Mend, Create, Swap: Rethinking Fashion at Earth Day 2025
While we celebrate finding great deals on new clothes, what happens after the purchase often tells a less impressive story. The upcoming Texoma Earth Day Festival (April 26, 2025) offers practical solutions through four textile-focused attractions: a creative trashion show, booths featuring upcycled fashions, a free children's clothing swap, and a textile recycling drop-off point.
Tapping the Brakes on Fast Fashion
Many readers remember when clothes were made to last and fixing them was second nature. But today, a lot of clothing is worn an average of only eight times and then discarded (McKinsey.com). This is a bad habit learned from the “fast fashion” business model that treats clothing as disposable, prioritizing constant newness over quality and durability to quickly respond to the latest trends. Major retailers can design, produce, and deliver new styles to stores within weeks rather than the traditional seasonal timeline. This system creates garments intended for limited wear before being discarded.
That results in an incredible amount of waste. Every item we own carries "embedded energy" — all the work, resources and effort that went into creating it. The global clothing industry manufactures 100 billion garments yearly, with 92 million tons ending up discarded — that's like dumping a garbage truck full of fabric every second (fashionrevolution.org). Water is wasted too: A single cotton t-shirt takes 2,700 liters of water to produce, water that could serve a person's drinking needs for over two years. When we throw something away prematurely, we're not just losing the item itself but all the hard work behind it.
Front Porch Wisdom: The Return of Visible Mending
Call it “being penny-wise" or "sustainable living,” but the principles remain the same: waste not, want not. Enter “visible mending.” This isn't classic, hidden darning — it's an artistic statement where repairs are intentionally showcased as design elements. A quick search for “#mendtok” shows that the visible mending movement has exploded on social media. People are making repairs with thread or fabric that stands out rather than hiding the damaged area. It transforms imperfections into personal expression.
Sandy Barber, director of the Creative Arts Center of Bonham, recently blogged about applying visible mending techniques to repair clothing for friends. “I had a blast selecting fabrics and threads that matched their personalities and preferences. The end results? Old, worn-out clothing saved from the landfill, reborn with fresh, unique designs that make them fun to wear.”
This return to resourcefulness bridges generations. Recent polls show over three-quarters of folks under 25 have fixed clothing in the past year and a half. Their reasons? Good old-fashioned thriftiness tops the list, with 95% saying they're looking to stretch their dollars further (just-style.com).
Shop Vintage and Upcycled at Earth Day 2025
To stretch your dollars, make plans to attend the clothing events and vendors at the Texoma Earth Day Festival on April 26. The festival offers three distinctive textile initiatives that showcase practical ways to reduce waste while refreshing your wardrobe.
Trashion Show
The runway highlight comes at 3 p.m. at the Sherman Municipal Grounds (405 N. Rusk, Sherman) with the "Trashion X" Fashion Show. Organized by Grayson College's Visual Arts Department, this year's theme "Inspired by the Arts" challenges participants to create wearable works inspired by famous artists and masterpieces. The competition is open to area artists, designers, college students and high school juniors and seniors, with each piece incorporating at least 80% recyclable materials that would otherwise be headed for the dump.
For those interested in participating, there's still time to submit an entry form by Friday, April 25 through the online form. Additional information is available from the GC Visual Arts Department at (903) 463-8662.
Children's Clothing Swap
Families with growing children will appreciate the Free Children's Clothing Swap. Parents can bring outgrown children's clothes and take what fits their little ones now — and there's no requirement to bring items in order to take what you need. Coordinated and hosted by the Red River UU Rainbow Team, this practical initiative helps extend the life of perfectly good clothing while easing the strain on family budgets.
Shop Upcycled Fashions
Throughout the festival grounds, various vendors will showcase upcycled fashion items and demonstrate how creative reuse transforms discarded materials into desirable products. From embellished second-hand clothing to accessories made from repurposed materials, these artisans exemplify how craftsmanship and imagination can give new life to old items.
Recycle Truly Worn Out Textiles
At some point, textiles do wear out beyond repair or reuse. Bag up your unusable textiles and drop them off at the collection point hosted by American Textile Recycling Service (ATRS). Nearly 95% of all textiles can be recycled, even those items with stains, tears or other damage that might seem destined for the trash. When textiles are recycled, they're sorted by type and condition, then processed into wiping cloths, insulation, carpet padding, or even broken down to create new fibers. This practical solution diverts materials from landfills while conserving resources that would otherwise be used to produce new textiles.
Making the Most of What We Have
Whether you're learning to patch a pair of jeans, marveling at how a collection of cast-offs becomes runway-worthy, or trading outgrown clothes with neighbors, you're participating in traditions that have served our community for generations. The methods might look a little different these days, but the practical benefits remain the same — extending the life of clothing while reducing waste and saving money.
For complete festival information and to discover all the activities planned for the day, visit https://www.earthdaytexoma.org/
