Aura
This project started in response to destructive fashion trends, the rapidly declining climate and aimed to provide an effective solution. I set out with the intention of creating a clothing label that had as little of an ecological footprint as possible, throughout the entire supply-chain. Having this holistic approach, I had to scrutinize over all the details of each step in order to ensure an ethical and sustainable product was possible. The end goal was an entirely biodegradable garment, that would leave no negative trace behind. This meant the fabrics needed to be an organically grown natural material, and a fibre that could easily be processed from plant to shirt. So as little or no chemicals in the entire process, no bleaching or dyeing of any kind. I also tried to keep the total distance travelled of these garments to a minimum, meaning grown, processed, spun, manufactured and finished as local as possible. With this capsule, I was able to use a blend of organic cotton and hemp, along with another eucalyptus fabric that had been ethically sourced from India. I constructed and dyed the garments myself, using organic cotton thread and natural dyes like Indigo and Cochineal. The full background research, prototyping and progression of this project was summed up into a cohesive book. The 2 full outfits and book can be seen below.
I am currently expanding this project and improving it with my findings from the initial pieces. I am now using a 100% organic cotton jersey, grown ethically in India, and processed, spun and knit in Canada. I still plan on constructing and dyeing the garments myself to ensure a truly sustainable and quality garment. More to come on this in the near future.
