industry polluters in the world, with a shocking 20% of industrial water pollution coming from the dyeing and treatment of textiles. Looking for clothes made out of organic cotton, soy silk, cashmere and linen for example, also helps the industry and your bank account - investing in timeless pieces is actually worth it in the long run plus it may start to shun the fast fashion industry where children and women workers are continuously exploited.

This is where Made With Respect comes in. Made With Respect is a sustainable fashion and design project based in New Zealand and it incorporates various eco-conscious brands from all over the world, selling fashion, toys, skin care and beauty products and home ware for children and adults alike, all made from sustainable materials. I've had a browse on the website and these are some of my favourite items (clicking on each image will take you directly to the product):