about us

mission

Trendy Earth is a virtual exhibit about sustainable apparel that we made for you. You are the consumer and you have the power to make choices which can change the course of history. We hope to start a conversation about the clothes that we wear so that we can make responsible, informed decisions as consumers.

Standard clothing production has many negative social and environmental impacts which are changeable. There is such a thing as sustainable apparel and, no, it does not mean that you have to dress like a hippie.

We welcome you to take a look around our exhibit and contribute your thoughts, feelings, and knowledge. We are average people, just like you, and we want to share with you the importance of sustainable apparel.

team

MAJA 


I am natural in my skin, as our clothing should be. The umbrella and the cloth on the wall are cultural artworks that were made by people who wanted to make them, and thus, were made with love. Culture clothes our souls; therefore, we must protect it.


Hello, my name is Maja Subasic and I am a student of the Master of Arts in Cultural Sustainability program at Goucher College in Baltimore, MD. To me, cultural sustainability encompasses many aspects of our lives, including the clothes that we choose to wear every day. I think that we have to learn to be more conscious consumers in not only food, medications, cars, but also when it comes to fashion. I mean, do you really want to wear something that was made by a tortured kid in a developing country? To me, that is pretty horrifying and I can’t live with myself if I support companies that choose profit over people. It defeats the purpose of my work and what I stand for as a human being.


My fellow classmates and I all share these feelings, so we wanted to create a sort of virtual exhibit to help educate our fellow citizens about more sustainable apparel which is environmentally and socially-friendly. I can’t speak for everyone, but I want you to know that my purpose with this project is to give you something to chew on and to learn about simple changes that you can make to be a more conscious fashion consumer. I think that we are all responsible for how our communities develop, so what we do every day matters. Therefore, we need to think about how our actions affect others-whether it is in the present or in the future.

STEPHANIE 

This picture was taken of me during a recent trip to Ireland. The earrings I'm wearing are made by Meab Enamels. The Meab family uses the technique of enameling (done in Ireland for hundreds of years) to create modern products inspired by Celtic designs. Meab is environmentally friendly using recycled copper and uses indigenous Irish materials. Why buy mass-produced products when there are so many local artisans with unique products to support?

Hi everyone, I am Stephanie Boyle, a graduate student in the Goucher College Cultural Sustainability program and I work as the museum educator at the Sandy Spring Museum in Maryland. I'm an avid traveler and my fashion inspiration comes from the clothing, accessories, and goods that remind me of time abroad.

KATE

Handmade hat in NYC

My name is Kate Godfrey and I am a Study Abroad Advisor at Ramapo College of New Jersey. I work with people from around the world as I send RCNJ students abroad and bring students to RCNJ from far off places. It is through my work and my world travels that I fell in love with sustainable fashion. I believe it is our responsibility to support communities abroad who are trying to make ends meet, not only because it provides them with a sustainable lifestyle that supports their communities but also because it supports the environment as most of these groups use natural products and resources to create their fashion. It it was not for my job and my interactions with communities abroad, I do not think I would have ever come to realize the importance of our role supporting these communities thus shaping the world towards a sustainable life though fashion. I would like to thank those people, especially my students, who have guided me on this incredible journey.

MICHELE

I am Michele, and I live in Portland, Oregon. I first became interested in studying Cultural Sustainability in order to develop better tools for arts advocacy, especially in the world of education where the arts are severely lacking for children growing up today. I believe the arts are a vital tool of survival. Fashion is no exception to this because it is through expressing ourselves that we develop empathy and imagination for one anothers' experiences in life.

Over recent years, inspired by my antique-collecting grandparents, I have made a pact with myself that any jewelry I wear has special significance, and so I never buy jewelry for myself. Everything that I wear on my ears, hands and wrists has either belonged to someone else I know, or was given to me. The ring is this picture was given to me by my sister five years ago, for my 25th birthday. It is made out of an old spoon. I love rings because I am a pianist and my hands are a very important part of how I express myself. In the photo I am also wearing a pair of earrings that used to belong to my Grandmother. I still keep them in the tiny plastic bag with a tiny note in her handwriting that says, "John Ullrick made these." I don't know who John is, but I love that my grandmother took the time to write the note and that she treasured the story behind her personal accessories just as much as I do!








LENA


I walk many paths in life. I'm a Latin tutor, lifeguard training instructor and supervisor, Cultural Sustainability student, and a marketing editor for a Kathmandu-based adventure excursion agency. In my spare time I'm a visitor experience professional at the Smithsonian Freer and Sackler Asian art galleries in Washington, D.C. I enjoy swimming, kayaking, mystery novels, cats, and ... long walks on the beach.

I bought the sweater I'm wearing in my picture in Nepal. It's partially made from materials found naturally there, and features traditional Tibetan patterns on the trim. It's lined with fleece, so it's extra warm (I'm always cold)! I like that it helps the local economy too, although I did buy it in a touristic part of town.