Grassfires have lit up our city and black plumes of smoke have ascended over it too, but whether controlled or wild, these fires spark the debate of whether they are beneficial or not.
Imagine driving down the N1 highway when a white haze takes over the sky and obscures your line of vision. The car, truck or whatever in front of you an unrecognisable haze no matter how hard you squint. Hazards blink at double speed, a desperate safety warning that you are on the road too.
You can smell the scent of burnt grass, smoke filtering through your air vents. You try to close them, but it is too late, the car has already filled with dust and ash. A cough escapes as you wipe your watery eyes and then you see the flames engulfing the nature reserve you drive by every day. Bunnies hope, birds fly, and snakes slither away from the flames. You watch as the firemen throw water on the flames, get in their truck, and drive away.
Johannesburg’s Winter months have seen many grass fires blazing alongside highways and homes, but no one really understands if these fires are readying the ground for new life in Spring, or if they are random and just killing many species in their wake.
Sporadic fires and controlled fires look identical, with the only difference being the havoc they wreak.
The veld section part of EnviroServ’s property was reduced to ashes when an out-of-control fire swept up everything in its path. Photo: Victoria Hill
Veld next to The Meridian complex in Solheim was doused in smoke, creating a very ominous picture as residents looked on. Photo: Victoria Hill
AG De Witt Drive between Bedfordview, Solheim, and Dawnview had decreased visibility due to a roadside fire that was not under supervision. Photo: Victoria Hill
A fire on the corner of AG De Witt Drive and Kloof Road boarded on a private residence, causing harmful fumes to envelop the property. Photo: Victoria Hill
The small piece of veld next to Smit Street on-ramp in Braamfontein was smoking one afternoon whilst civilians laid amongst the flames and fumes. Photo: Victoria Hill
After a controlled veld fire, new blades of grass could be seen rising from the ashes, indicating the usefulness of grass fires in Winter months. Photo: Victoria HIll
Controlled burning of grasslands or velds are actually a common occurrence in Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. Joburg City Parks says this acts as a firebreak so that if accidental fires do occur, they do not spread very far. However, they also act as an ecological resetter — fire removes dead matter from the ecosystem which could potentially house harmful insects, pests, weeds, or diseases.
Research says dead matter also holds onto nutrients that would otherwise be absorbed into the soil for other plants to use as food. The ash produced from grass fires can also act as a natural fertiliser for plant growth in the Spring as it contains vitamins and minerals like phosphorous, calcium, and potassium.
Examples of these sorts of fires can be seen in the black grass dressing Johannesburg’s velds. Many of us do not even realise a grass fire occurred because it was quick and controlled, but impactful.
Accidental fires, or uncontrolled fires, are not ecologically friendly as they just burn and burn until they are stopped — hopefully. They occur mostly near very dry grasslands, usually due to a lit cigarette being discarded or just bad luck. They sweep close to residential areas, cars, people, and anything else in its path.
Let us not forget the little creatures that never make it out alive like earthworms, spiders, ants, and other insects vital for aerating soil or biologically controlling pests. Bird nests also die in the blaze, including their chicks or eggs that were nestled inside.
An example of this would be the huge black cloud of smoke that covered Brickfield Road in Germiston on Saturday, August 10. What was meant to be a controlled burning of a large veld turned nasty when the wind swept the flames to a neighbouring plastic recycling plant. The smoke let off from these types of fires also contribute to air pollution as it contains harmful greenhouse gases. Bethany Augliere, a writer for Earth Magazine, says burning grass releases nitrogen pollution that harms air quality.
Another instance was on Sunday, August 11, when veld next to a busy main road between Bedfordview and Germiston was under a controlled burn but soon got carried away and closer towards boundary walls of residential homes. Because of the close proximity, this thick and polluted air was inhaled by humans and their pets which can have disastrous health implications. Firemen were told to keep the area on their radar to ensure the flames fizzled themselves out relatively soon, which they did.
