Decision details

Granny Drops a Clanger (Project a:dress)

a:dress is a project of activism and informal education designed to raise awareness and to challenge the devastating impact of fast fashion on the environment.

To provide funding of £200 to the above project.

Reason for decision:

In the UK, clothing has the fourth largest environmental impact after housing, transport and food. The average lifetime for a garment in the UK is just 2.2 years and an estimated £30bn of unused clothing hangs in UK wardrobes and yet we still shop for more. Each year 430,000 tonnes of clothing are disposed of in the UK, while the number of new clothes sold is rising.

Our focus is on female consumers, as women are disproportionately affected by fast fashion. For example, the impact of sexism and objectification on women’s self-esteem and body image can lead them to be emotionally vulnerable to pressures from the fashion industry. In our pop up galleries and during our workshops and subversive catwalks, a:dress will promote alternatives to throwing clothes away, such as clothing repairs, community clothes exchanges, clothing rental sites, Instagram ‘callout’ collectives and any of the raft of 'resale disruptors.

We will target an intentionally diverse group of girls, young women and women, including school students, Girl Guides and Brownies and older women. We are committed to engaging with women who regularly buy fast fashion and will set up events for intergenerational dialogue and action. We also intend to have global reach through social media.