Kenya Olvera’s Senior Project Aims to Reduce Environmental Impacts of Fast Fashion

By Jack Fedor
Co-Editor | The Pacific Times

Kenya Olvera was interested in helping the environment and also loved thrift shopping.

So she decided to share with other students a more sustainable way of acquiring clothing.

Olvera decided to host a clothing swap as part of her senior project in an effort to reduce the negative impact a surplus of clothing has on the environment.

Fast fashion after being used a few times begins to create waste as those pieces of clothing are no longer worn and more gets made.

“I chose this issue because I believe it is important to manage our clothing consumption and waste in order to lessen the negative impacts of fast fashion,” said Olvera.

Fast fashion is considered cheap clothing which follows trends.

Olvera had hoped to create an instructional YouTube video about reducing fast fashion’s weight on the environment for students, but later decided to host a clothing drive.

“My goals are to educate the community, especially our students, about this environmental issue, share creative solutions, and to encourage them to be conscientious about their consumption habits,” said Olvera.

NP3 High students went to Olvera’s residence in late January to drop off clothing donations.

Olvera washed the donated items, photographed each one and put each donated item on an individual Google Slide which she shared with students who donated. The following week students were able to see and choose which clothing they wanted.

A week later students went to Olvera’s house and picked up the same amount of clothing that they donated. Clothing was distributed on a first come, first served basis.

Nine people participated in this event and about 150 articles of clothing were swapped between participants.

“Under the circumstances of the situation, I would say the event was successful,” said Olvera.

All 40 articles of clothing that were donated but not claimed by a student, were donated to WEAVE. WEAVE in a local nonprofit which promotes safe and healthy relationships and supports survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and sex trafficking.

Although Olvera’s clothing drive project is over, she encourages students and community members to donate clothing to local nonprofits.