Fire is a scary element, one that can burn anything in its path to the ground. As children, we were always told not to play with fire, lest our fingers get burnt. But then we watched phoenixes combust into a blaze on television screens, and saw a new creature emerge from the fire’s centre. So, is fire really just a killer or also a mother giving birth to new life?
FEATURED IMAGE: A huge black plume of smoke adorned the sky in parts of the East Rand on Saturday, August 10, after a veld fire spiralled out of control. Photo: Victoria Hill
Today is when our luck officially runs out because humanity has stripped earth of its ecological resources for the year.
The oceans are empty and the sun has hidden away. The crops are mangled messes and animals lay unmoving. The moon does not light up the road and the earth is matted in darkness. Lightbulbs are failing, oxygen is scarce, and the stench of carbon dioxide is smelt for miles. Cars are stranded without fuel and homes have disintegrated into dust. Humans remain alive, but the earth is a ghost town.
This is what life would look like without earth’s natural resources, yet this image is still not enough to generate widespread panic worldwide. Humanity is overextending the earth’s arm to the point where we are running out of yearly resources before we have revolved around the sun.
Earth Overshoot Day (EOD) falls on August 1 this year, which means in just seven months, humanity has used all the resources earth can regenerate in this given year. For the earth to satisfy the current rate of human demand and consumption of ecological resources, there would need to be 1,7 earths.
Humanity’s current rate of demand would need more than just our earth alone to keep up. Graphic: Victoria Hill
More concerning is if the entire world lived like South Africa, the EOD would have been on June 20, meaning we would need 2,1 earths to survive on earth’s resources this year. Whilst not the worst country, we are definitely nowhere near the best.
The Global Footprint Network, an international research organisation, calculates the EOD by dividing the earth’s biocapacity by humanity’s ecological footprint and multiplying it by the number of days in a year.
Simply put, they determine the rate at which earth can produce resources whilst still absorbing waste, and compares this to how dependent humans are on this service each year.
In numbers, the earth’s biocapacity sits at 1,5 global hectares per person whilst the ecological footprint is at 2,6 global hectares per person, where 1,6 of this is a person’s average carbon footprint.
There is currently a 1,1 global hectare per person deficit in the world, and the gap is not closing fast enough. Graphic: Victoria Hill
To digest this further, there is a resource deficit of 73% in the world in 2024. This explains the basis of what causes climate change and global warming — overexploitation. The aim of the Global Footprint Network is to illustrate ways in which the economy can operate within earth’s ecological limits. So, it is not all doom and gloom.
Research says cutting greenhouse emissions from fossil fuels by 50% would move the EOD back three months. This makes sense because fossil fuels are the main contributor to waste production and global warming worldwide. If major emitters such as China, the United States of America, Russia, and India were to all set emission targets lower than their current level, the earth’s biocapacity would increase and ecological resources would feel less strain.
Holistic solutions also lie within five major sectors, namely cities, food production, energy generation, population, and the planet.
There are many sectors in which solutions lie for the EOD to move later in the year. Graphic: Victoria Hill
So, whilst we may have officially run out of resources for this year, we can work towards living within earth’s boundaries so that a happy medium can be obtained in the future.
FEATURED IMAGE: The earth is beautiful and paints the sky in oranges and reds, but it is dying and we need to act quickly. Photo: Victoria Hill
As a South African, I have a renowned sense of love and respect for all the wildlife we share our land with. However, when tourists arrive and make their own rules, it not only upsets the animals, but also disturbs me.
One morning a few Septembers ago in the Pilansberg Nature Reserve, a group of us went on an early morning bush walk. The crisp, fresh air whipped around our ears. The only audible sounds were leaves crunching beneath our feet and the game ranger’s quiet whispers. Then, suddenly, an elephant emerged, strolling leisurely through the dry savannah. Beside it, a baby, probably just a few weeks old, trudging along and almost stumbling beneath its mother’s big tummy — seemingly, without a care in the world. It was a sight to be savoured, in silence, with respect, for the wild is exhilaratingly awesome, but remains unpredictable.
