An Interview with FS Sustainability

From 1992, St Andrews Charity Fashion Show has made a splash. It undoubtedly has been one of the biggest social events throughout the academic year and is marked on many students calendars as a night of fabulous fashion with innovative textile designs and concepts.  Having raised over half a million pounds in donations, FS has been at the forefront of promoting sustainability within the fashion world. To take a look closer, I interviewed Janine Jafar who told me all about the inner workings of FS and their strong message of sustainability. 

What does sustainability mean to FS?

“Sustainability is embedded in our ethos here at FS. After the covid 19 pandemic, it seems that people have been made  aware of the importance of sustainability. Sometimes issues within the world of fashion have been overlooked like the fast fashion industry. However as more people are being educated as to the environmental and social consequences of this industry, we believe that sustainability is being seen as more of a priority. It is a driving force in the committee as we advocate for greater social change.”

How do you implement sustainable solutions into the show and fundraising activities?

“We implement many sustainable solutions into everything we do! We prioritize sourcing sustainable textiles from designers. Moreover, we have Fate week where we had 6 different activities to educate the St Andrews community about the significance of sustainability and to fundraise for FS. We had a clothing revamp, a speaker panel, a pop- up event, a night at the Vic and a debate in collaboration with the 1984 society. Our panel speakers included Callie Clayton, Christine Goulay, Simran Cheema, Helena Mansell- Stopher and Natascha Radclyffe- Thomas. Our clothing revamp allowed us to demonstrate how you can extend the life of old clothes in your wardrobe and how there are other options instead of just throwing old clothes out. We also had vintage designers showing how iconic style never goes out of taste. The pop up designers consequently highlighted the relevance of circular and slow fashion industries with some amazing designs. The aim behind these events was to make them fun and educational. Additionally when it comes to Starfields, we like to make sure our decorations are sustainably based. Moreover we create a report at the end of the year looking at our sustainable goals and how we implemented and achieved them.“

How have the themes of FS included sustainability in them throughout the years?

“Well, last year our theme for the show was Encompassing Environments and this year our theme is Looking back, Looking forwards. We’re taking into account previous fashion styles, materials and designs but also projecting the future of the fashion industry with sustainability at the forefront”

How would you describe the importance of green alternatives and raising awareness of promoting ethical choices in FS?

“At FS we prioritize using renewable materials which produce less waste. These materials can be reused and do not pollute or damage the environment.  We chose designers that are pioneers of sustainability within their designs and sponsors who have sustainability at the core of their values. Promoting ethical choices in fashion is very important. For example on our blog, Eniayo Adeniji recently interviewed Maria all about her designs and brand. She is an advocate for pushing sustainable practices within the fashion industry.”

Can you tell me more about sustainable materials used in some of the clothing and textiles at FS?

“Of course! We use many 100 percent cotton or cashmere materials as they are simple and accessible. We also use a company called Spider Ink which uses protein as a base for various textiles and materials in the fashion and cosmetics world. From an educational perspective, it is important to dispel some myths like how one can turn plastic bottles into clothing. It is actually more environmentally friendly to turn clothing into clothing and make these items accessible to everyone.”

Are there any societies that also promote sustainability that you found beneficial to work with?

“I have really enjoyed working with Sustainable Style. We collaborated with them for the clothing revamp and some of them brought sewing machines. I think working with other societies is a great way of diversifying and encouraging a larger number of students and residents to attend the events. Our collaborative debate with the 1984 increased wider societal participation and made everyone critically engage with the idea and reality of slow fashion”

If someone is wanting to make their wardrobe more environmentally friendly what tips would you give them ?

“As fast fashion is driven by consumerism I would be mindful of the pitfalls it presents. When you’re out shopping it can be good to be conscious of what you’re buying- as in would you wear it again, do you already have a similar outfit in your closet? It can be important to think about why this item of clothing is so cheap. Is it because the materials used are of a poor quality, the company does not pay their employees a fair wage or is the supply train a transparent one? If you think you might only wear this item once and then throw it away, is it really a good purchase? I would advise going for a less is more approach. For example, it can be very sustainable to think of different ways of wearing an item of clothing. This cuts down waste and means you can develop new looks and experiment with your personal style. It’s all about making simple and positive changes” 

How do you see sustainability developing within the next few years within the fashion industry?

“I believe there will be a surge of innovation when looking at textiles and materials. I think biodegradable start- ups will blossom. I hope there will be more investment in that sector. Clothing made from sustainable materials could be more accessible and widely advertised. I would think there would be more transparent supply chains and legislation will implement quotas and more eco- friendly ways of producing clothing. For example, having a stronger textile framework meaning countries can not just produce any amount of whatever they want would be beneficial. If a certain material is hard to recycle or reuse, maybe limiting the amount of clothes that are produced with that material could be more sustainable. One of my favorite companies is Pangaia as they are incredibly innovative as they turn polluted air into ink. They additionally use aloe vera to preserve clothes. I think more start ups might resemble this forward thinking business model. Another of my favorite companies is Mossy Earth which focuses on rewilding projects in the Scottish Highlands.”

How would you describe your experiences in FS and the best thing about FS?

“I personally really enjoyed organizing Fate week . We had five amazing speakers who were all incredibly passionate when it comes to sustainability. It has been a blast work with other committees such as The 1984 and Sustainable Style. I’ve loved trying new things and thinking up new ways of promoting the importance of sustainability with my talented committee members (Alixe Philips, Lauren de Mello and Lauren de Seze) and the graphics team who created some wonderful logos. It has been great to work towards a wider goal and context which has allowed me to meet new people and make really strong connections. It has been a truly positive and meaningful experience.”