Photography by Joseph Osayande

The World Resources Institute reports that 1.2 billion tons of CO2 is released in the atmosphere per year by the fashion industry. Cheap, fast fashion comes at a high price, and the urgency for change can no longer be ignored. Global warming has almost shaped the future, forcing a complete overhaul in how we source materials. What is the alternative, when our clothes along with our planet seem to be going up in smoke?

Well, while we can’t exactly ask Greta for fashion advice, we can certainly turn to ethical designers, who keep the preservation of Mother Earth well within their ethos. Designers like Priya Jangda (above), founder of sustainable streetwear brand, Quillattire.

Three words to describe Quillattire: flamboyant, environmentally-friendly, individual. Priya is paving the way for viable fashion, using sustainable materials while somehow managing to avoid compromise, and staying true to her message, “I am who I am, your approval is not needed”. At a time when individuality is celebrated more than ever, and style is becoming more subjective, we can thank the universe (or God!) for Priya.

A conflicting issue with sustainable fashion is its affordability. While the majority still blissfully ignore the unethical reality behind their go-to high street brands, the flip side is that very few people are able to shell out for viable alternatives. Priya discussed with us how Quillattire came into fruition, the materials she uses, and the need for fashion houses to shift their focus from profit to our climate crisis.

Tell us about you and Quillattire

I used to be a full-time designer for a couple of fashion houses, then I decided to quit and start my own sustainable streetwear brand, Quillattire. I got tired of constantly churning out designs back to back; I believed I could do more and make more of a positive change in the world rather than negative. I had all this passion I needed to use in the right way, fuelled by people who did not believe in me whilst growing up. I wanted to show myself and them that I could do it.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion to me is personal. It’s art, a way to express yourself without talking. It’s a lifestyle of how you choose to be seen.

Why sustainable fashion, why not take the “easy route" when producing your clothes?

The “easy route" is the bad route. The sustainable route is so much of a challenge, which is what life should be full of, because you learn so much and you strive to overcome it. If we were to actually see the implications to our planet of using plastics and materials that are not biodegradable, you would be shocked! The world is literally dying, and it is all the result of greed and naivety from the consumer, which is not their fault. The big dogs in the industry who are making millions know what the constant use of polyesters, leather, fur, blends of fabric, cotton, etc. are doing to our world, but they refuse to change fast.

Polyester is a non-biodegradable fiber. It is found in 60% of garments, making up around 21.3 million tons across retail stores. The statistics are alarming, especially while polyester remains one of the most popular fabrics.

Animals are being treated so badly, but we do not see behind the scenes, just the new kicks to match your outfit for your newest IG picture. The mass number of animals being produced is not sustainable for all the land we have. All the cottons and other materials being grown in mass are sprayed with pesticides, which has an impact on the farmers’ health, the soil’s health, and animals feeding on these plants. Now imagine we eat plants that are sprayed with these toxins, so it’s not doing much good for us either. We eat animals [well I don't but that’s personal choice] that have been injected with chemicals, fish that have ingested plastic, and the toxins from the plastic released into their bodies goes into ours. It’s so bad. And it needs to be stopped.

I have educated myself about sustainable fashion and I am determined to use this practice for my brand 'Quillattire'. I sourced a super soft Organic Bamboo fabric on my travels to Sri Lanka, which makes up most of my hoodies and sweatshirts. The rest is up-cycled jackets - so I personally source the best quality vintage jackets and paint, cut, sew, embroider and embellish them to give them a new life. Giving clothes a new life is so important, because throwing them away after one wear is not helping the world. I could go on but I hope I’ve answered your question and given you a little to think about.

What have you learned through your journey as a designer so far?

My journey as a designer has definitely seen me grow as a person. At the start of this journey I was really shy and not very confident at all, but through design and learning constantly from the industry, meeting amazing personalities and travelling, I have become a lot more confident and certain of the path and footprint I want to leave on the Fashion Industry. I have noticed the flaws and I’m really working hard to make changes in my practice, and educate people so they learn what is actually happening to our planet due to everyday actions.

What was the hardest thing about producing clothing for a catwalk?

The last Fashion Show I did, I only had 2 weeks to make the collection - it was really intense. Usually I would create a mood board, colour palette and do heaps of research but there was no time, so I literally designed it and hoped the collection came together at the end. It’s your own work and your heart and soul that has gone into these garments, and you just hope that it will be received well by the audience and press.

Regarding sustainability and fashion, what do you think the problems and possible solutions are?

I think the majority of Fast Fashion consumers do not understand the implications of throw away fashion. The reason it is so cheap is because the fabric is so bad that it cannot be broken down. If something cannot be broken down it lasts a very long time, regardless of whether you throw it in the bin, it needs to go somewhere. I believe the big Fashion Houses aren’t investing in sustainable fabrics enough, because the small brands like myself have to pay a very high price for them. If the big fashion houses were investing in sustainable fabrics, the prices would be lower, meaning good fashion would be affordable!

A solution, I think, is to teach society. There are documentaries out there that show you the reality (BBC iPlayer) and courses (FutureLearn), but I really believe the big businesses need to take responsibility and teach their customers, and change their unsustainable practices.

And lastly, how can we shop more sustainably?

To shop more sustainably, I would advise buying responsibly and not in excess. Buy what you need and will wear more than once. We are our own stylists and can definitely style a garment differently a number of times. Always check the fabric label - polyester is bad, organic fabrics are good because they’ve been grown naturally with no help of pesticides. I understand that if you are not familiar with fabrics its hard, but we can ask questions and search the net easily for information. Always ask yourself why something is so cheap, and most of the time it will be because it is not sustainable.

Check out the Quillattire website and Instagram page. Also follow them on Twitter to join the much needed conversation around sustainable fashion.

Quillattire: The Move to Sustainable Fashion