In the international Wild for Wildlife month of July, I could not help but recall just how much I both love and admire wildlife, a proudly South African thing to do. These thoughts of pride are however interrupted by the stories of tourists performing traitorous acts in our nature reserves that have serious consequences for both humans and animals. It is a privilege to experience nature in its purest form and we must remember our place as a visitor in wildlife’s home.
A lone rhino hiding behind his trust bush whilst tourists walk past him. Photo: Victoria HillGaining confidence, the rhino ventures into the open grasslands to graze. Photo: Victoria Hill
But why are humans so drawn to nature in the first place?
Well, the term “biophilia” describes our humane tendency to seek connections with earth’s living forms. In the 21st century, we are more disconnected from nature than ever before due to the fast-walking and quick-typing world in which we now live. Being in the bush allows us to rekindle a lost relationship and slow life down to appreciate its intricate details.
However, these wild animals which we love are not cute, fuzzy, domestic creatures; they are incredible but wildly wild animals and should be treated as such. I have entered their home countless times and have left this natural habitat without a scratch. This is paradoxical to other tourists’ experiences who venture off and find themselves in harm’s way.
Whilst there have been cases of tourists getting out of their vehicles for a closer snapshot of primitive scenes, I have always heeded the instructions of game rangers and signposts dotted about nature parks. No matter how much I wish I could pick up a lion cub for a cuddle, I know it is not a smart thing to do if its mother is watching. If we put ourselves in the animal’s shoes, we would find their emotions and actions are not so different to ours. Unbeknown to many, wild animals do not view humans as prey and will only attack if provoked.
However, humans are the ones who have the ability to think about their actions instead of just acting on instinct. This comes with the responsibility of understanding that wildlife will never halt in their tracks, and we should not expect them to.
This is the moral behind Wild for Wildlife and for the many days left, I will be thanking my lucky stars that I get to live in the heart of nature.
Trees are one of the oldest living organisms in nature, and they have many great lessons to teach us, one being to slow down and breathe every once in a while.
Feel the groove of their bark on your fingertips. Touch your cheek against its rough skin and inhale the scent of nature. Breathe in the fresh oxygen just released from its leaves. Exhale the toxic feelings that live in your heart. Slow your mind. Lose yourself in the motion. Just exist quietly for a while.
I have always had a fascination with trees, feeling drawn to them in a way I could never explain. Whenever I could, I would scale their trunks and sit amongst the branches. It was always so peaceful in the treetops, and I felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be.
Wits Vuvuzela student journalist, Victoria Hill hugging a tree and showing everyone how it is done on Wits campus. Photo: Thato Gololo
I started hugging trees at a very young age, not knowing quite what I was doing or why, but I knew I had found the one place I could always go whenever I needed life to fade away.
Humans are a quintessential part of nature and are a species who have proven themselves very different from the rest, with verbal language, complex psychological functions, and interdependent social communities.
Yet, when we think about ourselves in comparison to our oldest companions, trees remind us we are part of something much bigger. Humans are not at the centre of life — the world can exist without us.
But trees, animals, insects, and nature are what make the world go round. Willow, acacia, pine, oak, baobab, and many other types of trees influence humans, whether mentally, physically, or spiritually.
Whenever I visit a new place, I look for the tree that speaks the most to me, that evokes the most emotional response, and give it a mighty big hug. I have hugged trees with skinny trunks where I can clasp my hands together, but also wide trees that I can lean against without a care in the world. Then there were trees that were scraggy, and others that were so beautiful they stole the show.
Everyone should be a tree-hugger in this era, because in a world of deforestation and global warming, increased anxiety and depression, feelings of isolation and marginalisation, and spiritual disparity — hugging a tree is a homeopathic solution to human plight.
The beautiful, green landscape at Wits University, with many trees waiting to be hugged. Photo: Victoria Hill
Here’s how and why:
1. Hugging a tree is brain food
According to research, hugging a tree can reduce stress and anxiety levels through the lowering of cortisol levels, allowing one to feel centred and grounded. Rashmi Schramm, a medical physician and meditation coach, says trees emit negative ions which science says has an impact on humans’ perception and experience of stress.
