Sustainable Innovation students Maria Solorzano and David Page standing beside their poster presentation highlighting research they conducted on fast fashion and impacts in Medicine Hat.--HANDOUT PHOTO
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Two sustainable innovation students from Medicine Hat College have been put under the spotlight for their research into how “Fast Fashion” affects the community.
Fast fashion refers to a business model of the mass-production of inexpensive clothing by copying fashion designs. While driving down prices for customers, the effects from the production can have negative environmental impacts.
Second-year sustainable innovation students Maria Solorzano and David Page explored how fast fashion affects the community from its environmental and social impacts, which included pollution, excessive waste, child labour and the effects of microplastics.
The pair reached out to the downtown community for the final project after they were tasked with identifying local sustainable challenges that aligned with the City of Medicine Hat”s Environment Framework.
Solorzano and Page had to align their project with community needs, local environmental priorities and the broader goals of sustainable development within the city.
According to their research students identified consumer behaviour and industry practices as key drivers of the fast fashion culture.
“People want things fast, easy, convenient and we’re not going to change that,” said Page. “What we can change is showing them, with just a few simple tips, how do-it-yourself and thrift alternatives are cheaper, easier and can give them a greater sense of confidence and personal identity.”
Solorzano says the project opened her vision for plans after graduation.
“I really love this kind of initiative and contributing to the conversation around sustainability. This program boosted my creativity and pushed me to think more deeply about my own passions,” she said.
Instructor Brandon Robinson said the project pushed students to look for outliers and barriers and use personal lived experience to design innovative solutions.
“They learn to reframe broad problems into focused, solvable problem statements,” said Robinson. A professional skill that applies to government, industry, non-profits and entrepreneurship.”
Students recently presented their work following months of research during a forward-thinking poster presentation held on campus.
