In Ireland, we have developed a poor relationship with the clothes we buy. Somehow, we have come to view clothing as disposable and not worth repairing.
We consume almost double the European average, at 56 kilograms per person each year. With overconsumption comes a large amount of waste. Thankfully, work is being done to change the industry and make it more sustainable.
Bernie McCoy works in the administration of the Circular by Design master’s programme at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD).
The master’s programme encourages a shift from the current linear production chain to one that is circular, educating its students on each step of the sourcing and production of textiles and the implications their decisions can have on the environment.
The journey to the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) was quite pleasant on a crisp, wintry morning. A walk on the cobbled streets down Vicar Street onto Thomas Street was an easy introduction to the vibrant energy of the College. I met Bernie in the ‘cafeteria,’ a basement café with skylights, cosy mood lighting, and a bakery. She showed me through the courtyard and into the front building. We stuck our heads into a current exhibition on sustainable fashion and went up the winding stairs and down the long corridor. We finally arrived at her office, decorated with paperwork and fabric samples.
Bernie McCoy, an NCAD graduate, started working in the 90s with her own fashion knitwear company, which focused on sustainability and uplifting her community. Bernie began by training early school leavers and young people in a local youth reach to create clothing using machines. “Then generally, just people that society may have forgotten a little bit or felt a little bit marginalised.” This was not about training them in the textile industry, but “what we were doing was giving them back their lives or giving them a focus, so it was other skills that they got, and most of it was confidence.”
Bernie passionately believes that sustainability is a core value for NCAD, from the first years to the master’s programmes. The sourcing and production of textiles are among the most important aspects of sustainable fashion. “The textile designer starts at the very beginning of it,” NCAD claims; 80 per cent of a product’s impact is decided at the design stage. “One might even argue, you should start with the person growing the cotton. But the textile designers themselves make critical decisions in terms of what’s going into that product.” This
largely relates to the production of synthetic materials because, for them to be recycled successfully, they must be of high quality and not blended with multiple different synthetics. Due to fast fashion production, low-quality, blended garments are much more common than they were ten to twenty years ago. According to Zero Waste Alliance Ireland, currently, there is enough clothing on the planet to last the next six generations.
Circular by Design begins as a module in the bachelor’s programmes, really enforcing how important sustainability is in the textile industry. In the master’s, a wide variety of students take part, originating from different areas, for example, waste management to design and textile. Bernie explained that the students must understand the value of a garment. “When you’re designing something, you’ve got to design in value,” because as a consumer “, if we don’t value something, we don’t keep it. And then when you buy something, if you’re connected to it, you are going to wear it.” This is hugely important as it cuts down waste. According to a Germanies, Deutsche Welle (DW), the average fast fashion ‘going-out top’ is only worn 1.7 times before it is discarded, and 40 per cent of all clothing waste has never been worn.
The Irish fashion industry is experiencing rapid growth. Just last month, the second annual Dublin Independent Fashion Week took place, with sustainability as its central theme. Bernie praised the designers on how impressed she was by their work, highlighting how important it is for a graduate entering the industry to maintain their voice. “If there are discussions, that you have an ability, or at least confidence, to have a little bit of agency. Pipe up.” Bernie expressed her hope that the graduates feel empowered to influence where they join to make meaningful changes concerning sustainability.
After the interview, Bernie took me to explore the workshops. They have textile design rooms, where the textiles are brought in and treated. The students are taught how to dye the textiles and weave them using looms, creating the garments every step of the way. As you walk in, the colours and creativity envelop you. The walls are covered in, sketches and there are colours, the paintings everywhere, the creative energy is palpable. Every single person works so intently; one can tell there is such a love that goes with each piece.
Two students were printing on pieces, using a screen print to apply designs onto the garments. Bernie admitted that it is not the most environmentally friendly due to the ink used. In the design room, where students were creating their finished pieces of clothing, pinning them onto mannequins. In NCAD, they are taught every step and their impact on the environment.
Bernie McCoy’s work at NCAD shows how the Irish fashion industry can move toward a more sustainable future by empowering the next generation of fashion industry workers. Through the Circular by Design programme, students gain a deeper understanding of their impact at every step of the creative process, from the design stage to final garment production. Bernie’s passion for sustainability and education inspires her students to prioritise quality, creativity, and environmental responsibility. As the Irish fashion industry grows, NCAD’s practices, rooted in value and love for the craft, can be a model for tackling fast fashion’s impact and creating meaningful, long-lasting change.
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