As part of Sustainability Week, the University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) will be hosting the Reuse Rewind Remix, a social in support of sustainability. The goal, according to UMSU vice-president community engagement Elishia Ratel, is to “give a new life” to outfits that attendees may have only worn once or twice.
According to Ratel, the event is all about bringing awareness and reducing waste when it comes to clothing.
She said that the event was created while exploring creative ways to incorporate the idea of sustainability into UMSU’s events and socials.
The idea for the Reuse Rewind Remix stemmed from the thought that people often buy Halloween costumes, sports jerseys, grad outfits or other clothes that may have limited use or are not worn often.
The event takes place after UMSU’s Pop-Up Thrift Up event, another part of the union’s sustainability initiative, where it will be selling used clothing and accessories donated by the U of M community.
Ratel said that the goal for the thrift pop-up is to “reduce, reuse, recycle.”
“Living on Treaty 1 territory, it’s really important for us to focus on how we care for the land in our personal ways, as well as globally,” she said.
Ratel added that we need to work at “taking these practices into our everyday life, with taking a look at our consumption of single-use products and reducing that, as well as being able to reuse items and shopping sustainably for those items so that they have longevity in our lives.”
An important part of fashion sustainability for Ratel is making sure “that we’re not just constantly using and throwing away.”
“We are the caretakers of our spaces, and we want to give something towards the future,” she said.
Ratel pointed out that reusing items can be more affordable for students compared to buying one-use items, since they do not have to continue to buy, and that by using items multiple times, the environment is better off.
Money received from the Pop-Up Thrift Up event will be put toward the UMSU Holiday Hampers program.
Reuse Rewind Remix will take place on April 6 at VW Social Club from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., and will cost $5 to attend. Those attending must be 18 or older with a government issued ID, and must not be intoxicated when entering.
The Pop-Up Thrift Up is on at the UMSU Flex Space in University Centre from April 3 to 6, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.
