SustFashWales was created by me, Helen O’Sullivan (nee Ball) following a long passion for sustainability and transparency within the tangled web that is the globalised fashion industry supply chain.
As consumers, or as I like to call us, fashion-wearing-citizens, we often have no idea how much power we have to make a difference in such a huge perplexing global economy. By doing little things like learning where your clothes and accessories come from, who makes them, how to look after them, we have the ability to make great change through more responsible choices.
I previously worked in the mainstream/fast-fashion sector and have been campaigning for a sustainable fashion industry since around 2006. Working within fast-fashion really opened my eyes to the disproportionate impact we in the global north/global minority are having on those in the global south/global majority. I have long supported campaigns such as Fashion Revolution, Ethical Fashion Forum and many others, however, when I returned from London to Swansea in 2008, I recognised the need for a source of information for those in Wales and a place to celebrate all of the incredible creatives, educators and individuals championing sustainable fashion here in Wales….SustFashWales!
SustFashWales aims to support fashion-wearing-citizens to address their own consumption and seek sustainable alternatives. SustFashWales is mostly active on Instagram where I share many things such as creating and sharing informative and how-to videos on the YouTubeChannel covering topics such as the issues and solutions of the fashion industry, sharing research, organising or sharing events and of course the #SustFashWalesCommunity through the online directory. I have created this website to use as a one-stop-shop directory of everything that is Fashion & Sustainable here in Wales! Through this work I also formed a collaboration with Friend of the Earth Cymru back in 2019, establishing the #GreenCarpetWales, #GreenFriday and #Resolution6Rs challenges. During 2021, this led to forming a coalition working group called SCTCymru (Sustainable Clothing and Textiles Cymru) including Repair Cafe Wales, Eco Schools Wales, The Young Darwinian, plus more. We are currently working with the Senedd/Welsh Government to address the impact of fashion in Wales and have held many events.
I work entirely voluntarily at SustFashWales, alongside my work leading the Good Life Schools South Wales at Global Action Plan. I am also undertaking PhD in sustainable fashion education at the University of Portsmouth. My research involves working with families, communities and primary schools to address the environmental and social impact of fashion consumption. I have published some of my research and presented my findings at various national and international conferences such as the European Academy of Design in Finland. To follow this research work please connect via my Bluesky or LinkedIn.
Prior to this I was a secondary school teacher and FE and HE lecturer, delivering sustainability focused design education for over 15 years, both formal and community based. My SDG focused curriculum design won a national award for environmental education for her schools Design and Technology department.
I hope this site will prove helpful for all designers, makers, educators and wearers of fashion within Wales and further afield!
SustFashWales 