The group leads a conversation about fast fashion for a group of their peers at a Clothing Swap
The shroud of unfamiliarity and deceit which envelops the fast fashion industry is precisely why six high school students (Hannia, Jasmine, Marcus, Stephanie, Unzela, and Zara) participating in our Youth Stewardship & Professional Skills Program created an action project with the goal of increasing education around fast fashion and its impacts, as well as resistance against it. This project took the form of two workshops (one for kids and one for their peers), an interactive, upcycled textile project capturing
Children are guided by a team member as they all make bracelets from scraps of old t-shirt fabric
how people relate to fast fashion, and a collaborative zine, a form of small-batch literature which most often illustrates social, political, and environmental issues. Zines have long been created by activists, artists, and organizers with the goal of spreading awareness and solidarity about various movements and topics.
During their months of work on their zine, called Mindful Consumerism, the group poured hours of research and
Children participate in the collaborative display, answering prompts about sustainability and clothing on an upcycled sheet.
review into the creation of a series of short essays, interviews, tutorials, and even poetry all pertaining to fast fashion, its counterpart slow fashion, and the intertwined social and environmental implications of both. This work elevates voices from multiple under-represented demographics including Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, and PoC communities.
Their project was entirely created by youth passionate about sustainability, social justice, and environmental respect and protection. You can read their zine here, and watch a short video about their project here. Prepare to be inspired!
A stack of Mindful Consumerism zines sits on the group’s table at the Youth Showcase event
This inspiring youth-led initiative (and others like it) has been made possible by generous support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the City of Hamilton City Enrichment Fund, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, Conserver Society of Hamilton and District, and the Hamilton Community Foundation.
