Meet the Team | Hattie Rowan

Who am I?

I am a recent graduate who, in the last couple of years, has begun to understand more intensely the environmental crisis which our world is facing, and embrace a more sustainable way of life. This has led me to apply for a Masters in Sustainable Development, as I hope to focus my career on environmentalism and finding ways to help communities and industries adopt more eco-friendly behaviour, and renounce the unsustainable consumerist-driven society we currently live in.

What I believe in

I believe that the world needs to entirely change its mindset; rather than constantly coveting the new and seeking to buy, buy, buy, we must find value in the old and simultaneously embrace the slower process of ethical, sustainable production. We need to learn to build a more cyclical society, where items are reused, repurposed and recycled. I believe that fashion is a beautiful, exciting industry, but one which has for too long focused more on capital than people and planet. I also believe that big changes take small steps, and that a good way to start is by slowly extricating ourselves from the fast fashion industry, and finding news ways to embrace and celebrate clothes.

Why SFW

I joined SFW shortly after lockdown, when I had even more time to contemplate consumerism and fast fashion. I have found that whilst 2020 has been a terrible year in so many ways, it also seems to have sparked an atmosphere of change. I was thrilled to find the recruitment advertisement for SFW because I really feel that the time is now to truly spark the revolution of slow fashion, and SFW is such an inclusive, exciting organisation which has the ability to effect change.

What I do for SFW

I am part of the Communication Team, focusing on the website, our fortnightly newsletters (sign up!) and blog posts.

3 favourite items in my wardrobe

• Dungarees which I bought in a vintage store on Park Street. They are so comfy and cool and I wear them constantly.

• Green suede jacket which I got (stole…) from my Mum who also bought it second-hand. It has completely fallen apart and I am frequently losing things out of the pockets due to the bazillions of holes, but I will stitch it up and upcycle it because I am never giving it up!

• Woven bag with tassels which I bought from a friend’s charity shop - it adds a bit of colour and funkiness to even my most basic outfits.