Explainers Archives - Page 2 of 2

Explainer: Old is the new new

Old is in — and the resale market is booming. Luxury bags are flying off virtual shelves in seconds, and Gen Z are factoring resale value into every purchase. But is resale really slow fashion, or just a guilt-free way...

April 30, 2025

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Explainer: Colours to dye for

Cherry red, lavender blue, lime… We all want to wear the AW25 colours − but at what cost? Anyone who has watched the 2006 film about high-fashion publishing, The Devil Wears Prada, will know about the power of colour in...

April 16, 2025

Explainer: What circularity means for a fashion system

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Explainer: What circularity means for a fashion system

Right now, the fashion system follows a linear path: take, make, waste. This system needs to change by closing the loop instead, and making it circular? South Africa has the potential to build a thriving circular fashion economy, but there are...

April 3, 2025

Explainer: What the global tariff war means (for fashion)

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Explainer: What the global tariff war means (for fashion)

Everyone is in a state of shock at the trade war that has broken out after the US introduced new tariffs to penalise countries that export more goods and services to the US than they import from the US. It’s...

April 2, 2025

Explainer: The statistics on why mending is so worthwhile

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Explainer: The statistics on why mending is so worthwhile

For every 5 items repaired, 4 fewer new purchases are made. That means fewer clothes in landfills and fewer sad, abandoned T-shirts. Learn why mending is the ultimate zero-waste power move – and how a few small stitches can make...

March 26, 2025

Explainer: Your clothes contain more plastic than you think

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Explainer: Your clothes contain more plastic than you think

Even garments labeled “100% cotton” are often held together with polyester thread – making it impossible to avoid plastic in our clothing. Almost all your clothes contain plastic – even ones labeled “100% cotton”. Learn how this hidden plastic affects...

March 19, 2025

Explainer: The pros and cons of exotic leather

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Explainer: The pros and cons of exotic leather

Once a status symbol, exotic leather is now under fire – banned by major fashion weeks and dropped by luxury brands. But is it really worse than cow leather? And could bans cause unintended harm? Is exotic leather on its...

March 12, 2025

Explainer: Cost per wear and why your ‘cheap’ clothing is actually expensive

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Explainer: Cost per wear and why your ‘cheap’ clothing is actually expensive

Fast fashion tricks us into thinking clothes are cheap – but if they fall apart after a few wears, they actually cost us more over time. Enter cost per wear (CPW). This is a simple way to rethink clothing value...

March 5, 2025

Explainer: The struggle for size inclusivity

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Explainer: The struggle for size inclusivity

Finding plus-size, sustainable fashion shouldn’t be this hard. Many small brands struggle to expand their size range due to cost and expertise, while plus size shoppers are left with few options – often turning to unsustainable retailers like Shein. So...

February 27, 2025

Explainer: Counterfeit culture and why fakes threaten designers and our economy

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Explainer: Counterfeit culture and why fakes threaten designers and our economy

If clothing is designed in South Africa, produced in South Africa, and inspired by the symbolism of Xhosa beadwork, shouldn’t South Africans – not counterfeiters – benefit from its success? Here we explain why the prevalence of fakes isn’t about...

February 20, 2025

Explainer: The politics of crochet couture

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Explainer: The politics of crochet couture

From haute couture and fast fashion to your grandmother’s craft cupboard – crochet is everywhere right now. But it’s not only crochet: quilting, lace, needlepoint and other sewing crafts are having their moment too. If these techniques can be sold...

February 3, 2025

Explainer: What fast food and fast fashion have in common

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Explainer: What fast food and fast fashion have in common

Fast food and fast fashion have more in common than you think. Both thrive on convenience and low prices but leave behind a trail of harm for our bodies, the planet, and workers. The good news? Change is possible. Here...

January 16, 2025

Explainer: What is the promise of a global agreement to reduce plastic pollution?

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Explainer: What is the promise of a global agreement to reduce plastic pollution?

The flow of plastic entering the ocean is expected to double by 2040. To prevent this tsunami of difficult-to-decompose waste, experts have proposed a global treaty which could oblige all nations to reduce how much plastic they produce and emit to the...

March 9, 2022

Explainer: Large scale chemical pollution now exceeds the safe limit for life on Earth

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Explainer: Large scale chemical pollution now exceeds the safe limit for life on Earth

The production and release of plastics, pesticides, industrial compounds, antibiotics and other pollutants is now happening so fast and on such a large scale that it has exceeded the planetary boundary for chemical pollution, the safe limit for humanity, a...

January 22, 2022

Explainer: What does Shell’s planned seismic survey in South Africa mean?

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Explainer: What does Shell’s planned seismic survey in South Africa mean?

The planned seismic survey off South Africa’s Wild Coast by energy company Shell has unleashed public outrage in the country and beyond. The survey’s aim is to search for oil and gas deposits. Environmental and human rights organisations and fishing communities are...

December 13, 2021

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