Special collection of 228 clothes for consumption frenzy

Senior students of Department of Textile and Fashion Design, Izmir University of Economics (IUE) created special collections inspired by recyclable clothing, zero waste and slow fashion trends for the fashion consumption. The collections of students, who used button and zipper systems that change the shape of the garment, and waste fabrics that are suitable for recycling and do not contain harmful chemicals, were brought together in a digital catalog.

Students, working within the scope of the cooperation between IUE Faculty of Fine Arts and Design and Yeşim Textile Company, aimed to draw attention to the sustainable fashion movement, also known as the movement to protect social equality and the environment. 19 students, participating in the project with the title of “Fashion and Sustainability 2021 - Take Action for a Sustainable Future”, designed a total of 228 clothes. Students, who prepared for the project under the coordination of Assoc. Prof. Dr.  Arzu Vuruşkan and Lecturer Jörn Fröhlich from IUE Department of Textile and Fashion Design, also received online training on fashion and sustainability from Design Manager Nergis Melek Akıncı of Yeşim Textile.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH IS ACKNOWLEDGED

Drawing attention to the importance of conception of a livable world with the pandemic period, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Arzu Vuruşkan said, “We focused on sustainability in online courses with our students. The idea of ​​giving up fast consumption, poor quality products, environmentally harmful production processes is now spreading, and sustainability comes to the fore. We understood the importance of health during the pandemic period once again. Our students built their designs on 'sustainability' in order to draw attention to the sustainable fashion movement, also known as the movement to protect social equality and the environment. They used home textile products such as pillow covers, waste fabrics, buttons and zippers that change the shape of the garment, and dyes that do not contain harmful chemicals. Some of the knitted fabrics they used were supplied by Yeşim Textile.”

12 CLOTHES BY EACH STUDENT

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vuruşkan continued as follows: “We want to raise awareness about sustainable fashion, and we aim to raise designers who adopt this point of view. Each student created collection of 12 clothing and produced 3 of them. We prepared a digital catalog regarding the process. The printing of the catalog was carried out by Yeşim Textile. Sustainability gains importance not only in terms of design; but in terms of consumers and producers as well. We want environmentally friendly production and design processes to be reflected on the end consumer. Our students worked selflessly during the pandemic period, creating beautiful and usable designs.”

EXPERIENCE AND ACCUMULATION OF KNOWLEDGE IS TRANSFERRED TO YOUNG PEOPLE

Yeşim Textile Design Manager Nergis Melek Akıncı stated that they started to work with Izmir University of Economics on behalf of an exemplary university-industry cooperation as part of their “sustainability in design” efforts. Akıncı stated that as Yeşim, they prioritize transferring their sectoral experience and know-how to newly trained young designers and provide them with inspiring environments. Akıncı stated the following: “Progress of young fashion designers in sustainable fashion in our country, is extremely valuable for a country with high textile potential such as Turkey. We held online courses for 6 weeks with senior students. The outcomes are highly valuable. Students had to work with more limited opportunities due to the pandemic, but this also challenged their creativity and enabled them to find more functional solutions. This point reached is one of the principles of sustainable fashion: to implement functional and inspiring designs in an ecosystem that values ​​nature and people with the least possible resources and the least waste.”