Fashioning Impact: How to Communicate Sustainability in the Textile Industry
CFC Member Spotlight: Bilgesu Altunkan Ekim
Author and interviewer: Stella Hertantyo
Bilgesu Altunkan Ekim is a seasoned communications specialist from Turkey, currently based in Prague. Since 2018 she has dedicated her career to transforming fashion. With an unwavering commitment to sustainability and circularity, she aims to significantly impact B2B and B2C domains through effective internal and external communication strategies.
She is also the founder of Trtex.org which is an organization that produces sustainable and circular fashion projects, organizes training, and brings together manufacturers, professionals, and young generations in the textile industry to create awareness and positive impact.
I interviewed Bilgesu in the Conscious Fashion Collective Membership as part of our Member Spotlight interview series.
Below are some of the highlights from the conversation, including:
What sustainable fashion means in Turkey,
The biggest communications skills gaps in the sustainable fashion space, and
How sustainable fashion business owners can create compelling communications strategies.
What led you to work at the intersection of fashion and sustainability?
Since my university years, I’ve had the opportunity to work in various roles in the fashion industry. I started as a part-time fashion editorial assistant for magazines — such as Marie Claire and Elle — in Turkey.
In 2018 my then-roommate and I started a small swap shop initiative in Istanbul. We took analog photos, published them, and met people for swap shops. It was during this time that I learned about the concepts of secondhand clothing, conscious consumption, waste, waste colonialism, and textile recycling. This sparked my curiosity about sustainable and ethical production, human rights, and supply chain issues in the textile industry.
I read more about more on these topics, joined different communities, and conducted research. Then I interned at a circular fashion agency in the Netherlands. It was after this internship that I started Trtex.org and started working on the production side of the industry.
How did living in Turkey shape your understanding of sustainable fashion?
Being in Turkey greatly influenced my perspective on the textile industry, because there is an incredible societal memory related to textiles there. There are many traditional ways of making fabrics, dyeing, and producing textile products.
I’ve realized that many of the sustainable fashion concepts that we learn about today — such as slow production, repair, and upcycling — have their roots in the past.
In Turkey our grandmothers and our families always repaired their garments. These cultures, traditions, and heritages have had a profound impact on me. Today, when I see small brands and large manufacturers in Turkey creating products inspired by their culture, it makes me so happy. Elevating your culture through textiles is so important.
Can you share a few of your favorite Turkish sustainable fashion brands, businesses, and organizations?
There are so many, but I will highlight a few.
Alt Üst is an incredible creative team that upcycles secondhand clothes artistically and modernly. Many performance artists and singers wear their collections in their shows and videos, which I think is amazing.
Ren Atelier is a woman-led brand that only does on-demand production. They focus on fair production and are size-inclusivity.
KEP Textile Atelier is a small atelier and social enterprise focusing entirely on empowering women. They have a six-month textile program and after completion, they provide job opportunities for the women who’ve participated in the program.
A larger company that I want to mention is Reflect Studio. They are highly committed to sustainable principles. They're bigger than the other brands, but I love their collaborations with local artists, projects, and designs.
How can communication strengthen the circular fashion movement?
I believe communication is so powerful. It’s one of the most potent instruments for humanity’s development and shaping industries. In the context of fashion, communication is the first step in creating solutions.
Communication amplifies voices that speak on issues like human rights or animal rights. These issues have been discussed for many years and yet we still haven’t figured out how to solve them. We’re still exploiting the lives around us, producing more than we need, and perpetuating colonial systems.
But we have also started discussing alternatives, systemic solutions, economic models and regenerating the industry by communicating with all supply chain stakeholders to improve the system for everyone. Doing this increasingly and collectively turns these practices into a movement for change.
The more we communicate, the more we realize where the issues and solutions in the fashion industry lie. Fashion isn’t just about designing clothes. It's about designing the supply chain ecosystem and culture around clothing too, including our production and consumption habits. I learned this idea from a book called ‘Total Ethics Fashion’ by Emma Hakansson.
Today in the circular fashion movement, we’re designing our communication methods to be more transparent, accountable, and traceable. This extends to the way that fashion activists are becoming more common too — instead of just influencers doing PR campaigns. Transparent communication is a key element of transforming fashion.
What are the biggest communications skills gaps you have noticed in the sustainable fashion space?
We need to approach communications from a holistic perspective — the industry is dynamic and constantly changing. So you need to get used to unlearning and relearning. Sometimes the words we use change and the topics we advocate for change, so you need to be flexible in the way you communicate.
There also needs to be more connection between industry and the younger generation. Young people can often imagine new systems and alternatives in an interesting way. They help us stay current and adopt a wider perspective.
The same applies to business. You can’t be communicating in the same way you were 10 years ago, because everything has changed. This is especially important given all the new sustainable fashion legislation that’s coming out regarding greenwashing — such as the European Union Green Claims Directive.
You have to keep your knowledge up to date and make sure to share that knowledge with your communications team, manufacturers, and everyone that you work with.
Where do you suggest sustainable fashion business owners start when it comes to creating a compelling communication strategy?
A good communication strategy begins with time spent reflecting on the aims and values of your business. You need to reflect on why you created your business, who your target audience is, what your values are, how you make production decisions, and what issues would you like to address. Essentially, a future-proof business model is key for good communications.
What inspired you to start Trtex.org?
I started building Trtex.org during my university years, because I wanted a space where I could create a community and work on projects that interested me. There were a few sustainable fashion initiatives in Turkey, but nothing quite like what I was looking for. There were also a lot of English resources, but few Turkish ones.
Now we create circular and sustainable fashion projects, organize training sessions, and bring together manufacturers, professionals, and the younger generation to create awareness and increase positive impact.
Can you tell us about one of Trtex.org’s projects that you are most proud of?
One of the projects I’m most proud of is our digital Common Fanzine. It aims to bring together different disciplines in the fashion industry to show the intersectional connections between different sectors.
Our first issue looked at the connections between textiles and agriculture. Our second issue looked at fashion and activism. These issues were produced in collaboration with many kinds of organizations and people, such as academics, brands, manufacturers, artisans, and researchers.
Another project I am proud of is our sustainable fashion Legislation Tracker. We worked with a team of sustainability lawyers in Turkey to unpack nine European Union laws and directives. We’re hoping to expand on this project this year.
What advice would you give someone who works in communications and wants to pivot into the sustainable fashion communications space?
This advice can apply to anyone, regardless of what job you do. Be yourself and know your values. Being ambitiously curious is one of the most important characteristics that you need to nurture. It means that you will question everything, do your research, and conduct your own analyses.
Consult people you trust and always have one or two good mentors. Read a lot and find new sources. Learn more languages for reading. Don’t be afraid to be a nerd in your profession.
Most importantly, be realistic. The fashion sector isn’t rosy, but many good people are doing good work.
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To connect with Bilgesu and get featured in one of our Member Spotlights, join the Conscious Fashion Collective Membership, the online community for sustainable fashion professionals. You'll also get access to live events, workshop recordings, career resources, extra job posts, and more.