The Beginning of Something Better: The Eco Fashion Collective
Why I Started The Eco Fashion Collective
I started The Eco Fashion Collective because I wanted to create a space for conversations about fashion that go beyond trends, seasons and consumption.
My journey towards creating the Collective began during my MA in Sustainable Fashion: Business & Practices at Kingston School of Art, Kingston University. The course challenged me to look at fashion as a system and to question not only how clothes are designed and produced, but also the social, cultural, environmental and economic systems that support them.
One area that particularly captured my attention was craft.
I became interested in craft systems: the knowledge, skills, materials, people, places and communities that come together to create something. I began to see artisan-made fashion not simply as beautiful objects, but as a living form of cultural knowledge.
This is something UNESCO also recognises. Its work around intangible cultural heritage places traditional craftsmanship among the areas that should be safeguarded. Importantly, UNESCO explains that the focus is not simply on preserving craft objects, but on supporting the knowledge and skills of artisans and ensuring they can continue to be passed between generations.
This made me ask: how can we give these stories more visibility within contemporary fashion?
Why Is Ethical Fashion Important?
For me, sustainable fashion is about much more than choosing better materials or reducing waste. It is also about understanding the people and cultures behind what we wear.
The fashion industry has the potential to support livelihoods, preserve traditional skills, celebrate cultural identity and create meaningful connections between makers and consumers. But these things need to be valued.
Research by Dr Sass Brown on cultural sustainability in fashion explores how traditional craft can contribute to sustainable development, highlighting the importance of preserving and regenerating the knowledge, meanings and cultural practices embedded in craft.
These ideas were hugely influential in shaping my thinking.
What Is The Eco Fashion Collective?
The Eco Fashion Collective is a platform for ethical, sustainable and artisan-made fashion.
Through our magazine, events and podcast, we want to discover and share the stories behind responsible fashion. We speak to designers, artisans, makers, researchers, creatives and businesses who are questioning the status quo and exploring different ways of working.
The annual magazine gives us a place to tell deeper stories. Our events create opportunities for people to meet and exchange ideas. And through the podcast, we can have open conversations about ethical fashion, craftsmanship, sustainability and the future of the fashion industry.
Who Is Involved?
At its heart, the Collective is about community.
I want to bring together people from different parts of the fashion ecosystem — from artisans and independent designers to academics, sustainable fashion businesses, writers, creatives and conscious consumers. Our first collaborators include a strategist and Digital Marketer,Kanchi Dheer and Curator and Cultural Advisor Kerryn Salter.
I believe that meaningful change happens when we connect these different perspectives.
How Is It Going?
The Eco Fashion Collective is still at the beginning of its journey, and that is part of the excitement.
We are building consumer-facing touchpoints while connecting with founders who share our belief that fashion can be more thoughtful, ethical and culturally meaningful.
My ambition is to create a platform where ethical fashion and artisan-made fashion are not niche conversations, but an important part of the future of fashion.
Ultimately, I want The Eco Fashion Collective to help us look differently at what we wear — and to ask not only what is this made from, but who made it, what knowledge does it carry, and what can we do to help that knowledge continue?
That is where our journey begins.