I can easily say that studying abroad in Italy has been one of the best decisions I have ever made; it truly has changed me for the better. Not only am I more confident in myself, but I have also learned more about the world than some may in a lifetime. 

Let me explain… there is a growing pollution crisis in the world, and the fashion industry can partly be to blame. I am an Apparel Merchandising major with minors in both Business and International Studies, and our opportunity to attend seminars in Milan about sustainable fashion really caught my attention. During the seminars, Anna Detheridge and Rita Airaghi explained to us that not only does fashion (especially when sourced in other countries who do not have rules and regulations for how it is produced) pollute our waters, air, and even harm our skin, but also many companies do not pay their employees a livable wage to survive. A livable wage is the minimum one needs to be paid in order to survive the costs of day-to-day life in their specific country. No matter how beautiful that dress is, no piece of clothing is worth buying from a company who buys from countries that allow unsafe sweatshops and child labor to produce their materials or products. 

Hearing how destructive the industry can be on our environment, and to the people who inhabit it, really struck me in such a way that I now feel called to do my part in promoting sustainable fashion. As a member of the fashion community and a consumer of fashion, too, I personally want to start a conversation with the companies I will work for about being sustainable businesses and encourage brands that care for their employees. I am a part of a generation where sustainability is extremely important for our future, and I want to do my part in cleansing the harmful ways of clothing companies. This is a responsibility I have taken on, and I plan to work for a company who shares my same passion. 

-Signing off, R. Grace Taylor