The mission of Fair Trade challenges the way we think about clothing, reminding us that every shirt or
bag has a human story woven into its fabric. Consumers can participate in justice with their purchases,
through supporting brands that ensure fair wages, safe conditions, and sustainable practices. Yet as the
climate crisis deepens and fast fashion churns out unprecedented amounts of waste, there is an urgent
need to go even further. This is where circular fashion comes in. Circular fashion is the practice of
designing, using, and reusing clothing in a way that minimizes waste and extends the life of an item. It
means repairing clothes rather than throwing them away, creating new pieces from old textiles, supporting resale and secondhand markets, and encouraging brands to design garments that last longer and are easier to recycle. In a world where over 90 million tons of textiles end up as waste each year, it is essential that these practices become more integrated with our society.

What makes circular fashion especially powerful is how it goes hand in hand with the goals of fair trade.
If fair trade protects the dignity of the producer, circular fashion protects the dignity of the planet, and
together, they protect the dignity of communities. When a fair trade artisan produces a high-quality piece designed to last for years, its value multiplies if the buyer repairs, reuses, or passes it on instead of
discarding it. Local economies also benefit when repair shops, tailors, and upcycling artisans have more
work, keeping skills and income rooted in communities rather than funneled into global fast fashion
cycles. Importantly, circular fashion also challenges the mindset that clothes are disposable, replacing it
with an ethic of care, and an air of intentionality around consumer spending.

There are already inspiring models that show how this can work. Brands like Patagonia encourage repairs
and reselling through their “Worn Wear” program, while companies such as MUD Jeans lease denim and
recycle it into new products, proving that style and sustainability can thrive together. At the community
level, secondhand markets and upcycling collectives are turning waste into opportunity, from Ghana’s
Kantamanto Market to local thrift and repair workshops popping up around the world. We can also see
examples of this within the Fordham community such as the second-hand clothing sale for business attire that occurs yearly as well as Rodrigue’s Coffee clothing swap day.

Ultimately, fair trade started a movement that connected our closets to justice. Circular fashion pushes
that movement into the future, ensuring that ethical fashion is not only fair to workers but also sustainable for generations to come.

Written by Stella Clark