Happy New Week! 

Welcome back to the Lucia Musau Blog. Today I want to talk about something very close to my heart – the environment. But first, I have a few questions:

How many pairs of jeans do you have in your closet? How many do you actually wear? 

According to the UN-Water, it takes 7500 liters of water to make one pair of jeans,  yet today, 771 million people – 1 in 10 – lack access to safe water.

According to a 2019 Kenyan survey done by Alex Musembi, it revealed that about 35 million kilograms (or 350,000 tonnes) of textile are discarded every year, and of these, Nairobi alone contributes 20 million kilos. It further reiterated the fact that there is a huge potential underlying in Kenya, and the few textile industries cannot handle all the unwanted clothes in Kenya

Every 5th of June, the world comes together to celebrate World Environment Day. This is a day where people from all over the world join hands to support a better environment for a better tomorrow. This year’s theme is “Only One Earth” which draws our attention towards playing our role effectively while living in perfect harmony with nature – without proving a burden on it.

If you follow me on LinkedIn, you will know that I am extremely passionate about sustainability. I am a strong believer that sustainability is the key to a better future. My question to you is; how are you leaving the world a better place? Whether as an organization or as an individual.  

Considering the background of this blog is fashion, I want to highlight on Sustainability in Fashion. According to a report filed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in 2021, fashion production makes up 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions, dries up water sources, and pollutes rivers and streams.

As a consumer, how can you achieve fashion sustainability!

1. Buy second-hand clothing: For the local consumer, buying second-hand and reusing clothing is a great way to reduce waste, reduce the impact on the environment – and save some money. Demand for fast fashion is what fuels the industry; the less we buy, the less we put the stress on the global supply chain.
2. Shopping locally: If we buy part of our clothing locally, it will help reduce the carbon footprints of clothing traveling all the way here. This will also reduce the foreign dominance of other countries as well as promote local consumption of the textile industry in Kenya.
3. Buy ethical clothing: Labels tell us a lot about where the clothing comes from, and what is in it! If you choose to buy organic silk, check the manufacturer. Some manufacturers have also been making a move towards sustainable eco-fashion, with a low impact on the environment throughout the garment life-cycle; and companies are taking notice.
4. Swap clothes with your friends: This helps in saving money through acquiring ‘new’ clothes at no cost also by adding variety to your wardrobe to freshen it up and feeding the craving for “something new to wear” by reducing environmental impact by not buying new clothes. With these you are able to get clearer information on how best you can get your fashion sustainable

Here’s to being fashionably sustainable!.