Circular Fashion and the Power of Design with Dr. Christina Dean, Redress

In this episode of the Fashion Game Changers podcast, we are honoured to host Dr. Christina Dean, a true pioneer in the sustainable fashion movement. As the founder of Redress, an NGO dedicated to reducing waste in the fashion industry, Christina shares her unique journey from being a dentist to becoming a leading voice in sustainable fashion. Her passion for environmental issues and public health led her to address the harmful impact of the textile industry, sparking a movement to rethink how fashion is produced and consumed.

Christina dives into the core issues plaguing the fashion industry, particularly overproduction and overconsumption, which fuel environmental degradation and create staggering amounts of waste. She shares eye-opening statistics about how much harm the fashion industry causes, from carbon emissions to biodiversity loss, and highlights that despite the progress made in awareness, the problems have actually worsened over time. One key takeaway is her belief that fashion must embrace circular design to reduce its footprint, with 80% of a product’s environmental impact being determined at the design stage.

The conversation also touches on the role of consumers and the need for a mindset shift. Christina advocates for people to transition from being passive consumers to “citizens of fashion,” where they become more conscious of their purchases, embrace second-hand fashion, and demand better practices from brands. She acknowledges the challenges, including how ultra-fast fashion’s affordability and convenience make it harder for sustainable options to compete, but she remains optimistic about the power of education and awareness to spark change.

Furthermore, Christina talks about retraining the fashion industry, from designers to CEOs, and the urgent need for collaboration across the value chain. She emphasises that change needs to happen now and believes that with the right strategies—such as integrating sustainability into business models and reshaping consumer habits—the fashion industry can make a significant, positive impact on the planet.

In the final part of the episode, Dr. Christina Dean reflects on her personal mindset, sharing how much she loves her work and how it helps her navigate the challenges of balancing personal life and motherhood.

Dr Chritina Dean recommends:
📚 The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
🎙️ The Diary of a CEO