More relevant than ever is the burning question posed in Macklemore’s 2012 hit “Thrift Shop.” Can I go to a recycle shop? ”

Loyola students find that their desire to shop sustainably often clashes with the harsh reality of being a college student on a tight budget. With sustainable brands rising in price and fast fashion becoming surprisingly affordable, it can be hard to tell which path is right for you.

Professor Sarah Khoo, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Business Management, spoke on the economic, social and environmental components of sustainability in business. Sustainability often comes with a price, Ku said, which can make it difficult for students to shop ethically on a budget.

“It’s really unfair when only socio-economically accessible products are non-renewable and come from poor energy sources or poor labor practices,” Ku said. , what should you do as an individual consumer?”

Consumers tend to prioritize budget-friendly clothing options, Ku said. Dean Morgan, her first-year drama major, says Fast her fashion is the easiest option for lower-income earners.

“Fashion isn’t the most accessible thing,” said 18-year-old Morgan. “Sometimes fast fashion is what you can afford.”

While looking for pieces to add to his closet, Morgan said he prefers to buy from companies with ethical and sustainable backgrounds. I started learning how to do it. He’s not the only student to realize the importance of sustainability in fashion.

Students in Brother José Martin Montoya Dura’s Environmental Sustainability class recently started learning about the inside and outside of the fashion industry. Montoya, a lecturer on environmental sustainability at Loyola, said she teaches her students to ask where and how their clothes are made.

Montoya student Dasha Musir, an advanced major in international business, saw the Alex James film Throwing Down Fast Fashion in class during a class on unethical practices in the fashion industry. said to have been opened.

The students saw the people behind the clothes. Faces of men, women and children were forced to work in horrible conditions for meager wages.

After presenting this stark reality, the film features many sustainable options to avoid supporting the corrupt business of fast fashion. It is one of the popular alternatives and some Loyola students are already actively participating.

“We often talk about sustainability [being] It’s expensive, but it doesn’t have to be,” says Ku.

Thrifting and upcycling are low-cost alternatives to buying new items to add to your closet.

Upcycling involves creatively reusing clothing, such as hand-painting new designs on old jeans. Thrifty means buying old clothes and giving them new life. Sustainable fashion practices like these allow students to express themselves through their clothes without breaking the bank.

Sidney Shimizu, a first-year public health major, enjoys sifting through well-intentioned trash to save drifters in her closet. Her eclectic style can be attributed to her openness to looking for clothes from stores not on her Avenue, Michigan.

Shimizu’s creativity knows no bounds when choosing her next outfit.

“I always change how I dress,” said an 18-year-old girl. “I was like, ‘Who am I? Who am I calling out to now? Who am I today? Anything goes. That’s what makes it fun.'”

Shimizu isn’t the only student experimenting with fashion at Loyola. First-grader Stella Jensen tends to buy second-hand rather than new because of her environmental benefits and her ability to find less mainstream clothes, she said.

Having the ability to save money and find unique pieces is something Jenson really enjoys. He said he wasn’t focusing on

“I try to think of fashion as an art project rather than following trends,” says Jensen.

Both Shimizu and Jensen use second-hand and second-hand shopping as a creative means to repurpose clothing and create their own unique styles.

According to Ku, such creativity is essential to unlocking the untapped potential of materials considered “waste.” Loyola’s own senior advertising and his PR major, Paul Schnell, has a creative solution to the annual problem of Halloween costumes.

Schnell said he wants to leverage his social media outreach to create a campaign against the disposable clothing habit through the Halloween challenge on Loyola.

“We want to spread awareness about fast fashion and our own consumption, while at the same time taking action across our campuses.” You’ll feel more trendy at a time when you’re buying a lot of clothes and costumes,” Schnell said.

Shopping sustainability requires a change in culture and habits. Creating a world that prioritizes minimizing consumption, the longevity of works, and the ethical background of clothing is the key to a sustainable future.From classrooms to thrift to campus-wide initiatives, Loyola students We are creating a world where fashion is the only answer.

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