Sustainability in fashion with Sindiso Khumalo

The fashion industry is a major polluter of our planet, with the so-called ‘fast fashion’ market causing chaos in the environment. The textile industry contributes to air and soil pollution, and is the second greatest polluter of local freshwater in the world. One culprit is the increased use of synthetic fibers, which end up in waterways and are not all biodegradable, taking up to 200 years to disintegrate. Another problem is the rate at which cheap garments (‘fast fashion’) are produced and, appallingly, discarded.

An article by The New York Times reports that more than 60 percent of fabric fibers produced worldwide are now synthetics, with over 85 percent of textile waste in the United States, for example, going to landfills or being incinerated. Consumers think they are getting a ‘bargain’ when buying cheap clothes, when the reality is that these items are not made to last, inevitably surviving only a few washes before becoming unwearable and being discarded. 

In recent years, consumers have started to become conscious of the scale and severity of the fast-fashion pollution issue, with many starting to make more sustainable fashion choices. A sustainable wardrobe which comprises fewer, higher quality garments, is not only beneficial to the environment, but is also more affordable in the long run. Sustainable fashion need not be the stereotypical, boring shapeless beige hemp outfit either. Over the last few years, a number of fashion designers and retailers have started producing beautiful, stylish sustainable items.

One such designer is proudly African, sustainable textile designer, Sindiso Khumalo. Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, Khumalo is at the forefront of sustainable African fashion, having spoken at the United Nations on sustainability in fashion and continually working closely with the International Trade Centre Ethical Fashion Initiative.

Khumalo’s work is an exquisite example of what sustainable fashion can be; her garments are works of art, with the textiles in her collections designed by Khumalo herself by hand through watercolor painting and collage. Her textiles and designs showcase that style need not be sacrificed for sustainability, on the contrary, she creates imitable pieces that will remain en vogue for years.

In addition to being lauded for her sustainable approach, Sindiso Khumalo has been featured in Vogue Italia, Vogue UK, Elle Magazine and Marie Claire Magazine. Her work has also been exhibited at the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Smithsonian Museum of African Art in Washington, the Louisiana Museum in Denmark and the Zeitz Mocaa Museum in Cape Town. 

Khumalo’s work, inspired by her Zulu and Ndebele heritage, tells a uniquely African story. “Making in Africa has its own challenges,” says Khumalo, listing power cuts, lack of fabric availability, and many other daily challenges. “But,” she says, “each challenge brings its own opportunity: to push our continent’s cultural heritage forward and to address issues of poverty and social inequality.” Sustainable fashion is, after all, not only about protecting the environment but also ensuring that workers in the fashion industry are protected and treated and remunerated fairly—which is often not the case globally. 

Khumalo feels strongly about the role of fashion in empowerment, particularly the empowerment of African women. Khumalo’s brand focus is on breaking down the patriarchal institutions that remain within an African context, promoting a message of female empowerment. “And,” she adds, “to share with the world the magic that is our African continent. We live in the land of magic and dreams.”

Image Credit: Sindiso Khumalo

Words by Illona Meyer

Africa Global News Publication