Sustainability in your role: costume and wardrobe

Did you know?

A typical film or TV drama will use more clothing than the average person uses in their lifetime. These productions will also produce more waste in a week than the average household in a year.

These are pretty sobering facts, but costume designers, supervisors and buyers can take actions — big and small — to help change the stats, reducing waste and improving practices across their supply chain. Here are some things to think about:

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Designers might consider: 

• Could clothing be made so that it could be disassembled again afterwards?
• Could something be designed in such a way that it can be reused as another item or have another lease of life in an alternative form?
• Could garments be made from fabrics that biodegrade or easily decompose?

Buyers might consider: 

• Who is making this product?
• What is the environmental impact across the life of this item?

Ready to get started?

It’s time to get your whole department involved. Begin with setting a departmental goal, and use our checklist to inspire your team to take charge of their sustainability practices from pre to post-production.