Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Converted Closet

Converted Closet (
Other relevant actor
)
#SDGAction50604
    Description
    Description

    Converted Closet is positively impacting climate by spreading awareness of the importance of upcycling and rewearing clothing in the US and Europe. It is a platform (Instagram @convertedcloset) which showcases and advocates upcycled, or ‘converted,’ fashion as a stylish, viable alternative to buying new. It was started by leading refashion designer and activist Kate McGuire to inspire large-scale behaviour change towards upcycling, helping reduce the number of clothes going into landfill and the number of newly-manufactured garments purchased annually. Upcycling is set to become the biggest fashion movement seen in decades. McGuire is a leading light within the upcycling movement and is actively driving it forward through her conversion designs and high profile media activity both in the US and Europe.

    Implementation of the Project/Activity

    1) Raising awareness McGuire actively positions her sustainable refashioned designs across social media, television, red carpets, and press. Her designs have been seen on the NYC Fashion Week runway, celebrities at high profile events (eg. The Grammy and British Academy Film Awards), and Carrie Bradshaw in Season 2 of And Just Like That (HBO Max). McGuire positions her upcycled couture shoulder-to-shoulder with established red carpet design houses, challenging the status quo and showing how low-impact fashion can, and will, take its place at the heart of the fashion-forward sustainable future. 2) Providing tools to empower To help bring about true behavior change, McGuire shares her personal design processes and approaches on her own social media channels (Instagram @convertedcloset) as well as giving talks, appearing on sustainable fashion panels and lecturing at fashion institutes. Her goal is to educate and empower others so they are able to upcycle their own clothes instead of buying new. For every garment that is converted, there is one less going into landfill, one less ‘new’ purchase needed and the start of a deeper, more intimate relationship with our garments. Converted Closet will continue to bring upcycling to the forefront of fashion through an upcoming television show, masterclasses, ‘How to’ books, and social media.

    Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

    Converted Closet’s message will be amplified through PR, television, and media opportunities, alongside an expanding social media following. Kate McGuire works with stylists:, dressing celebrities and models in her refashioned ‘conscious couture’ at high profile events to achieve maximum exposure for the sustainable fashion cause.

    Coordination mechanisms

    Converted Closet is self-governed by Kate McGuire. Having completed sustainability courses at Cambridge and Harvard, she has a strong network of academics and industry experts available to advise.

    Evaluation

    Converted Closet currently has an Instagram following of over 143k followers worldwide.

    Partners

    Converted Closet partners with television shows such as And Just Like That (HBO Max) and celebrity stylists to create and showcase converted pieces by Kate McGuire.

    Goal 12

    Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

    Goal 12

    12.1

    Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries

    12.1.1

    Number of countries developing, adopting or implementing policy instruments aimed at supporting the shift to sustainable consumption and production

    12.2

    By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources

    12.2.1

    Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP

    12.2.2

    Domestic material consumption, domestic material consumption per capita, and domestic material consumption per GDP

    12.3

    By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses

    12.3.1

    (a) Food loss index and (b) food waste index

    12.4

    By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment

    12.4.1
    Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement
    12.4.2

    (a) Hazardous waste generated per capita; and (b) proportion of hazardous waste treated, by type of treatment

    12.5

    By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

    12.5.1

    National recycling rate, tons of material recycled

    12.6

    Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle

    12.6.1
    Number of companies publishing sustainability reports

    12.7

    Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities

    12.7.1

    Number of countries implementing sustainable public procurement policies and action plans

    12.8

    By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature

    12.8.1

    Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment

    12.a

    Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production

    12.a.1

    Installed renewable energy-generating capacity in developing and developed countries (in watts per capita)

    12.b

    Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products

    12.b.1

    Implementation of standard accounting tools to monitor the economic and environmental aspects of tourism sustainability

    12.c

    Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities

    12.c.1

    Amount of fossil-fuel subsidies (production and consumption) per unit of GDP

    Goal 13

    Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

    Goal 13

    13.1

    Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

    13.1.1

    Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

    13.1.2

    Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

    13.1.3

    Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

    13.2

    Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

    13.2.1

    Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    13.2.2

    Total greenhouse gas emissions per year

    13.3

    Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

    13.3.1

    Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment

    13.a

    Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible

    13.a.1

    Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025

    13.b

    Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities


     

    13.b.1

    Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    Name Description

    Red carpet 'conscious couture'

    Television show

    How To Books

    N/A
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
    partnerships banner
    False
    Action Network
    Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network
    Share
    FacebookTwitterLinkedIn
    Timeline
    01 January 2016 (start date)
    31 December 2023 (date of completion)
    Entity
    N/A
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    New York City
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information