City of Austin

AUSTIN, TEXAS — The City of Austin joins with partner organizations to invite the public to upcoming Sustainable Fashion Week events dedicated to encouraging reusable, reclaimed and remanufactured fashion. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the textile industry’s share of the carbon budget is set to increase from 2 percent to 24 percent by 2050 if steps are not taken to reverse current trends.

“We’re proud to showcase national leaders and local innovators who are paving the way for a more sustainable fashion industry,” said Natalie Betts, Recycling Economic Development Program Manager with the City of Austin. "Austin’s fashion sector is an important contributor to our local economic vitality and is critical for moving toward a more circular economy.”

The Future is Circular: A Sustainable Fashion Symposium
Hosted by: The City of Austin and the Bard MBA Net Impact Chapter

This educational event features leading sustainable fashion designers, local small businesses, up-and-coming entrepreneurs and a global non-profit who are working toward reversing the environmental impacts of “fast fashion.” Fast fashion is the practice of producing a high volume of inexpensive garments that are designed to be replaced quickly to meet the latest fashion trends.
This free event will be held on Friday, May 4, 2018, at 3 p.m. at the Austin Tinkering School, 1122 Airport Blvd. RSVPs are requested at: http://sustainablefashionatx.eventbrite.com

Agenda:
3:00 pm- Event Begins
 
3:30 PM: Fireside Chat on Circular Design with Miranda Bennett of Miranda Bennett Studio and Lilah Horowitz, the creative lead for Eileen Fisher RENEW and hosted by Cory Skuldt of Bard Sustainability MBA and the Net Impact Wear it Wise campaign.
 
4:00 PM – Circular Innovators Lightning Talks, including:

• Dell's Circular Collection with Bayou with Love: Computer parts recycled into jewelry designed by Nikki Reed
• Open Arms: Social enterprise for the Multicultural Refugee Coalition employs refugee women in manufacturing sustainable sewn goods, including a line of repurposed home decor for IKEA.
• Classic Childhood: Online European-style children's clothing boutique upcycling scrap fabric and men's shirts into baby rompers and accessories
• T-Shirts for Hunger: Travis County program that employs county inmates to sew used T-shirts into reusable bags for Travis County Community Center food pantries
• KenzerQuest: 80s and 90s clothing upcycled into modern pieces by 15-year-old entrepreneur
• Paleo Denim: Austin manufacturer making selvedge denim jeans on reconditioned sewing machines, offering repair and hemming services
• Textile Exchange: A global non-profit working to reduce the textile industry’s impact on the world’s water, soil and air, and the human population

A networking reception hosted by Net Impact will follow the event.

Eileen Fisher RENEW & Miranda Bennett Pop-Up

Saturday, May 5, 2018   11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Location:  2^nd Street District, 217 West 2^nd Street
Eileen Fisher RENEW, a repaired and repurposed fashion line, is popping up in the 2^nd Street District with Miranda Bennett to support a future without waste.
 
Sustainable Fashion Week – Austin - 2018
 
These events are part of Austin's first Sustainable Fashion Week. The week’s events kick off Saturday, April 28 with Fashion Revolution ATX and conclude with the Remake Runway at the Maker Faire on May 6. Austinites can also visit a Zero Waste open studio with Miranda Bennett Studio on April 29 and give new life to an old piece of clothing or fabric using natural dye.
 
Details about additional events during the week can be found at http://sustainablefashionatx.com.

Find more ways to participate and achieve Zero Waste in Austin by visiting Austin Resource Recovery and Like Us on Facebook to share your own reuse ideas!
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About the Recycling Economic Development Program
Two City of Austin departments, Austin Resource Recovery and the Economic Development Department, have teamed up to launch the Recycling Economic Development Program. The program’s mission is to attract, retain and grow Zero Waste businesses and entrepreneurs in order to create local jobs and foster a resilient Zero Waste ecosystem in Central Texas.
 
About Austin Resource Recovery
Austin Resource Recovery provides a wide range of services designed to transform waste into resources while keeping our community clean. Services include curbside collection of recycling, trash, yard trimmings and large brush and bulk items; street sweeping; dead animal collection; household hazardous waste disposal and recycling; and outreach and education. Austin Resource Recovery offers free, voluntary and confidential consulting services to help Austin businesses reduce waste and comply with the City’s recycling ordinance. In December 2011, the Austin City Council approved the Austin Resource Recovery Master Plan, which is the City’s road map to Zero Waste. The City of Austin is committed to reducing the amount of waste sent to area landfills by 90 percent by 2040. Learn more at austinrecycles.com.