29 young people across the Bristol region and beyond submitted designs for an exciting immersive visitor experience exploring the Global Goals and, specifically the changes needed in the fashion industry. The Youth Design Challenges, sponsored by the Steve Sinnott Foundation, were run jointly by the Global Goals Centre and UWE Education Dept researcher, with the aim of reducing eco-anxiety in young people and inspiring them towards a greener, fairer future.
The young people expressed anger and anxiety at the current climate crisis but, whilst they knew a lot about plastics and air quality, they were genuinely surprised by the impact the fashion industry has – producing 10% of global carbon emissions, using 1.5 trillion gallons of water and releasing toxic waste into waterways, as well as poor working conditions in many factories.
The challenge was to design an interactive space for people to learn about these issues and find positive ways to respond, and the ideas and designs came thick and fast! These included a climbing wall where you find a new fact as you climb, a giant hamster wheel that shows how much water is being used to produce a pair of jeans, a glass floor that lights up with the Fairtrade mark and a design-a-patch 3D printer to mend clothing.
The winners, who will receive sustainable backpacks from Finisterre and be guests on Ujima Radio, will be announced at an Awards ceremony hosted by Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees. Mya-Rose Craig, otherwise known as Birdgirl, who is Patron of the Global Goals Centre, will give the keynote speech.
The Fashion immersive experience is being created as part of the Global Goals Centre, with partners from Fashion Revolution, Labour Behind the Label, UWE and Race Equality in Education group, to enable school children and the public to understand the social and environmental impacts of fast fashion and be inspired to help bring positive change to the industry; a circular fashion model is possible if we create enough noise to bring more brands on board. Creative agencies will be invited to design the space, using some of the ideas from the Youth Challenges, in a mix of physical and virtual content. Could you or your organisation join our community of investors to bring this project to life? https://www.globalgoalscentre.org/support-us
For more information contact Jenny Foster at jenny@globalgoalscentre.org or 07970-878337