As the fashion industry continues to put more effort into normalising sustainable fashion, it is gaining more support with Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams also joining the movement.
Williams has been named the Global Sustainability Ambassador by Swedish clothing company H&M.
On partnering with the brand to use her influence to encourage the reuse and recycling of unwanted garments, she said: ”I am excited to finally share the news of my partnership with H&M as Global Sustainability Ambassador and cannot wait for you all to see what we have been working on.
“In this role, I will be working closely with fashion experts to drive sustainability initiatives and shape the path towards an accessible and circular fashion future. The long-term goal is to use 100% recycled or other sustainably sourced materials for textiles across the full H&M Group brands by 2030. It’s time to take action and create more viable production circuits in fashion to protect our planet for the next generation.”
In other news, Kenyan designer Anyango Mpinga will be a panellist at the Zone 22 Rotary Africa Centennial International Conference, which runs from April 24-25. The event will see African fashion makers unpack some of the challenges that still need to be addressed on the continent. One such key area is the protection of the environment.
Skander Negasi, the chief executive of Trade and Fairs Group who is also the Messe Frankfurt Representative for East Africa and co-organiser of African Sourcing and Fashion Week, said that African designers need to focus more on sourcing materials around the continent.
“Due to lack of resources, African designers have always been sustainable with resources compared to the European countries. There is a bright future when it comes to designing. Think bark cloth manufacturing in Uganda, woven textiles from Nigeria and Ghana, traditional Berber weaving in North Africa, and beadwork from Maasai and Ndebele artisans,” he said.
The two-day conference will take place virtually via rotary.org.