The first outfit represents the act of burning clothing. Clothing that cannot be resold or recycled is sent to countries that have been deemed “areas of need”. Regions like these receive masses of textiles, and residents have resorted to burning the clothing make space. This process releases toxic chemicals into the atmosphere causing health concerns for surrounding communities.
The second outfit represents the wear and tear that occurs during the lifespan of clothing. Whether it’s from everyday use, constant cycles in the wash, or ending up in a landfill, clothes are slowly destroyed and ultimately thrown away due to damage. This torn outfit is an exaggerated version of everyday wear and tear, and can be compared to popular “grunge” styles. Is it not ironic that we purchase clothing that is purposely destroyed by the manufacturer, but when a regular shirt acquires a hole, it’s straight into the garbage.
The third outfit represents clothing that has ended up in the landfill. The average American throws out 100 pounds of clothing per year, adding up to 34 billion pounds in the United States alone. Landfills are equipped to capture all gases and liquids that are expelled during the decomposition process, but not all of these measures are effective. This ineffectiveness increases the reports of health risks and concerns for surrounding residents and communities.
The fourth outfit represents the clothing that ends up in wastewater routes, causing flooding and an increase in waterborne illness. Clothing travels from these wastewater routes to the ocean and other large bodies of water, where the microplastics break down until the textiles end back up on land. “Plastic Beaches” are areas where mass amounts of textiles and other garbage have washed up and will remain, further polluting our Earth.
Modeling by Jessica Killebrew, Henry Ky.
Photography by Margaret Johnson.
Clothes were sourced from donation bags at Uptown Cheapskate.