Circular economy must include textiles, says advocate

Alternatives to fast fashion — cheap, trendy clothing that clogs thrift stores and landfills — will be on display at Edmonton's second annual sustainable fashion show on June 19.

"I want to be able to show the public (what) it looks like addressing textile waste," said Josephine Nakafeero, founder of the Edmonton Sustainable Fashion Show and a designer herself at Jose House of Creations.

Studies suggest people buy about 60% more clothes than they did 20 years ago, but they keep them for about half as long. The fashion industry is the second-largest consumer of water on Earth behind agriculture, and it is responsible for up to 10% of global carbon emissions — more than the aviation and shipping industry combined. Research from the University of Waterloo found that Canadians throw away nearly 500 million kilograms of fabric each year.

"It's overwhelming, and the numbers are really scary," Nakafeero told Taproot. "It's sad that not so much is done."

Nakafeero said she launched the sustainable fashion show last year because she saw a gap. There are many opportunities to explore the circular economy — a system designed to eliminate waste by keeping products and materials in circulation — but clothes weren't a big enough part of the conversation, she said.

"Not so much attention was put on textile waste, and so with that in mind, as a sustainable fashion designer, I realized I needed to address that through my skill set."

The event at the downtown branch of the Edmonton Public Library will feature Nakafeero's upcycled fashions alongside those of seven other designers: Wing Sem of Growling Stitch; Yvonne M. Nakabira of Naiga Made; Louise Houghton of Awry Studio; Fely Aagader; Alexandra Myshalova and Chantal Duval of Welded Hanger; and Noah Milo and Yron Keith of Jonas.

In addition to a runway show, the event will feature keynotes from Ashlyn Renner, who leads Edmonton's Neighbouring for Climate program; Gabriella Walek, founder of the Global Sustainable Fashion Week; Eugenio Coccimiglio, president of Net Impact Edmonton; and LeeAnn Teal-Rutkovsky, founder of the Impact Fashion Hub. There will also be a panel with Andrea Benahmed Djilali of the Circular Fashion Incubator, ⁠Michelle Closs of secondhand store ReImagined Fabrics, and ⁠Kim Nakrieko, a CBC journalist who often spotlights sustainable fashion. Vendors will be part of the event, too, and the whole thing will be hosted by Lillah Penddah, founder of AFRO FACTS.

The designs will range from ready-to-wear to couture. The theme is innovation in sustainable fashion, and Nakafeero said she wants to show how textiles can be repurposed into new designs.

"We want to be able to show how we can be more creative and innovative with what we already have, and create new designs that people are able to embrace and feel confident and proud to wear," she said. "Because it's not just about you buying clothes and (wearing them), but it's supporting an economy, a circular fashion economy, for a greater impact."

Edmonton has just been announced as the site of the next Canadian Circular Economy Summit, which will take place from June 2 to 4, 2027. The City of Edmonton and Alberta EcoTrust are co-hosting the event.

Nurturing the circular economy is also part of what Michelle Frechette is building through the Social Impact Innovation Hub.