PUT INTO A GARBAGE BAG HE BROUGHT WITH HIM. THE THIEF GOT AWAY IN HIS
BURGUNDY COLORED VAN, SO FAR
NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE.
>> HERE’S A REALLY SOBERING
STATISTIC FOR YOU.
RIGHT NOW, WE THROW AWAY UP TO
11.3 MILLION TONS OF TEXTILE
WASTE EVERY YEAR.
THAT’S ABOUT 2100 PIECES OF
CLOTHING EVERY SECOND OF THE
DAY.
>> IS IT ANY WONDER OUR
ADDICTION TO FASHION IS ONE OF
THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTORS TO
POLLUTION ON THE PLANET.
A LOCAL DESIGNER IS FIGHTING
9BACK WITH NOT JUST HER OWN
DESIGNS, BUT -- ENVIRONMENTAL
ACTIVIST LOUIS AGUIRRE SHOWS
US IN TONIGHT’S DON’T TRASH
OUR TREASURE.
>> ON THURSDAY EVENING IN
DOWNTOWN MIAMI, A GROUP
GATHERS FOR A PUBLIC SEWING
AND MENDING WORK SHOP.
>> I CAME TO MAKE THIS PART A
LITTLE BIGGER SO I CAN WEAR IT
AGAIN CHLT
AGAIN.
>> I’VE WORN IT SO MUCH I’VE
PUT HOLES IN THE ELBOWS, SO
I’M GONNA PUT ELBOW PATCHES.
>> THIS IS BOOT CAMP FOR THESE
NEW RECRUITS IN THE WAR
AGAINST FASHION WASTE.
>> IT IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF
POLLUTION.
IT’S UP TO THE FASHION
INDUSTRY TO CHANGE ITS OWN
WAYS.
>> THIS IS A LOCAL DESIGNER
LEADING THE CHARGE.
HER LIFELONG PASSION FOR
FASHION LANDED HER AT NEW
YORK’S FAMED FASHION INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY MORE THAN A
DECADE AGO, THEN LAUNCHED HER
TO VIETNAM BEFORE EVENTUALLY
BRINGING HER HERE TO SOUTH
FLORIDA
FLORIDA.
FLORIDA FLORIDA. NOW SHE RUNS HER OWN LABEL,
MAKING DISTINCT DESIGNS WITH A
ZERO WASTE APPROACH.
>> YOU CAN SEE ALL THE SCRAPS.
THE TAG HAS LITTLE TINY SCRAPS
THAT YOU NORMALLY WOULDN’T
CONSIDER AS PART OF THE
DESIGNS.
>> EVERY ONE OF A KIND PIECE
IS CRAFTED USING RECYCLED
MATERIALS, ALL SOURCED FROM
RIGHT HERE IN HER COMMUNITY.
>> MY CLOTHING HAS EVERYTHING
FROM DEFECTIVE T-SHIRT SCRAPS
TO SOMEBODY WHO RECENTLY GAVE
ME THEIR GREAT GRANDMOTHER’S
BRIDAL TROUSSEAU.
PEOPLE HOLD ON TO CLOTHING FOR
MULTIPLE YEARS BEFORE THAT AHA
MOMENT, THE VISION IS HERE.
>> THROUGH HER FREE MONTHLY
WORK SHOPS AND CLOTHING SWAPS,
SHE INSPIRES AND ENGAGES
FASHION LOVERS OF ALL AGES TO
EXTEND THE LIFE OF THEIR
EXISTING THREADS.
>> WE HAVE A CULTURE OF
DISPOSE BLT THAT HAS LED TO
THE LOSS OF THE PRACTICE OF
MENDING AND FIXING ANYTHING
WHETHER IT’S YOUR CLOTHES OR
AN APPLIANCE.
>> IT IS THE REASON OUR
NATURAL WORLD IS SUFFERING --
FAST FASHION IS ONLY
EXACERBATING THE PROBLEM.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK OUR
RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD BE AS
CONSUMERS OF FASHION?
>> I THINK OUR RESPONSIBILITY
SHOULD BE A HOLISTIC ONE WHERE
WE CONSIDER THE THINGS THAT WE
BUY WHEN THEY WERE PRODUCED
AND ALSO AFTER WE’RE DONE AND
HAVE DISCOVERED THEM.
>> I THINK THAT FASHION CAN
REALLY BE A CHANNEL FOR
CHANGE.
>> IN FACT, SHE BELIEVES ALL
OF US AS CONSUMERS CAN DO OUR
PART TO MITIGATE THIS GROWING
CRISIS.
>> WHEN YOU BUY SOMETHING, IT
IS A COMMITMENT.
IT IS GOING TO STAY ON THIS
PLANET EVEN WHEN YOU’RE DONE
WITH IT.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT LEGACY,
DO YOU WANT IT TO BE A BUNCH
OF TRASH?
>> DON’T BUY ANOTHER COSTUME
YOU’RE JUST GONNA THROW AWAY.
TIME TO RE-PURPOSE OR
RE-IMAGINE SOMETHING YOU HAVE
IN YOUR CLOSET RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU WANT TO RENT SOMETHING
FOR HALLOWEEN,.