Vietnamese Green Fashion could help world meet 1.5C warming target
New international, collaborative research led by Dr. Mai Khanh Tran (Mika) from London South Bank University (LSBU) will study how leading Vietnamese designer, Lan Huong, cuts the carbon footprint of clothing by using ramie fabrics & inspires consumers to move towards greener lifestyles.
The ‘Green Fashion: A journey from Revolution to Revolutions’ LSBU research project is inspired by the introduction of ramie fabric as a revolution in sustainable material used in luxury fashion industry. Clothing made with 100% ramie fibres are biodegradable so all ramie clothing can be reused, recycled or returned to the earth. Green Fashion aims to minimise the environmental impact of producing clothes, ultimately without leaving a negative footprint.
Funded by The Academy of Marketing and Marketing Trust, the research projectis conducted by using Exhibition and curation method, a new form of Arts-based methods designed for studying sustainable consumption and social marketing.
Dr. Mai Khanh Tran, LSBU Digital Marketing lecturer, said, “Researchers suggest there's a 66% chance we will pass the 1.5C global warming threshold between now and 2027. Because clothes make up 8-10% of global carbon emissions, my research will look into the work of leading Green Fashion designer, Lan Huong, so we can better understand what the fashion industry must to do to stay within the 1.5C warming target. Further, we will study how the use of biodegradable ramie in Lan Huong’s clothing could offer Green Fashion solutions to other industries.
“Another novel aspect of this project lies in the ‘curation’ research method I will be using in collecting data and engaging with audience members. From 19 March 2024, LSBU Hub will be transformed with a pop-up exhibition where visitors can immerse themselves into a giant sketchbook of Lan Huong, learn how her ramie collection is made and how ramie has led to revolutions in industries, from furniture to agriculture. Don’t forget to pop in our workshop space where LSBU Hub exhibition visitors can co-create the future of Green Fashion and sustainable consumption.”
The LSBU Green Fashion research collaborators are: Embassy of Vietnam in the UK, Lan Huong Fashion House, Arts University Bournemouth, Stories Behind Things, Vietnam Communications Corporation and Freie Universität Berlin.