Fashion is a symbol of individual expression; a tool for intimate communication.
By exploring new ways to personalize our styles,
we can make what we wear into a real part of ourselves.
This is our moment. Our movement. Welcome to #MendItMine.
About Us
Fashion is not only a big part of our lives but also an important one!
Clothing lets us express who we are or explore a new side of ourselves.
However, fashion is beset by many issues.
The pressure to conform to the latest trend often causes us
to lose ourselves in the process.
The environmental footprint of the fashion industry,
second only to fossil fuels, has forced all of us to confront the social issues involved in the manufacturing and usage of our clothing
Our solution to these issues is Mending.
We define Mending as “repairing and remaking our tarnished and torn clothing
in accordance with our imagination and free expression”
Through Mending, we create renewed value for clothing
and reduce our dependence on fast fashion.
Wearing Mended clothing gives us a refreshing sense of independence:
the idea that we can live as ourselves, free of the pressure to conform,
while respecting the social and environmental impact of our decisions.
#MendItMine seeks to expand the freedom and joy of Mending
around the world.
We hope you will join us and be a part of this journey.
Our Goal
#MendItMine seeks to use fashion to cause a paradigm shift:
one to create a world where we are all free to express ourselves as individuals
and advocate for an environmentally conscious approach to a fashion industry
that is suffering a dire lack of social awareness.
The rise of fast fashion has resulted in our collective addiction to mass consumerism. Clothing is produced, used and disposed in rapid succession with little care or value. Fashion needs a sustainable solution and Mending is our answer to the present crisis.
Mending Ideas
Who We Are
President Yuka Sugiura
I am a second-year Master's student
at the University of Tokyo majoring in ecology.
I developed an interest in sustainable development
while conducting research on the conservation of biodiversity and founded a student organization.
Through my experiences at the UN Climate Change Conference and Global Ambassadorship
at the Better Tomorrow Movement,
I realized the urgent need to reform
the environmental practices of the fashion industry
and founded #MendItMine.
Nanako Kobayashi
I studied textile design at Bunka Gakuen University
and graduated from the Chelsea College of Arts
at the University of the Arts London.
I have been involved in the development of ethical fashion while working as a textile designer.
When I wear clothing passed down
from my grandmother and friends,
I remember each and every memory it holds within.
For this reason, I believe in repairing and remaking
these clothes so they can continue to grant its wearers as much happiness as possible.
Moe
I studied product and graphic design
at Musashino Art University and graduated
from the Camberwell College of Arts
at the University of the Arts London.
I developed an interest in sustainable design
and incorporated upcycled materials into my projects, which center on the themes of attachment and emotional value to promote the power of long-term use in sustainable development.