Delaware may not be known as the capital of fashion, but the state's economy greatly depends on retail sales. Based on an analysis by T-shirt wholesaler ShirtMax, the second-smallest state in the nation has 92.84 clothing stores per 100,000 residents, placing it fourth nationally in terms of fashion retail density. This retail prominence coincides with industry watchers projecting that the global apparel market will reach $2.25 trillion by 2025.
However, with millions of pounds of clothing thrown away each year, this consumption has sparked worries about environmental pollution.
On Thursday night, the Goodwill of Delaware & Delaware County held its first-ever ReThink Fashion Show: The Eco Edit to increase awareness of the environmental effects of the fashion industry. In an effort to promote environmentally friendly alternatives to landfill waste, the event featured chic ensembles created from upcycled and used clothing.
A varied crowd attended the event, including a group of supporters, sustainability advocates, and influential fashion designers from Delaware. In addition to special discounts and an exclusive shopping opportunity, attendees enjoyed a runway showcase with trendy looks made from donated clothing.
Aside from the glitz, the event promoted Goodwill's workforce development initiatives and gave guests a chance to donate to these initiatives.
On August 23, ReThink Fashion Show: The Eco Edit was held at its New Castle location. The show was hosted by Beatrice Millan-Windorski, the first Filipino American to win Miss Earth USA.
Used apparel and upcycled materials from Goodwill's stores and outlets were used to create runway looks by local stylists Tia Jones of Tia Couture, Akin Bethea of ANiQ Styles, and Sienna Nelson. Fashion items that were imaginatively put together to create chic ensembles were on display.
Tesia Shaykim, a fashion enthusiast, said she went to the event in the hopes of seeing runway looks that showcased creativity and distinctive design. The Wilmington resident, who was dressed mostly in thrifted and sale items, said that although she is passionate about fashion artistry and creativity, she also believes that supporting sustainable solutions is important because of the industry's global influence.
"I find that fast fashion has a lot of serious side effects all over the world. Thus, thrifting seems like a way that could contribute to fixing that, according to Shaykim.
ReSpool, a project that recycles textile-to-fiber fashion waste, involved students from the University of Delaware's Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies.
Many of the outfits on display were available for purchase both before and after the runway presentation. Colleen Morrone, president and CEO of Goodwill of Delaware and Delaware County, stated that the sales proceeds will fund the organization's workforce development programs. Goodwill Connect, a self-service program that gives users access to resources for job training, was introduced earlier this month.