What is dead stock? On the 17th of April, Last Yarn organised a panel discussion at the Jimmy Choo Academy to unpack this question and much more.
Hosting the panel was the ever-inspiring Ngoni Chikwenegere, founder of the slow fashion label, We Are Kin. In the discussion, Ngoni made some important points on the impact that fast fashion has on your body and it’s effect on your health. She also discussed how dead stock can be important not only for the environment but also your bank account.
Alongside Ngoni, we had Katherine Soucie-Douglas, a Textile Waste Specialist and PhD student. She delved into the importance of taking a system-thinking approach to understanding how textiles are made and where they come from. Katherine highlighted the significance of problem-solving within the industry and reiterated how waste is one of the biggest challenges that the fashion industry faces today.
Bianca Foley, the editor of Sustainability Influence, which champions the eco-curious amongst us, discussed the importance of rethinking the way designers create and the potential to utilise dead stock fabric at any point in the design process. She shed light on how dead stock materials can not only reduce waste but also offer unique design opportunities for creators.
Finally, Rebekah Roy, Fashion Stylist with a focus on conscientious consumption, brought attention to the role of big corporations in perpetuating unsustainable fashion practices. She stressed the importance of legislation to hold these corporations accountable and praised students for embracing dead stock materials in their designs. Rebekah also challenged the audience to consider alternative sources of fulfilment beyond the constant consumption of clothing, sparking a conversation about finding joy or dopamine in more sustainable ways.
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