Salford students, alumni and the community unite to champion sustainable fashion

In collaboration with Salford City Council and GM Business Growth Hub, the event brought together a panel of prominent Salford alumni who are leading the way in sustainable business practice. Students attended as part of their Business Ethics and Sustainability module, with the panel exploring how sustainability can be embedded into business practice.

Salford’s Dr Gabi Round, Module Lead for Business Ethics and Sustainability, led the conversation with MA Fashion Business and Marketing graduates: Emma Peacock, Founder of eco-conscious fashion brand, DAEZ, Catherine Ingham, Founder of eco-conscious lingerie brand, Rose & Co Bare, Estelle Pearce, Founder of sustainable styling app, Closet Remix and community interest company (CIC), Fashion Fusion, and Susan Ejeme, model and content creator, each of whom are driving positive change to create a more sustainable fashion industry.

The conversation explored a range of issues facing the fashion industry, from challenging stigmas around sustainable fashion and addressing the growing volume of clothing sent to landfill - in some cases before it has even been worn - to empowering consumers to make more informed and sustainable choices about their purchases.

Salford Fashion Design students were also on hand to help attendees give the clothes they purchased from the on-site thrift stalls a new lease of life. The upcycled creations then took centre stage in a fashion show that brought the event to a close, with models walking the ‘green carpet’ through the New Adelphi foyer.

On the experience, second year Fashion Design student, Ornella Sakina, commented: “A lot of clothes, after they’ve not even been worn for long, go to charity shops and from there go to landfill. This event is important as we can take those unwanted clothes from charity shops and turn them into something that can be worn for a long time.”

Dr Lisa Rees-O’Donnell, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Salford, and event host, continued: “This was a fantastic opportunity to come together and to put our best foot forward to showcase the breadth of talent across the faculty, around an issue that is increasingly important to businesses and consumers alike. Sustainability is not just about how we make fashion; it is about rethinking the way we value, buy, use and reuse what we already have.

“By bringing business and creative perspectives together, we were able to explore how ideas around circularity and sustainability can move beyond the classroom and into real-world business practice. It was fantastic to see our students, alumni and industry partners sharing their experiences and demonstrating the different ways we can all contribute to creating a more sustainable fashion industry.”

Deborah Smailes, Programme Lead for MA Fashion Business and Marketing at the University of Salford, and a fashion sustainability researcher and specialist, said: “It was a fantastic event that showcased the power of sustainability and what we can achieve when we combine creativity with purpose. The theme of giving garments a second life provided a brilliant opportunity to engage students and the wider audience in thinking differently about sustainability, while also showcasing the incredible talent of our fashion, business and media students.

“Bringing business, fashion and media together demonstrated what our new faculty can achieve through collaboration. With guest panellists, alumni and current students from across a range of courses, the event highlighted the breadth of talent we have across both business and creative disciplines. It was a great example of how collaboration can create something meaningful, inspiring and impactful.” 

Lisa concluded: “The success of the event means it will now become an annual fixture, so watch this space for what we have planned for next year.”