Transparency in the fashion industry, or lack thereof, is what the Fashion Revolution campaign is all about. The #whomademyclothes movement runs from April 23-29 each year to combat human rights issues in the fast fashion industry, and through awareness, conversations and events, slow fashion advocates and positive change makers all around the world work together to better the industry.
As a community at The Fashion Advocate, we take responsibility for the impact that we have on our people and our planet, and our designers are at the forefront of the Fashion Revolution. We are proud of our values and ethics, and we’re more than happy to strip back the bright lights and the glitz and glam of it all, to get real at The Fashion Advocate. Through honesty and integrity, we can change the industry for the better and use fashion as a force for good, and our community of designers work towards this shared goal every day.
Fiorella Castro shares our values and views, and she's the creative mind behind Sydney based ocean-inspired circular fashion label, Seapia. Fiorella is passionate about ethics, she cares about sustainability, and she's a responsible slow fashion advocate...
Why are you passionate about ethical fashion?
Throughout my life, I have seen a lot of inequality and abuse towards workers. I was born in Costa Rica, but I spent a lot of my childhood in El Salvador, where there is a wide social divide. As an adult working in the fashion industry and travelling overseas, I witnessed the poor working conditions that some workers endure, and they don't have many choices. At Seapia, we make all our garments in Sydney in factories that adhere to Australian ethical standards.
Why are you passionate about sustainability in the fashion industry?
I believe in sustainability, but not only in the fashion industry. Sustainability should be lived in everyday life. We should all be conscious of our buying decisions that impact the world.
Why do you do what you do?
I love fashion and design. I am quite fortunate to have found a way to establish a brand that reflects my ethical values and where I can practice my skills and love for fashion.
Why did you choose to use Econyl?
I was looking at starting my own business in fashion and had to find the key material to start with. I didn’t know it was going to end up being swimwear, as for most of my fashion career I was designing young womenswear. I started searching online and I found Econyl, an amazing swimwear fabric made from 78% recycled plastic with the extra bonus of being made in Italy. It became the reason why Seapia swimwear was founded. Econyl is made from regenerated nylon. and it closes the loop in the fashion lifecycle. It's made from waste, it's infinitely recyclable. It's exactly the same as brand new nylon but it can be recycled, recreated and remoulded, again and again, making it a circular fibre.
What does sustainability mean to you as an Australian swimwear brand?
Seapia swimwear is a great way to create awareness about the massive plastic problem here in Australia and all around the world.
Join the Fashion Revolution and shop with your values from ethical and sustainable Australian designers here, or learn more about Seapia here.
The Fashion Advocate x
