Council supports sustainable fashion event

Cheshire West and Chester Council is supporting an upcoming event by Eco Communities to highlight the environmental impact of ‘fast fashion’.

The Council’s has worked with Eco Communities and Friends of the Earth Chester and District to arrange a Sustainable Spring Fair at Rowton Hall, Chester on Saturday 21 March.

The event will include sustainable fashion information stands, mending and recycling workshops, speaker sessions and lots of activities to keep the children entertained throughout the day.  

Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport said: “We all love a bargain but increasingly we are buying more, buying cheap and then discarding clothing after only a few wears.  On average, our fast fashion items are used for less than year before we dispose of them.

“It might not be widely known, but synthetic textiles such as nylon and polyester contribute to the global plastic problem as they produce small fragments of plastic known as microfibres.  These can make their way into our water courses which can cause problems for wildlife that mistake them for food.

“We can make a difference by using our clothes for longer, looking for natural textiles, swapping clothes or being creative by upcycling clothes instead of throwing them away.  This Sustainable Spring Far will be a wonderful way of finding out more.”

Director of Eco Communities Helen Tandy said, “I started organising our Sustainable Chester Fairs as a way of supporting small, sustainable, eco businesses as well as spreading information on our Friends of the Earth campaigns.

“As a nation we need to begin to rethink our modern throwaway culture of fashion, its effect on the planet isn’t worth the saving in your bank account. Fashion fades, Earth is forever. 

“We’re incredibly grateful for the support Cheshire West and Chester Council has given us towards putting on this, our fourth Sustainable Fair.”
The event will also feature stalls from local suppliers with a range of sustainable gifts just in time for Mother’s Day or Easter.

Doors open to the event at 11am. Register for your free ticket on Eventbrite and keep updated on the events taking place on the day.

In May 2019 the Council declared that the borough is in a Climate Emergency and, more recently, has set a target of 2045 for the borough to become carbon neutral. Choosing to alter and upcycle clothes, instead of throwing them away, and shopping more sustainably is a good way to reduce your carbon footprint and help the borough tackle climate change.  Visit loveyourclothes.org.uk for inspiration and a helping hand.

For more information on what and how clothing can be recycled visit the Council’s website.