For the past few years, the term “fast fashion” has been circulating the media. Fast fashion is the second most polluting industry on the planet, and it accounts for a large portion of clothes in landfills. Three out of five fast fashion items are in a landfill within the first year they are purchased, which has detrimental effects on the environment.

In efforts to inform others about the harmful effects of fast fashion, the Sewing Club and Green Team will be putting together a slow fashion show. The Green Team will have a slideshow informing attendees about the fast fashion industry. The Sewing Club will be sewing new clothes and repurposing old clothes that models will be showing off.

French teacher Sara Langelier first created Wayland High School’s sewing club five years ago. What started as a club consisting of three to four attendees each week has grown throughout the years.

“I started the Sewing Club because of my own passion for sewing, and I wanted to share this passion with students,” Langelier said. “It started small five or so years ago, and little by little, the membership has grown. Now, students have really built their skills to an impressive level.”

Sewing Club, as well as many other clubs at Wayland High School, allow teachers the opportunity to work with their students in a smaller group.

“[Sewing Club] honestly means so much to me because I love doing hands-on projects with students, ” Langelier said. “Being able to connect with students outside of an academic class, and doing something that’s not handing them a grade in a class, but is about having fun, is very rewarding.”

Sophomore Charmaine Guo has been attending Sewing Club since she started high school. She started sewing during quarantine, and since then, has been sewing pants, shirts, dresses and more.

“Sewing Club means a safe place,” Guo said. “A place where I can go and have fun and not have to think about other stuff in my life that worries me. It is a nice place to let out anxiety.”

English teacher Sara Snow took over Green Team, which was once called Garden Club. She changed the club name to incorporate sustainability, gardening and climate change education.

“I joined the Green Team as a freshman,” senior Green Team President Madeeha Syeda said. “I wanted to be involved in climate activism around our town and further. I thought it would be good for collecting community service hours, and I wanted to learn more about climate change, and how we can make small changes in our community to help our planet.”

Green Team decided that they wanted to raise awareness about fast fashion, but they were not sure how to do that. Langelier overheard their conversation and proposed the idea of a fashion show.

“We were talking about spreading awareness about the fast fashion industry, and Madame Langelier offered the idea to collaborate with the Sewing Club because sewing is a sustainable practice,” Syeda said. “Many members were interested in the idea of a sustainable fashion-fashion show. So, we are making it happen.”

Syeda sent a Google form to the entire student body asking for volunteers and received many sign-ups from students of all grades. Students will be modeling their own creations as well as making them for others.

The fashion show will take place in the lecture hall on Monday, Jan. 31. Teachers will have the opportunity to sign their class up for the event.

“It is going to be in the lecture hall, so we can have a more intimate setting, and so that the models feel comfortable in a smaller space with fewer people,” Syeda said. “I am hoping that we can get the music and light systems working there, so it will be a nice setting. [Senior] Sammy Janoff will be emceeing the show, bringing a lot of fun and positive energy to the space. Additionally, there is going to be a raffle with a special prize at the end for one attendee of the event.”