Writing a Sustainable Future for the Fashion Industry: EMA's Interview with Katy Ho
Photo Credit: Sofya Babak (@sofya.babak)
If you've ever attended our EMA IMPACT Summit, you're aware of fashion's contributions to climate change. But that doesn't mean style is inherently guilty.
Thankfully, there are many talented people in the industry trying to transform minds. We spoke with a change-maker, Katy Ho, who utilizes her skills as a writer to persuade the fashion industry to embrace sustainability.
Katy Ho (she/her) is a Chinese Canadian writer, activist, and daughter of refugees who explores the intersections of gender, climate, and pop culture through her work. When she’s not writing about feminism and climate justice, you can find her hosting book club meetings, visiting her local thrift store, and coaching the next generation of climate leaders. Enjoy our interview!
What inspired you to become a climate-conscious fashion writer?
Words have the power to change the world, and storytelling is one of the best ways to educate and inspire, to get the reader to step into a perspective they never could have had otherwise. When it comes to many important issues, such as the climate movement, there are significant knowledge and empathy gaps. Words can address both gaps and, as such, are an essential catalyst for positive change.
I've been obsessed with words ever since I learned how to read and write. I grew up in a predominantly White community, where I spent much time dreaming up fantasy novels and magazine concepts, I hoped to publish one day. While writing was a way for me to escape, fashion was a way to connect with other kids who didn't look like me to feel a sense of belonging. At the same time, I was also growing up in a world with an escalating climate crisis in which fashion plays a significant role. After getting involved in climate activism and the fashion industry during my university years, it felt natural that I write about these topics to do my part in creating a more sustainable world.
What's your overall take on sustainability in the fashion world?
It's getting worse, and it's also getting better.
Let's start with worse. Greenwashing is at an all-time high in the fashion world -- as more brands realize they can profit from the climate movement; they engage in misleading "green" marketing campaigns rather than making meaningful change. Fast fashion brands like Shein, H&M, and Zara continue increasing their production, causing a major strain on our planet's resources. Influencers perpetuate this problem by advertising fast fashion to their massive online audiences without critically considering what they're promoting.
On the positive side, some fashion brands are working to improve their supply chain sustainability. Luxury fashion houses like Kering and LVMH are beginning to incorporate more sustainability into their production practices, and sustainable fashion is gaining traction through events like Copenhagen Fashion Week. There is also a growing community of sustainable fashion influencers working to educate others on the environmental impacts of the industry while promoting more sustainable options such as thrifting, swapping, and buying from sustainable fashion brands.
How do we achieve a truly sustainable fashion industry? There needs to be more accountability and action from fashion brands and more education and accessibility for consumers to make sustainable choices.
Photo Credit: Jonathan Parayno (@dynoflex)
What's a fashion trend you've seen recently that gives you hope for a more sustainable industry?
Thrifting and vintage shopping have become much more popular in recent years and are a great way to give clothing a new life while diverting textile waste from landfills. There are also more ways to secondhand shop, in-person or online. Sustainable fashion influencers bolster this trend, and celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo, who often wear vintage clothing, encourage their fans to do the same. Overall, this trend is helping sustainable fashion become more normalized and accessible, making it a stronger contender against fast fashion giants.
You're an excellent writer. Why is it critical to have writers, artists, and other creatives contribute to the climate movement?
Thank you, that's so kind of you to say!
Not everyone is a climate scientist or activist: art helps to make movements more accessible, palatable, and normalized. It can reach new demographics, get them to care about important issues, and, most importantly, drive them towards action.
We've seen this with the "Taylor Swift effect" in 2018: over 160,000 people registered to vote after Taylor Swift spoke out about her political views for the first time. Fashion has seen similar effects, with Reformation selling out its sustainable clothing pieces after Swift was spotted wearing them and other singers like EMA Missions in Music Honoree Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo creating eco-conscious fan merchandise. With a bit of creativity, sustainability becomes cool and fun, helping to shed its negative stigmas.
Art can alleviate the consumer education gap by inspiring consumers to engage in sustainable behavior changes without going through the longer route of in-depth sustainability education. If more artists begin creating around the themes of climate justice, the ripple effect will be powerful enough to change the world as we know it.
Finally, what are you working on, and how can our audience get involved?
I'm very excited to be starting a monthly sustainable fashion column here on EMA's blog! I also write regular intersectional feminist news and features as a writer at FEMINIST. You can follow my writing journey on Substack and my activism work on Instagram!