Fashion designer Bethany develops a range to help our planet

A designer who found a love for sustainable fashion while studying at the University of Northampton has designed a clothing collection which aims to help mend the planet.

Bethany Martin had her eyes opened to the wasteful nature of the industry while studying in Northampton.

She was moved to become a member of the Uni’s Sustainable Fashion Society, and, since graduating from the Fashion course in 2017, Bethany’s been keen to have a positive impact on the industry.

True to her word, Bethany, who comes from Nuneaton, has just designed a collection of clothes, bags and accessories for The Word Forest Organisation charity.

The charity plants trees and builds schools in Kenya, and sales of Bethany’s sustainable merchandise range will raise money for its #TreeMendUs fundraising campaign. The cash will then be used to plant trees in the East African country.

“Sustainability has always been a concern of mine and I am eager to spread awareness about changes we can make, particularly in the fashion industry, to help our planet,” said Bethany.

“The clothes are all organic, recyclable, and made using renewable energy, and for every item sold, a tree will be planted.

“I would really like to try and spread the message and encourage other students to think more about sustainability.”

Bethany’s T-shirt and tote bag designs.

The tree planters the charity is working with in rural Kenya are living on the front line of climate change. They are some of the people most impacted by rising temperatures and extreme weather events. The trees are a vital lifeline, providing food, medicine and other resources which help the community lift itself out of poverty too.

You can browse and buy the merchandise range on The Word Forest website.