#menditmay
At the back end of last year, we worked with some Sustainable Development MSc placement students from UWE on a behaviour change report, relating to sustainable fashion. The students surveyed the public in person and online, and put together their findings in a very sleek report. Their aim was to understand the barriers that people face when making sustainable fashion choices, and to create a strategy of behaviour change based on these findings.
One of four recommendations from the students was to run a Mend It May campaign across social media. They came up with this recommendation in order to increase awareness around the fashion industry on a much bigger scale, in light of the many respondents who stated they weren’t aware of the issues in the industry. The campaign encourages individuals to sign up to a month of mending as many items of clothes as possible, with a pledge to buy nothing new.
“The determinant which was the focal point of this campaign is creating reflective motivation; Wilson (2016) states that creating reflective motivation is achieved by creating positive feelings about the behavioural target, and it is known that by engaging with a service such as pledging to a goal can increase positive behaviour change, this happens by allowing the individual to embrace social responsibility through their engagement.”
One of our ambassadors, Debbie Murphy (Missfit Creations) is an expert repairer, and recovers damaged vintage clothing, ensuring that pieces don’t go to landfill. Missfit Creations was also one of the first Asos Marketplace boutiques in 2010, her brand promoted sustainable fashion by selling upcycled and reworked vintage clothing and textiles. She ran a mending café in her hometown of Tamworth, as part of Mend it May. Debbie said “Those that came enjoyed the event and have said they'll come to the next in a couple of weeks’ time”. It’s amazing seeing our ambassadors ignite change in their communities, up and down the country. Get in touch for more information on how to become an SFW ambassador!
Our Mend it May campaign was also featured on the Fashion Revolution blog – thank you to Lauren (another fabulous ambassador) for coordinating this. The blog explores how we can repair our relationship with clothing, and reconnect with our wardrobes with the ancient practise of mending.
Check out our TikTok page for all things #menditmay, as well as our resources page for some information on how to start mending and falling back in love with your wardrobe.