BUSINESS
Let’s Talk About Sustainability: An Interview with Holly Anderson
By: Alexa Fabi Edited by Grace Stecher
Let’s talk about sustainability. The climate-conscious movement is shaping the way industries and businesses operate across the globe. This movement is causing a seismic shift in the operational mechanisms of the fashion industry, which is coincidentally one of the world’s largest polluters. While these large scale changes matter, there are numerous ways that we can personally consume less and shop more consciously.
The fast fashion industry contributes vastly to global pollution. As the Fall 2024 semester of college commences, many students receive big packages of cheaply made clothing from places like Shein, Fashion Nova, and other big fast-fashion brands. Ordering clothes from these sites might be affordable and easily accessible, but it is destroying the planet. According to an article by Business of Fashion, “the company’s carbon footprint of 16.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent is big enough to rival several countries. It’s nearly tripled in the last three years, an increase that has outpaced even Shein’s staggering rate of sales growth.” It is no secret that fast-fashion brands like Shein are negatively affecting the environment. However, many people seem to be uneducated about the severity of this issue and how they can start to pull away from these patterns of overconsumption.
Holly Anderson is the mastermind behind the sustainable clothing brand “Awkward Fish.” According to the Awkward Fish Website, Anderson’s mission is to “promote a new way of production: One that relies on repurposing pre-existing material instead of exploiting resources to create something new.” The Awkward Fish business model allows for the opportunity to increase the flow of recycling while simultaneously slowing down production of new garments. Anderson carefully sources her “blanks,” which are essentially blank canvas articles of clothing (such as a plain t-shirt,) that are meant to be customized, and hand prints the designs herself. This production process is not an easy one, making Awkward Fish a unicorn in the world of small fashion businesses and brands.
I sat down with Holly to discuss the motivations behind creating Awkward Fish and the bigger issue of sustainability. Holly started thrifting at a very young age, sourcing materials and sewing them to look exactly the way she wanted. “I have always been making clothes…since I was younger. I had this one semester, [where] I kept making clothes and my friends were like ‘you need to sell them.’ I got the opportunity at ESF Quadstock, and that was the first time I ever sold. I sold out within an hour. I love creating, and it's like an addiction for me. I need to always make something.”
Balancing school and creating, especially with the dedication and carefulness that she does, is no easy task. “I am very lucky to have a major and the support of my teachers that let me do some studio projects that fit into my brand,” Holly said. She explained her tedious process of ensuring her clothes are made ethically. “It is sustainable in two ways: One of them is using already pre-existing materials. I use materials that are from thrift stores, or I work with a deadstock store. Secondly, I am doing slow fashion. I make everything myself, I print everything myself, and I design everything. I use all recycled materials.”
Not only is Holly making and producing her own clothes, but she is advertising them herself as well. In July, she posted a shoot to the Awkward Fish Instagram promoting her brand. The vision was to look like an alien going fishing for clothes. I asked her about the shoot and she expressed how she is into creating “alternate universes” as she embarks on her newest creative venture —set design. “I was like oh my gosh, I want to create an alternate universe where people are still wearing Awkward Fish.”
Holly Anderson exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated visionary – someone who pours themselves into their creative process. She repurposes pre-existing materials and practices slow fashion, demonstrating how innovation can repurpose and redefine the fashion industry through Awkward Fish. Personally designing, printing, and sourcing every piece exemplifies a commitment to being climate conscious and not to mention, makes her an innovative and unique entrepreneur. Holly is an inspiration to all creatives as she is an active and powerful force in a bigger societal movement to become more sustainable.