2. Trees elicit emotional reactions from huggers
Dr Stone Kraushaar, a clinical psychologist also known as ‘The Hug Doctor,’ says oxytocin, our happy hormone responsible for emotional bonding and trust, is released after 21 seconds of physical contact. During or after hugging a tree, people say they feel calmer, happier, and more optimistic.
3. Trees influence our physical health
Dr David Scholey, a lead researcher on determining the physical benefits of hugging a tree, says it has been proven to reduce one’s heart rate and blood pressure and boost one’s immune system. Dr Hugh Asher, a certified forest bathing guide and forest therapy practitioner, says humans absorb organic chemicals called phytoncides emitted by trees which protect them from diseases.
4. Treehugging creates environmental awareness and appreciation
Trees are important for carbon dioxide removal and oxygen deposition in the atmosphere. They are also vital for ecosystems to survive. In the age of climate change, they are more important than ever, with increased human dependency on these organisms. By hugging a tree, one is acknowledging their role in life and the interconnected nature of our planet.
5. Trees hold spiritual symbolism
Peter Wohlleben, an avid forester and author of The Hidden Life of Trees, says “a tree can only be as strong as the forest that surrounds it”. Human society is very much the same, yet has seemingly forgotten these underlying morals in the face of current challenges.
Trees are living beings that have existed through many histories and live to tell those stories. Through hugging them, one can feel connected to the space they inhabit whilst reconnecting with their soul. Feelings of inner peace, outward optimism, and all-round serenity are just some results, and if these mighty trees can grow from little seeds, so too can you.
FEATURED IMAGE: Victoria Hill, 2024 Wits Vuvuzela Journalist. Photo: File/Leon Sadiki
Approximately 20 000 men, women, and children flocked to the Johannesburg Zoo for birthday celebrations.
It was a sheer coincidence that Joburg Zoo’s birthday celebration fell on Human Right’s Day, March 21, giving them the chance to create awareness around everyone’s “right to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations” (Section 24b of the South African Constitution).
Executive Director, Louise Gordon, stated their priority has and always will be conservation and education. The zoo is involved in rehabilitation and exchange programmes on and off site to broaden their reach and ability in the environmental sphere.
She said “if people don’t know, they won’t conserve,”: therefore, the zoo has slashed their entrance fee from R120 per adult to just R20 during their birthday month to encourage affordable access.
Elephants enjoying all the attention at Joburg Zoo. Photo: Victoria Hill
A lazy tiger enjoying the view at Johannesburg Zoo. Photo: Victoria Hill
The concrete jungle, namely Johannesburg, has long said goodbye to preconceived ideas about animal treatment in zoos. Instead, they have evolved and revolutionised themselves into being one of a few zoos in an urban setting that homes the Big Five. As part of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Johannesburg Zoo has a high standard to uphold, putting animal welfare first.
Whilst strolling around the enclosures, the many animals seemed to be having the time of their lives, with many sleeping under the sunny skies. Local artists were blaring tunes on the main stage, but Jenny Moodley, spokesperson for Joburg Zoo, assured the animals were protected from any harmful decibels by a buffering system actively established.
Johannesburg Zoo plays an integral role in the Wits community, because of the educational opportunities it affords to environmental and medical students. Moodley said the ongoing exchange programme between the university and zoo, allows the youth of South Africa to learn from all angles.
“For example, if we are doing an autopsy on one of our big species […] we invite the students to observe,” said Moodley. The zoo, therefore, offers Wits students a privileged opportunity to learn amongst South Africa’s natural heritage.
Speaking to Wits Vuvuzela, Nathi Mvula, a senior environmental education specialist, shared his views on why he believes Johannesburg Zoo reaching their latest milestone is important:
An interview with Joburg Zoo’s senior educational environmental specialist, Nathi Mvula. Video creds: Victoria Hill
To have opened in 1904, and to still be open today, Joburg Zoo has proved itself a national icon and beacon for wildlife conservation.
