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Back to News & ArticlesFast fashion out of style at Paynesville Primary
Year 6 students at Paynesville Primary School are learning how to mend and alter their clothes through a new initiative that tackles the environmental impact of fast fashion.
Supported by Bank First’s Teaching Initiatives Program (TIP), the project teaches students practical sewing skills, while also exploring how repairing clothes can reduce the waste and pollution associated with fast fashion.
Students are researching the concerning effects of fast fashion on both the environment and garment workers worldwide. Learning about ethical clothing production is already encouraging students to think twice before being swayed by the lure of cheap clothing.
The wider school community has gotten involved in this journey towards sustainability, with parents and volunteers teaching students the basics of garment repair.
The project has already sparked important conversations among students:
Lexie
'Everyone wants cheaper clothes, but often at the expense of our planet. Fast fashion needs to go! If you want cheaper clothes, go to an op shop - it may not always be perfect but at least their items don’t turn to mush after five washes. Mending and repurposing clothing is much more sustainable than fast fashion items.'
Mahlia
'The earth provides us with everything we need and yet we’re so greedy. We need to act fast, for ourselves and for future generations.
The world needs us now more than ever, so why are we still manufacturing fast fashion and consuming so much?'
Oliver
'We should not be encouraging young people to throw out clothes just because they are worn a few times or no longer on-trend. It’s bad for the environment, and some clothing is even made from plastic like polyester. Some workers are paid close to nothing - we need to think about them too.'
'If only 1% of fast fashion is recycled, then it just shouldn’t exist anymore. It is going to damage our environment, so we aren’t doing ourselves any favours by consuming so much.'
For more than 30 years Bank First has funded innovative projects in Victorian schools. Through the Teaching Initiatives Program (TIP), we're proud to support Paynesville Primary in helping students understand the impact of their clothing choices.
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