Our Small Talk Series focuses on the amazing men and women who wear Paneros, and are helping to create a more sustainable future for fashion.
At Paneros, we strive to remind everyone that there are real people involved in every aspect of the fashion industry. That's why it's so important to us to feature the talented people behind the products in our ongoing series,Who Made My Clothes, but it also meansyou, the customer, who is part of the movement for a more conscious closet. All of this couldn't happen without you, our customer. Meet Beatrix, My name is Beatrix and I am in school in Washington, DC. When I am not in class, I love to travel and create digital content. In the past few years, I became very interested in politics, especially environmental policy. From this new interest in politics stemmed a commitment to sustainability.
Last fall I began an independent project focused on plastic waste. I distributed 100 reusable bags to homeless teens in the DC area, who had been carrying their belongings in plastic trash bags. I chose this project in awareness of the harm that single-use plastic bags do to our environment and ecosystems. This topic particularly interested me because it has become my generation’s obligation to reverse the damage that single-use plastic has done to the earth.
This project does not end here. Everyday, each person can continue this themselves by saying no to single use plastics. Investing in reusable bags has many benefits. First, it saves money. In DC, each plastic bag costs 5 cents. The average family takes home 1,500 plastic bags per year which equates to about $75 worth of plastic bags. Each plastic bag is used for about 12 minutes (Consumer Reports). However, each reusable bag costs about $1 or less. While saving money, reusable bags also save marine and human lives by limiting waste in the oceans and atmosphere.
This project opened my eyes to the world of sustainability, particularly sustainable fashion. Technology and the internet make shopping sustainably accessible and easy. Millions of preloved and sustainably made pieces are at my fingertips. And when not shopping second hand, I love supporting brands who are committed to a better and more sustainable future, they also have unique pieces that develop my personal style. Sustainable brands, such as Panero's Clothing, create mindfully and ethically with love and attention to detail, which makes them new and unique in a world dominated by fast fashion.
We can all look cute and make the world a better place. That's why I buy sustainably.