FEATURED IMAGE: Joburg Zoo’s banner that served as a background for many pictures.Photo: Victoria Hill
University students, who are expected to have low disposable incomes, are also self-proclaimed big spenders in the world of fashion. However, their love of trending fashion has also encouraged them to be entrepreneurs by contributing to thrifting culture.
A group of fashion loving third-year students wearing thrifted items clothing for a friendly lunch at Mall of Africa. They held their masks in their hands as to keep covid-19 from ruining their style. Photo: Thobekile Moyo.
On March 23, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a national lockdown which was intended to last 21–days butwas extended into an indefinite phased lockdown. The national lockdown called for atemporary closure ofthe economy, as the South African public was under strict orders to remain home–bound, only exiting to purchase essential items.
Clothingsales during level 5 lockdown were rare due to the closure of retail stores –; until the government made provisions for South Africans to buy winter attire. In order to lower the risk of the spread of covid-19, a switch toonline shopping was recommended and, the retail fashion industry rose to the occasion.
According to a survey conducted by UNCTAD, 52% of participants agreed they have found themselves shopping online more often than they did before the covid-19 pandemic. The participants were canvassedfrom nine countries,including South Africa.Among the participants currentlyinuniversity, 58% admittedshoppingonline more frequently, compared to before the outbreak of covid-19. Since the outbreak, online fashion salesincreased by 2%.
Dr. Marike Venter de Villiers is a senior lecturer and head of the marketing department at Wits University, specialising in fashion marketing. Venter de Villierssaidthat despite an increase in online sales, she has observed a decline in the sales of fashion items in South Africa, due to three mainfactors.
“Firstly, because retail stores were closed for several months during lockdown. Secondly, because students have been cash-strapped with less disposable income. And thirdly, with the ban on social gathering, students were not going out and socialising so they did not have a need to buy and wear the latest fashion items,” said Venter de Villiers.
Despite the retail fashion industry experiencing a decline in sales, according to Statista (a business data platform), revenue in the fashion industry in South Africa is projected to reach US$1258 millionin 2020withan annual growth rate of 12% between 2020 and 2024, which would result in a market volume of UD$2035 million by 2024. If retail fashion has been struggling, then where will the supposed market growth come from?
Alongside online shops, the emergence of student–run thrift businesses selling pre-owned clothingto fashion-forward consumers may end up being one of the main causes of the projected growth. The new wave of environmentally consciousMillennials and Gen Z has also contributed heavily towards the growing popularity of pre-owned clothing,thus creating a large market for ambitious university students.
A boom in online thrifting
“Before lockdown came into play, there has been a sharp increase in secondhand clothing sales, clothes swapping, fashion bartering and customising old clothes. This is largely due to the rising awareness of the sustainable movement and policy makers encouraging brands to comply to the circular fashion economy,” said Venter de Villiers.
Online thrift seems to be experiencing a boom during the national lockdown, and university students are a significant factor in that achievement.
“During lockdown, with specific reference to customising old clothes, there has been a rise among Millennial consumers, mainly due to the following reasons: They did not have access to retail stores to buy fast fashion items; they were cash strapped and could not afford to buy new clothes on a regular basis.And studentshad more free time at home (with universities being closed, and not doing their usual part-time jobs),” said Venter de Villiers.
Robyn Evans (22) and Juliet Markantonatos (22) are two final–year BA theatre and performance students who started a thrift store on Instagram during lockdown called WhatWhatThrift, sellingsecondhandclothes. These,they haveacquired by rounding up the old clothesno longer worn in their households and carefully selecting pieces fromthe clothing bins at the secondhand market in theJohannesburg CBD.
Their target market are fashion connoisseurs who appreciate the charm of a faded t-shirt and the nostalgia of a pair of brown bell–bottoms once worn by a disco queen in the 70s. Thrift culture has revealed the timelessness of good–quality fashion, catering to people with different and unique styles, ultimately keeping the trendsetter alive.
