SUZI POTTS
With a background in teaching fashion and textiles, my interest in ethical fashion started whilst working as an NGO in rural Zimbabwe, where I spent two blissful years in an environment free from light pollution (no electricity) and with few distractions (radio batteries don’t last long!!).
Whilst in Zimbabwe I chanced upon a recipe book of natural dyes using indigenous plants and local flora – the idea of using natural dyes was in stark contrast to the noxious chemical dyes I had been using for tie-dye with my women’s co-operatives – they were full of toxic chemicals, a mixture of corrosive caustic soda and sodium hydrosulphite, which when inhaled can cause severe irritation of the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract, as well as other more serious long-term effects. These dyes and associated chemicals were sold without any health warnings and we wore no protective clothing or masks when handling them.
ABOUT ME
Many years later my mum told me about a friend of hers who suffered from pesticide poisoning from organophosphates which were commonly used for sheep dipping in the UK during the 1980’s. This ignited my interest once again and after reading “The Toxic Consumer”, I was hooked on a campaign to discover the truth about the chemicals in our clothing. I decided to undertake an MA in Ethical Fashion and read a book called “The Ethical Shopper” which really opened my eyes to the widespread use of chemicals used to manufacture, dye and create fabric and fabric finishes as well as many other products we use in our daily lives. Further research indicated there was “evidence pointing to a possible link between the rise of certain non-infectious human health problems and the increase in our exposure to the many synthetic chemicals” used to produce textile fibres and clothing today.
Whilst undertaking my MA in Ethical Fashion, I gathered research about the wide-spread pesticide poisoning and pollution generated from the production of conventional cotton, which was very disturbing. Textile fibres go through many stages; they are cleaned, carded, spun and coated with starches and chemicals, woven or knitted, cleaned up from their coating, bleached, immersed into caustic soda, dyed or printed and then chemically treated for easy care and other properties such as: shrink resistance, crease resistance, odour resistance, water-repellent, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-static, permanent-press or flame and soil retardants. A myriad of chemicals of various toxicity and hazards – from silicone waxes, harsh petroleum scours, softeners, brighteners, heavy metals, solvents, nanoparticles, ammonia and formaldehyde, amongst others, are used during these processes.
Feature Image: Suzstainable “Paradox” Capsule Collection
Many of these chemicals can be toxic to the environment and contribute to global environmental damage; they can also have negative health impacts on the human body, creating what is referred to as the “toxic, or chemical body burden”. The term “body burden” I discovered, refers to the total amount of chemicals present in the human body at a given point in time. Once released into the world some chemicals cause toxic reactions, and some have been found to persist in the environment for years; some are even referred to as “eternal” compounds, because they do not degrade. What I also found disturbing was that in their report, “My Sustainable T-Shirt”, PAN UK state that some of these chemicals can also be transferred to the skin of the people wearing them through residues in finished garments, and are suspected of causing allergies, eczema and even cancers. As clothing comes into prolonged contact with our skin, it is possible that toxic chemicals can be absorbed through the skin when pores open to permit perspiration. My research suggested that continuous exposure to some of these chemicals can result in a “persistent body burden”, whereby the accumulative nature of these chemicals can cause a range of non-infectious human health problems. (www.chemicalbodyburden.org).
I also discovered that since the beginning of the chemical revolution, we have all been unwitting participants in a vast, uncontrolled, worldwide chemistry experiment involving the rivers, oceans, air, soil, plants, animals and human beings. The chemicals revolution has greatly impacted on human well-being and although it cannot be argued that chemicals have raised farming yields by killing crop pests and have made an endless array of useful products possible, I began to wonder to what detriment has this occurred and how does it affect me on a personal level? All this research really got me thinking about what I put in and on my body, previously I had just assumed everything I was consuming and wearing was safe, but there is actually little regulation and testing for a lot of the products we buy like perfume, body, beauty and cleaning products and no information about the chemicals used to produce the majority of fast fashion.
My concern about the environmental impact of our lifestyles also deepened after organising a screening of the film, The Story of Plastic, at the college where I was working. The film uncovers the ugly truth behind the current global plastic pollution crisis. Striking footage shot over three continents illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields full of garbage, veritable mountains of trash; rivers and seas clogged with waste; and skies choked with the poisonous runoff from plastic production and recycling processes with no end in sight.
My awareness in a sustainable way of living and my interest in health and well-being continues to grow; on a personal level I have changed the way I shop, eat and travel and I am trying to avoid unnecessary contact with chemicals in my daily life, by reducing my contact with plastic, cooking with organic produce, making my own cleaning and beauty products, using essential oils and opting for sustainable or second-hand clothing and organic or natural body and beauty products.
I’m still learning and I’m not perfect, but I want to make a positive impact on the world that enables me to live a more sustainable life and to share with others that are curious and want to make changes themselves. My aim through this website is to make a difference through information and shared experiences by promoting sustainable choices in terms of travel, fashion, food and everyday products. This could include anything from how to achieve a lighter carbon footprint, making an impact through volunteering, sourcing organic, certified and sustainable fabrics, food and materials and promoting ethical fashion brands that use sustainable business practices.
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