CREDIT: FASHION FITS / FANSHAWE COLLEGE
Fashion Fits offers clothing alterations at competitive prices.

The environment is a hot topic for many students. Some ride their bike to school, pack food in reusable containers, or use a non-disposable water bottles to leave their eco-footprint. However, clothing doesn’t often come to mind when we think about how we can be more environmentally friendly.

Making that step can be something as simple as repairing a hole in your favourite shirt. Fanshawe’s Fashion Design program offers a tailoring service known as Fashion Fits. Students can come in and have their bags repaired, pants hemmed or whatever else needs fixing.

Louise Marchand, a third year student in the Fashion Design program, says the service also helps students with budgeting.

“Instead of having to go out and buy something new, whether it’s a new dress or pants that have the zipper broken, it just gives you the chance to revamp something you already have,” she said. Fashion Fits will even alter clothing you bought at a second-hand store if it doesn’t fit properly.

Marchand added the service is convenient. “It’s also really helpful for students where if they don’t know a lot [about] the London area, we are a service that is right there on campus, as opposed to having to go somewhere and drop them off, and then having to go back there and pick them up. It’s a lot less hassle being at the college.”

Marchand said the cost all depends on the repair itself. For example, it is $7 to hem a pair of pants, whereas fixing a zipper is $12. However, she said the prices are competitive and reasonable.

There are other ways to find more environmentally friendly fashion. Marchand said researching a variety of retailers is a great start. “A lot of people have different sustainability [techniques],” she said.

Although Marchand said polyester is still required to produce bamboo clothing, she said it is considered sustainable. She suggested recycling fabrics as another way to keep money in your pocket. “Again, it’s just looking into the manufacturing and how they did it. Depends on how sustainable they are.”

Fanshawe also carries environmentally friendly accessories and clothing. Liv Chic carries bamboo leggings, along with bags and wallets made out of vegan leather. The Book Store at Fanshawe also has backpacks made out of sustainable materials. With composting bins around the school, and the new Zip- Car program, the college is making an environmental impact.

Fashion Fits benefits graduating Fashion Design students because it is a fundraiser for their Unbound Fashion Show. The popular event happens in April as the school year comes to a close, and fashion enthusiasts predict what styles will pop up on Instagram feeds and do a turn on the catwalk.

The service can be found from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in F-Hallway. For more information, email fashionfits.unbound@gmail.com or search Fashion Fits 2014 on Facebook.