Clothing can shelter us from the elements, give us warmth and protection, and hide us when we don’t want to be seen. It can also help us bare our skin and our identities to the world, telling people who we are without us having to say anything at all. Clothing is our personal environment to inhabit. It protects us, so shouldn’t we protect it? Recently, there has been a shift toward sustainable approaches in design, partly in response to a heightened awareness of the tragic effects of the fashion industry on factory workers and the environment. Can sustainable” clothing be a part of our future?

With its reputation for clean energy and a successful history of wool production, we looked to Iceland as a wellspring of sustainable solutions. We decided to take a trip and learn from Icelandic artists about sustainable approaches to creating, while assessing our personal consumption habits as we backpacked through the country, hoping to become satisfied living with less. Above all, we wanted to learn to appreciate what we have- not only the material possessions, but the valuable relationships that allow us to unite in purpose.