Would you wear pollution? It’s time to make clothing with integrity

Plastic pollutes everything. From the food and water we consume to the landscapes we live in, the artificial substance is suffocating our environment. But in global efforts to reduce our plastic use, we’ve forgotten that we’re wearing it. One of the greatest contributors to waste is the fashion industry. An ardent lover of style, photographer Andrea Loupis’ consciousness of the business compelled her to project its damage. “The elegance and perfection of fashion can be disillusioning,” she says. “When I found out about its true impact, I felt disgusted.” Her ongoing photo series, Plastic Never Dies, fires shots at the threat the clothing industry poses to our planet – and the consumers who keep it alive.

Every day, overwhelming amounts of microfibres are cast into water cycles from washing machines. In the ocean, they absorb poisonous chemicals and are ingested by marine life, which we then eat. But the impact of plastic fibres are only a thread in the industry’s nefarious tapestry. There’s also the amount of water needed to grow cotton. “The most shocking for me was that it takes 2 700 litres to make a T-shirt,” Loupis says. Sparked by the irrefutable evidence, she took charge with her photography. Loupis styles her statement images with people, plastic, and a backdrop of sea. Her compositions speak for themselves. The artist is putting trash where it shouldn’t be, a clear echo of the actions of fast fashion on the natural world. 

As we unveil new problems, it’s just as crucial to create solutions. “We have so many sustainable brands that are actually taking initiative,” Loupis says. As consumers, we can reduce the impact by buying ethically produced clothing that is free from synthetic materials – and only when we need it. “We all utilise the world,” Loupis says. “It’s up to us to keep it safe.” With an increasing number of people becoming conscious of their consumption, the fabric of our nation is being woven with integrity.

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