作者:Jonah Grinkewitz

bet8体育娱乐入口 students and staff recently worked together to promote sustainability in the fashion industry and provide free clothes to students in need.

刚刚过去的万圣节, ODU’s Office of 领导 and 学习 hosted “Spooktacular Monarch Thrift” in the University’s Webb Center, where more than 370 students perused and took home 960 pounds of donated and gently worn 服装.

“今天早上排了很长的队,麦迪逊·雷利说, a fashion merchandising student who volunteered at the event. “That’s really great to see, that (the clothes) don’t have to go to waste.”

She and her classmates created signage for the event raising awareness of the impacts of “fast fashion,” including information about the more than 25 million pounds of clothes that end up in landfills or incinerators each year.

快乐凯利, an adjunct faculty member who teaches a course on fashion sustainability, said the goal of sharing information is not to shame consumers, 但是要告诉他们.

“It isn’t wise to dictate what people should do or accuse them of trashing the world,”她说。. ”意识, 有意义的数据, 诚实的谈话, 教育, acceptance and manageable changes are great places to start slowing the fast-fashion movement.”

Students who “purchased” clothes at the event also received a flyer with information on resources for food, 服装, rent and utility assistance through ODU and other community groups.

卡拉布恩, assistant director for service learning in the Office of 领导 and 学习, said that by sharing information through a fun event like Monarch Thrift, 他们希望减少人们对寻求帮助的耻辱感.

“Some people really need the items but feel embarrassed,”她说。. “寻求帮助是可以的.”

校园资源

The Monarch Clothing 关闭t is in room 1007 of the Visual 艺术 Building and is open to students with a current ODU ID.

Previously called the Big Blue 关闭t and run through ODU’s 斯特罗姆商学院, it provided professional 服装 and accessories to students.

与ODU美国创行组织合作, the Office of 领导 and 学习 expanded it to also provide all 服装 and outerwear including jackets, 鞋及配件.

Boone said that having a permanent space where clothes can be displayed on racks creates an inviting environment where students can browse clothes as if they were in a store.

“If students need something, it doesn’t have to be pulled out of a bin,”她说。.

Another resource is the Monarch Food Pantry, located in Webb Center and open from 10 a.m. 到3点.m. 周二. 由学生志愿者经营, it provides free food to students who are registered for classes during the current semester.

“我们的宗旨是‘学生帮助学生’,”布恩说.

ODU时装学生可持续发展集体

Kelly tasked the students in her sustainability course to inspire social change around 服装 consumption through meaningful projects and community engagement.

Inspired by their goal, the students gave themselves a name: The ODU时装学生可持续发展集体.

在a的帮助下 服务学习“小型补助金” 来自领导与学习办公室, 哪个提供最多1美元,000 for courses that support service learning on the local, 国家级或国家级, the class set up a booth at the 巴里艺术博物馆’s Fantastic Planet Public 艺术 Festival in early October to raise awareness of the role consumers and the fashion industry play in microfiber pollution in waterways.

该项目也与ODU的2023年捆绑在一起 “蓝色连接”年度校园主题, which focuses on the crucial role oceans and waterways play in society and the global economy.

学生们分享事实, such as how 20% to 35% of microplastic pollution comes from synthetic 服装 (rayon, 尼龙, 聚酯, 等.), 和解决方案, like washing your clothes at a colder temperature to reduce the shed of microfibers.

They also conducted an anonymous survey with festival goers about their attitudes toward the issue and willingness to make changes to their consumption and designed fashion products using waterway debris. 

Photo of 服装 accessories incorporating plastic products.

An example of "Trashy Fashion" from the ODU时装学生可持续发展集体' booth at Fantastic Planet. 乔伊·凯利提供的照片.

11月的另一个项目, they designed a “Fashion and Function” show at the 巴里艺术博物馆 featuring garments that eliminate pain points experienced by people with disabilities. The design elements focused on flexibility, simplicity in use, low physical effort and equitable use.

Jazmine伯纳德, 班上一个想成为时装设计师的学生, said that in addition to learning more about sustainability and the ways that fashion ties into our lives, 课堂项目帮助她磨练了缝纫技巧.

The program has also opened doors for students who want careers in the industry outside of design.

贝拉Goglia, 班上的另一个学生, said she wants to open her own business after she graduates.

“Being involved in this major and the events we do helps me get my foot in the door, 与社区和网络中的人交谈,”她说。.

欲了解更多有关ODU时装营销专业的知识, 点击这里.