By Vernon Mascarenhas

May 14: In the last 20 years, statisticians and scientists have discovered that fashion has grown over 400% and contributes to over 10% of the world’s carbon footprint, with airplanes adding up to just over 2%.

Textiles and fashion waste make up a substantial portion of landfill on a daily basis, and it isn’t helped by fast fashion trends and brands that continue to churn out more than current demands. With over 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions released annually, something needs to be done about this needless wastage.

But the problem with fashion goes beyond just textile waste. Designer brands such as Louis Vuitton or Burberry routinely torch their out of season products so that they don’t have to resort to offering discounts on their items, thus keeping their prestige and retaining brand value. But at what cost? The good news is that conscious consumerism has forced many of these luxury fashion brands to change their practices and Burberry stopped destroying their merchandise in 2018 over heavy criticism, but more can be done when it comes to making fashion more environmentally aware.

CODOGIRL is stepping in to create a more sustainable market for the masses by repurposing vintage designer apparel and marketing it to eco-conscious consumers in order to reduce the amount of waste that the fashion industry produces every year. The company has been recognized by the United Nations Climate Change (UNCC) as a Signatory of the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action.

While CODOGIRL does bring down the cost of designer pieces through repurposing old pieces, their objective isn’t to make designer wear more affordable to the masses, because look what that has done to the entire fashion industry - apparel and accessories are being mass produced in order to reduce costs. What CODOGIRL is really aiming to do is to save products that would otherwise go to a landfill or be destroyed and inject new life into them in order to slow down the manufacturing process and give pause to fast fashion.

Yulia and Andrey Omelich, founders of CODOGIRL, want the public to know that, “Most of these efforts would be in vain if consumers do not change their habits. There has to be a conscious choice to choose sustainable.”

For example, the reduction of plastic use was implemented over years, from plastic bags being handed for every transaction, many retailers have opted for biodegradable options and supermarkets have implemented a plastic-free practice, which encourages consumers to bring their own reusable grocery bags. The same thing needs to happen in the fashion industry for it to make an impact on the overall landscape.

Instead of shopping at large fashion manufacturers like the hugely popular e-commerce platform, SHEIN, or H&M, consumers should be redirecting their desires for new apparel at designer resellers or brands like CODOGIRL that focus on reducing waste through reselling vintage pieces. By keeping existing products in circulation for longer, factories will have to cut down on their production, which is a win-win for all.