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Kaya Dorey, Young Champion of the Earth for North America, shares her experiences in building a sustainable apparel manufacturing hub in Vancouver.
July 2018
How I Accidentally Became a Spokesperson for Sustainable Fashion
I never set out to be a spokesperson for sustainable fashion. I thought I could silently change the world from behind the veil of my brand. After becoming the UN Young Champion of the Earth for North America, staying anonymous was no longer an option.
People often ask me, “how did you get to where you are?” and up until recently, I don’t think I really knew. However, reflecting on the last couple years, there were a few choices and key ingredients that put me on this path to being a voice and a face for a cause that I really cared about. In this post, I’m going to share how I unknowingly did this so you can do it yourself.
Study topics that make you want to yell
After seeing The Story of Stuff in class, I decided to focus my future projects on sustainability. One project I did was writing a policy brief to ban plastic bags in Whistler, BC. I ended up getting an A+ because it was something I actually believed in and was fiercely driven by my values to do the research and learn as much as possible on the topic.
When you’re at school and are forced to do an assignment or research project, why not take these opportunities to find your true passion. Choose a topic that lights you up or emits some kind of strong emotion. This is a pretty good indication that you care and will enable you to do something about it in the future to change it.
Don’t cry over the state of the planet (or maybe do, then wipe those tears off and go do something about it).
That’s what I did at least. After learning about climate change and our impact on the planet, I went into a dark state of saying things like “we’re doomed”, and “the world is over”, “how can I ever make a difference?”. One day, I did an exercise where I had to write my own obituary. It sounds dark but in actuality, it made me realize that I needed to stop thinking about how doomed we were so I could start doing something about it. I wanted my future kids to be proud of the legacy I was leaving behind. Soon after, I enrolled in several programs which taught me enough to disrupt the field of sustainable fashion.
Say YES to opportunities especially if they scare you
Since winning the Young Champions of the Earth Prize I have:
- Been asked to speak on CBC, CTV (X2)
- Been asked to speak at the BEATEC Conference
- Been asked to speak on a panel for sustainable fashion for SFU
- Been asked to be a guest speaker in sustainability classes at CapilanoU
- Been asked to speak at LocalTalks
- Been asked to speak at four separate events for youth in sustainability
- Been asked to speak on a panel at the UN Environment Assembly
- Been asked to speak at the multi-stakeholders dialogue at the UN Environment Assembly
- Interviewed by over ten different news platforms
- Written blog posts and articles for VICE, Nature Conservancy of Canada and Food Tank
- Been asked to speak on the Global Landscapes Forum
...and the list goes on.
Don’t try to be anyone but yourself
I used to think that I didn’t belong amongst the really smart and eloquent speakers or that people would think I was a joke because of my casual tone or how I dressed. That was until I realized people actually liked me better when I was just myself, casual speak and all. Be proud of who you are and proud of what you stand for; people respect that.
Finding my path wasn’t easy. But studying topics that made me feel all the emotions; shifting my doom and gloom mentality into actionable change and saying yes to opportunities that scared me are the major reasons I am a spokesperson for sustainable fashion. I hope that sharing some of what I’ve learnt along the way can help you on your journey to becoming the change our planet needs.
March 2018
February 2018 - #RealTalk
In 2015, I was at a point in my life when I needed to find a job that suited my values and my vision for the future. Never, did I think I would create my own brand: NOVEL SUPPLY CO.
I had grown up being told in school and by my parents that I should work for a big company that could ensure my security for life. But that just didn’t seem right for some reason. I couldn’t see myself sacrificing what I believed in just to make a few more bucks and I couldn’t see myself working for a company that was making a product or selling a service that I wasn’t 100% stoked on.
I said to my boyfriend one day, “I think I could start my own sustainable clothing brand.”
He said, “I know you can.”
It only took that one vote of confidence to light my entrepreneurial fire. I am not going to lie, some days it’s tough. You’re in it on your own most of the time, trying to figure out new challenges. But I promise you, the value you get from starting your own business, one that’s aligned with your passion, is truly worth it. Even if you fail, it’s a win because next time you’ll fail better.
It was after learning about the linear life cycle of our clothing, that I realized I had to do something. I had to figure out a way to fix this “make, consume and throw away” mentality. After all, nothing is every really “away” unless it’s compostable or 100% recyclable. I read an article by Aaron Jackson that was titled, “every piece of plastic ever made still exists”. If you think about this as it relates to synthetic clothing, which is also petroleum-based just like plastic, then the same goes.
The way I am going to fix this problem is through collaboration and a lot of late nights. I know I am going to need some partners and people who share my same passion and values on my team. I’ve recently connected with some industry experts who are starting to explore some research and feasibility studies that will help to solve the textiles waste problem here in Vancouver. I’m keen to take on an active role in their research and am hoping I can use my network and upcoming public speaking engagements to collectively reach our goals of finding a solution for textiles waste so that it no longer has to go to the landfill.
The challenge with sustainability is that it doesn’t work when you guilt trip people into it. It also doesn’t work when you force it on people. You have to make it cool and undeniably the best choice, sustainability aside. It also has to be accessible and comparable in price. This is why we need more big players involved. We need big brands to get on board so that we can make an even greater impact and turn this linear fashion industry of ours to one that is circular and doesn’t create waste or pollute the environment.
A major shift is needed to turn this thing around, starting by embedding sustainability into school curriculums and design programs. Designers (and not just clothing designers) need to design with the end in mind and start innovating new ways to eliminate waste from production and take responsibility for the products they’re making. Consumers need to ask more questions and learn about what their clothing is made out of and who is making it, just like we did with food not too long ago. It would also help if policy makers incentivized sustainable innovation and taxed the worst climate change contributors. I believe it can be done. Just like Margaret Mead once said, “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
To be continued...
The Young Champions blogs and vlogs are collated with the support of CoalitionWILD.
