This artwork confronts the environmental and social impact of the fashion industry by combining scraps of discarded textiles with splashes of black acrylic, symbolizing petroleum the origin of most synthetic fabrics. These elements create a vivid reminder of how our clothing choices are deeply tied to pollution and waste.

Every year, over 92 million tons of textile waste are generated globally, equivalent to one garbage truck of clothes being dumped into landfills every second. Of this waste, 60% contains synthetic fibers like polyester, made from petroleum. These fibers take up to 200 years to decompose, releasing toxic chemicals into the environment. Shockingly, producing polyester emits three times more carbon dioxide than cotton and consumes vast amounts of energy and water.

The damage doesn’t end there: the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, more than the aviation and shipping industries combined. It also uses 93 billion cubic meters of water annually, enough to meet the needs of five million people. As consumers, we throw away about 57% of our clothes within a year of purchase, perpetuating this cycle of waste.

By turning discarded textiles into art, paired with the raw, chaotic strokes of black acrylic, I wanted to show both the beauty and destruction inherent in our choices. This piece challenges us to think critically about where our clothes come from, what they’re made of, and how we can reduce their impact.

Together, we can break this cycle through reusing, recycling, and choosing sustainably. Small changes in our habits can ripple outward to make a world of difference.