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Christchurch asked to think about clothing choices

Delphine Herbert
Lauren Jones
shopping bags
Shopping  Pexels

A screening of a documentary at Environment Canterbury has highlighted the negative impacts of the fashion industry.

Consumers in Canterbury have been asked to think deeper about their clothing choices and sustainability.

Saikuru, a Christchurch based consumer enterprise, screened the documentary 'The True Cost' to help spread the message.

'The True Cost' addressed the impact of fashion on the environment, as well as people who are forced to make clothes in inhumane conditions. 

Organiser Alice Ridley hoped the evening got Cantabrians thinking of ways to change their shopping habits.

Ridley hoped other cost effective options like op-shops or clothing swaps would become more popular in Christchurch.

She wanted events like the documentary screening to raise awareness of environmental issues and help people to start reducing their carbon fashion footprints. 

Attendees of the event said people really needed to know more about the issue.

They said Christchurch is a place of opportunity for change.

Saikuru hoped people in Christchurch will think more about their clothing choices after seeing the documentary.

A link to 'The True Cost' trailer can be found here.

Below is audio of Alice Ridley discussing the negative impacts of the fashion industry.

what can we do?

Attendees who went to the screening of 'The True Cost' said the documentary had changed the way they want to purchase clothes in the future.

They said it is an important issue that not many people know about and the documentary helpedd to expose the dark side of the fashion industry.

How important it is to expose the issue