Fighting Fast Fashion: Inside Africa’s Biggest Sustainable Style Revolution | Melissa Lewis

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This week on The Social Impact Show, Sam Marshall sits down with Melissa Lewis (Show Director, All Fashion Sourcing Cape Town 2025) to unpack how Africa’s premier fashion event is tackling fast fashion, fakes, and waste—while empowering young designers.

🔍 Key Takeaways:
The rise of the conscious consumer: Why Gen Z demands to know "who made my clothes?"
From trash to trend: How SMMEs are turning plastic bottles, tennis balls, and waste into wearable art.
Fighting fakes: The battle to protect local creativity (and why it matters for SA’s economy).
Meet the future: TFG’s incubator program and the 270,000-strong young designer competition.

💡 Why Listen?
"Sustainability isn’t a trend—it’s survival." — Melissa on fashion’s $500B waste problem.
"Your wardrobe votes for the world you want." — Sam on ethical consumerism.

🎟️ Event Spotlight:
All Fashion Sourcing Cape Town 2025 (July 8–10, CTICC) – Where industry leaders like Nedbank and the City of Cape Town back African innovation.
8 Jul English South Africa Business · Non-Profit

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