Dr Rebecca Van Amber is a Senior Lecturer in Fashion and Textiles at RMIT University in Melbourne and an expert in clothing and textile science. Rebecca is passionate about textile and apparel sustainability, research and development and was the winner of the 2017 H&M Foundation's Global Change Award's innovation challenge.

Typically, when people think about the industry and environmental impact, the fashion and textile industries aren’t top of mind. However, the ecological footprint of these industries is quite significant. Each year the average Australian buys 27kg and discards 23kg of textiles, with much of this ending up in landfill. 50-60% of clothing fibres worldwide are now petroleum-based, so production methods and product lifecycles are also important considerations. Dr Van Amber takes us behind the curtain as we discuss fashion and sustainability.

In this episode we discuss:
• Rebecca’s background, interest in fashion and textiles and path to research
• The surprising link between clothing and plastic in our oceans
• Strategies to reduce microfibre shedding from clothing
• The need for responsible product stewardship from industry
• The pros and cons of various clothing fibres - have we been bamboozled by the magic of marketing?
• The steps towards sustainability within the fashion industry
• Rebecca’s involvement in an award-winning circular denim project
• How to make the best sustainable fashion choices
• Micro- and nano-sized plastics in teabags
• And much more!

We hope you enjoy this important conversation and would love to hear your feedback! Be sure to tag @TheLentilIntervention and help us reach more people by liking, reviewing, subscribing and sharing this episode with your friends and family.

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