As they sat side by side during ourinterview, Evans and Markantonatos proved themselves to be quite well in sync with each other, as they seamlessly alternated in answering each of the questions during the interview. Much like two parts of a whole, they were able to finish each other’s sentences and complement each other’s statements, which is a good quality to have as co-partners in a business.
“We started this business based on what we saw as a public demand among students like us, which isaffordable fashion. Thrifting is an affordable business to get into because of the low start–up costs. Juliet and I contributed R200 each in the beginning, which we managed to double through our first round ofsales to make R400 profit,” Evans said.
Thiscombination of a brunette with an80s pin–up look, and an edgy blonde is a perfect formula to create a carefully curated Instagram store, in hopes of making enough money to support a final–year university student’s aspirationsfor their first year of complete independence.
“Our main inspiration for starting this business came from wanting financialindependence as final–year students with concerns for our future.We felt as though we needed to start making an income, because the pandemic has proved itself destructive to the economy. We are hoping that the money we make here could fund the projects that start our careers,” Markantonatos said.
Social media’s contribution to keeping the fashion industry alive
AnthoveneBurricks (23) is a computer science student, fashion designer and LisofFashion School graduate, who not only studied the trends in the fashion industry but also admits to being one of the people whoputs a lot of her money into buying fashion items, ever since Instagram awakened her consumerist spirit within.
“As students we are always looking for ways to get new clothes in order to change our aesthetic, and our biggest barrier is always a financial one. Instagram is one of the reasons why I started spending so much money on clothing in the first place. Instagram has also made the re-wearing of clothing seem abnormal. I think it’s why young people are always seeking to buy new clothing,” said Burricks.
Married couple Twiggy Matiwana and Sindiswa Magidla-Matiwana wearing unique and earthy thrifted dresses for an event. Photo: Thobekile Moyo.
An article by Metro UK titled ‘One in six young people won’t wear an outfit again if it’s been on social media’, underlinedthe claim by Burricks.
According to a survey orchestrated by Hubbub, 41% out of 1000 people between the ages of 18-25 feel there is pressure to wear a different outfit each time they go out. In this same survey, 79% of the people between the ages 18-25 admitted to having been influenced by social media platforms when it comes to their taste in fashion. Instagram came in first, with 55% of participants using it as their primary source of inspiration, while Facebook came in at a close second.
Furthermore,30% of the participants surveyed admitted having watched clothing hauls on YouTube, where influencers unpack and try on all the clothing, they have purchased on a shopping spree.So, could we say that social media is now the main source of temptation when it comes to shopping?
“Across all generational cohorts, as well as market segments, the industry experienced financial losses. However, online sales have increased, especially among Millennial consumers, as they are the most tech-savvy generation and spend hours a day on their smartphones,” said Venter de Villiers.
The cost of an online thrifting business
Shipping costs with courier companies have proved to be a turn–off for both the buyer and the seller.According to Shopify’s ‘Beginner’s Guide to Ecommerce Shipping and Fulfillment’, shipping may generally make up around 37% of the cost of each unit sold. However, when dealing with thrift fashion, shipping could constitute up to 90% of the total cost.
“Some couriers will charge over R100 as the starting price for shipping, which can increase depending on the travel distance and size. So, in the beginning we would select a meeting point and specificy for all our customers to pick up their packages. This would work quite well for us, since the majority of our customers were from Johannesburg North and are Wits students, much like us, who understand the financial inconvenience of using courier companies,” Markantonatos said.
While the fashion–mongers satisfytheirneed to shop by scrolling through online shops, they may stumble upon a website called Yaga, which turns out to be ‘thrifter’s heaven’.
Yaga is an online marketplace where people can sell their used clothing, and thrifters can purchaseone–of–a–kind fashionitemsthat are ready to part with their owners. It also makes theseller’s job easier because of its readily available, accessible and affordable shipping options.
Anette Apri, the head of Yaga’s marketing team, said, “Yaga’s mission was to make online selling and shopping as seamless and as safe as possible and provide everyone an easy way to keep their items in circulation, while also earning some extra money by doing so.”
