Students from Ohio University’s Global Feminisms course and the Women’s Center will host a clothing swap on Friday to raise awareness of the issues associated with fast fashion.

“This event is part of our final project for our Global Feminisms class,” said Lenny Massiel Cauich Maldonado, Ph.D. student in the Mass Communication graduate program. “This project, (Professor Risa Whitson) let us choose whether it would be just research or academic research, a research campaign or a creative project. One of my classmates said (brought up) this subject of fast fashion and I had this plan to have a clothes swap forever.

Maldonado was inspired to organize the clothing swap after participating in several in Mexico where she grew up. She also said that the organization of this event is influenced by those from her home country who work under unfair conditions for fast fashion companies.

The event’s goals are also noteworthy, as Maldonado says fast fashion is becoming a major issue in our world today – one that the Global North has continued to ignore.

“Our goal is to raise awareness of the effects of fast fashion on human rights, especially women’s rights, and on the environment,” Maldonado said. “Fast fashion uses materials from the global south, as well as human resources from the global south, and it’s not ethical. It doesn’t follow any ethical protocols in the global south specifically.”

Maldonado’s teacher, Risa Whitson, is thrilled to see the event come to life for students and those who live in Athens. Typically, Whitson’s does not require any involvement or community service for final projects, but Maldonado’s group decided to give their settings a new twist.

“This is my first time teaching this class of students (who) decided to have an event,” Whitson said. “I think it’s challenging and exciting, and it fits very well with the theme of the class because we’re looking at activism and so they’re not only studying activism, but they’re engaging in it as well.”

Maldonado’s group encourages people to bring gently used clothing and accessories to swap with others. Exchange rules include a maximum of five items, quality items only, no “defective or stained” items, one exchange token for each item brought in, and a personal shopping bag.

OU students are also talking about the event, excited to see what it entails this Friday.

“I think it’s a really cool idea,” said Kristen Meyer, a junior commercial photography student. “I know a lot of big designer brands release clothes and don’t really think about the consequences after that, so recycling clothes is a really good way to help the environment in particular.”

The event will take place from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Baker 403 and admission is free.

“Everyone is going to become an activist just by coming to our event,” Maldonado said.

@grace_koe

gk011320@ohio.edu