CREDIT: MELISSA NOVACASKA
Live Chic, the fashion boutique run by Fanshawe's fashion merchandising program partnered with H&M to help reduce the amount of clothing being put to waste.

Fanshawe’s fashion merchandising program partnered with H&M to help reduce the amount of clothing going into landfills.

The “Don’t Let Fashion Go To Waste” campaign was created by the students of the marketing and social media department and merchandising and display team of the fashion merchandising program and was executed at the beginning of October until April 2017,

It is all through Live Chic (LC), the unique boutique run by students in the program, that sells anything from clothing, accessories, teas and candy to name a few, and where students help source out the vendors displayed in the store.

The concept of the partnership is simple yet effective.

Employees of the store, students, staff and faculty can bring in a bag of clothing to the store that is either worn, torn, ripped, stretched, and in good condition and in return, they will receive a $5 coupon to use on anything that is $25 or over at LC.

The clothing will then be dropped off at H&M throughout the year, which will then be sorted to either be recycled with the textiles of the clothing, or reuse.

“The idea is zero waste [going] to landfills,” Debbie Watson, store coach at LC said.

Watson said the campaign runs hand in hand with a similar program the Swedish retailer already has going on that promotes conscious, sustainable shopping.

“[The partnership] was a way to get in contact with the new H&M store coming to Masonville Place, and when I got a call from the H&M sustainability lady for Canada, she then put me in contact with the recruitment manager as well,” Watson said.

“It’s kind of a win, win. We can give our customers a deal in our store [and] we can support H&M with getting connections with H&M in London, which could be potential jobs for our students at the end of the day,” Watson said.

Watson said the partnership has been well received so far, and she will personally bring in the clothing to H&M once the kiosk in front of the store gets filled.

“It’s just getting the word out there, we’re doing what we can on our social media platforms: letting our customers know,” Watson said.

They are using the hashtag #dontletfashiongotowaste through social media.

The team will be also be advertising the program more with feature tables outside the boutique to inform people passing by of the partnership.

Amanda Schmidt, a fashion merchandising student and who also works at LC as part of her course, said her program is special and the partnership is an important concept.

“I think it’s totally cool for the environment. I’m a really big person on the environment and I think people should bring in their clothes because it’s a good cause and it’s nice,” Schmidt said. “Our environment is pretty important and fashion is important as well so I think the two of them together is very nice.”