The shipping options on Yaga include PAXI and Aramex. PAXI, being the cheapest shipping option, makes use of Pep’s stores as drop-off and pick-up points for the user, and costs only R59 for the sender. Alternatively, Aramex is a courier that delivers directly to the receiver’s door, and costs R100.
“Yaga intended to alleviate the shipping dilemmas that small online business owners experience on Instagram and Facebook. We found that business–minded people would often get held back by the daunting idea of having to negotiate with couriers, and the excessive shipping costs, so Yaga has put forward the best two shipping options for users to choose from,” said Apri.
While browsing through Yaga, one will find several stores owned by university students who are marketing to their own age groups.
“We have captured the audience we were aiming for, which in the majority is between 20-35 years old. However, I have found that during the lockdown period, people between the ages of 19-26 have been particularly active in both buying and selling on our platform, which greatly contributed to the boost in activity on our site,” Apri said.
Even though lockdown has seen a sharp increase in the sales of pre-owned clothing, it has also been held back by the valid fears that society has aboutcovid-19.
“When covid-19 hit the world, consumers became paranoid about hygiene matters around the idea ofsecondhand clothes. There is still a risk associated with this practice as the virus stays on fabric for several hours, and consumers are paranoid that they might contract the virus,”said Venter de Villiers.
The future of fashion
Despite the hindrance that covid-19 has placed on the pre-owned clothing market, Venter de Villiers believes in its ability to eventually overtake the retail fashion industry.
“However, when viewing this from a sustainability point of view, it is an imperative stepping stone towards creating a more sustainable fashion industry. Should we see the secondhand clothing market grow, it will most likelyhavea negative effect on fast–fashion retailers,” said Venter de Villiers.
By contributing to the popularity of pre-owned clothing, university students are also promoting more sustainable fashion, which seeks to counterbalance the 10% of carbon emissions produced by the fashion industry annually (according to UNEP). The question of whether retail fashion will become obsolete because of the rise in popularity of thrift fashion mightnot be necessary, after considering the struggles retail had already beenfacing before the covid-19 outbreak.
According to News 24, retail fashion stores such as J Crew, Neiman Marcus and Forever 21 are facing bankruptcy, which has encouraged other stores such as H&M to switch to online sales exclusively, much like Zara.
Instead of interpreting the struggle of the retail fashion industry negatively, it could also be the consumers discarding their old habits, in orderto repurpose their finances and realise their priorities.
“Even though retail clothing sales have been struggling,since lockdown restrictions started lifting and consumers started to go back to normal life, there has been a shift in the demand for different clothing categories. For instance, active–wear sales reflected a steeper increase in comparison to fast–fashion items. Likewise, there has been an increased demand for durable, quality clothing as opposed to fast fashion,” said Venter de Villiers.
FEATURED IMAGE:
A group of fashion loving third-year students wearing thrifted items clothing for a friendly lunch at Mall of Africa. They held their masks in their hands as to keep covid-19 from ruining their style. Photo: Thobekile Moyo.
This week’s show looks at The Nuclear Corruption Scandal. The team chats to Dr Tristen Taylor from Earthlife Africa to find out if we should invest in nuclear energy, as well as nuclear physicist, Dr Jacques Bezuidenhout on what happens when you blast a sea creature with a nuclear reactor. They wrap up with insights from Dr Petro Terblanche, of Pelchem, on how South Africa has the Number one deposit for the chemical crucial to making nuclear fuel.
The Science Inside, the show that goes inside the science of major news events, is produced by Paul McNally, Anina Mumm, DJ Keyez and Lutfiyah Suliman for The Wits Radio Academy. Tune in live to VowFM every Monday at 6pm.
If the full podcast does not load automatically, please click here.
Societal expectations and experiences can often place pressure on people’s relationships. With Valentine’s Day coming up we have asked individuals questions about their views on certain relationship dynamics especially when it comes to the most anticipated day of the year for some lovers, Valentines Day. Viewers shared their beliefs and Siyanda and Katlego talk about […]
