Sustainable Fashion Exhibition as activism. Fashion Revolution Hungary

Opening in Budapest in early April, the exhibition explores recycling possibilities and highlights the work of the Fashion Revolution Hungary movement. Ildikó Tamás, editor at EPER Radio, conducted an interview with Klaudia Pölz, the country coordinator of the Fashion Revolution Hungary team, about the goals of their latest exhibition and the state of the sustainable fashion industry in Hungary and the Central and Eastern European region.

The discussion focused on the newly opened exhibition about sustainability issues within the fashion industry. The exhibition’s aim is not only to inform, but also to inspire activism — encouraging visitors to become more conscious consumers and to recognize their own role in transforming the fashion industry.

My journey began with a personal interest in fashion. I did a fashion journalism course at Mod’Art and I heard details about the Fashion Revolution movement through my teacher. Over time I became increasingly aware of the darker side of the industry — the human rights violations, the vast amounts of textile waste, and the environmental degradation. Learning about tragedies like the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013 in Bangladesh deeply impacted me and made me realize how urgently change is needed. Last year I graduated as a sustainable fashion brand manager at METU. As a creative professional, joining Fashion Revolution Hungary allowed me to merge activism with creativity, and to be part of a global movement demanding transparency and justice in fashion. I have been the country coordinator of Fashion Revolution Hungary since last autumn.

Fast fashion refers to the mass production of cheap clothing, designed to follow trends quickly and encourage constant consumption. It’s based on a “wear it once, throw it away” mentality. It has become so prevalent because it feeds off our desire for novelty and affordability — combined with aggressive marketing and the illusion that we need to keep up with constantly changing trends. The digital age, influencer culture, and globalization have all accelerated this cycle. But it comes at a high cost — not to us as consumers, but to the people making our clothes and to the planet. We must learn again to appreciate our clothes and that our clothes have value.

Central Europe is in an unique position — we are both consumers and, in some cases, part of the production and secondhand chain. Many global brands outsource parts of their manufacturing to the region, where labor can still be relatively cheap, though not always under ethical conditions. At the same time, Central Europe often receives the “waste” of the fashion industry — massive shipments of secondhand clothes that can’t be resold in the West. These are either resold in low-cost markets or end up as waste here, burdening local systems.

There’s also a growing awareness and a strong tradition of craft and local production that we can tap into to build more resilient, sustainable fashion systems — and I believe that’s where our real opportunity lies.

The numbers are alarming. According to the European Environment Agency, Europeans consume nearly 26 kg of textiles per person per year. The EU alone generates around 7 million tonnes of textile waste annually — and only about 1% is collected for reuse or recycling, while the rest ends up in landfills or incinerators.

The situation is worsening with the rise of ultra-fast fashion. In the last two decades, clothing production has doubled, but people wear each garment less than half as long. At the same time, the infrastructure for textile recycling is not keeping up. Most countries in Central and Eastern Europe still lack effective systems for textile waste collection, let alone circular solutions.

In response, the EU is planning new textile waste regulations as part of the Circular Economy Action Plan — including mandatory separate collection of textiles by 2025 and extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes that would make brands financially responsible for the waste they generate. This shift could dramatically change how we design, produce, and dispose of clothing in the coming years.

The EU is working on several initiatives, like making separate textile waste collection mandatory by 2025 and introducing producer responsibility schemes that hold brands accountable for the waste they create. Some countries, like France and Sweden, are already leading in this. There are also exciting innovations in fiber-to-fiber recycling, but the reality is that only a tiny fraction of textiles are actually recycled into new clothes. So while the steps are promising, the overall system still needs major scaling and coordination to become truly effective. There are some projects, such as TEX-DAN, which brings together experts and stakeholders in the Danube region to share practices and innovations regarding circularity and textile waste management.

The industry needs to rethink the whole system — from how clothes are designed, to how they’re used and what happens at the end of their life. That means designing with recycling in mind, supporting repair and resale, and taking responsibility for the waste they generate. But it’s not just about technology — it’s about changing business models, slowing down, and valuing resources and people more than short-term profits. From the consumer side, education is the key. As an organisation we have to bring awareness to the younger generation.

Fashion Revolution was founded in 2013 by Orsola de Castro and Carry Somers, in response to the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, where 1134 garment workers died and thousands more injured while making clothes for global brands in unsafe conditions. This tragedy exposed the hidden human cost behind the fashion industry and sparked a global call for change.

The movement’s goal is to create a fashion industry that values people, the environment, and creativity equally. We advocate for transparency, and one of our key tools is the Fashion Transparency Index, which assesses how much information the world’s largest brands disclose about their supply chains and practices.

We ask simple but powerful questions like “Who made my clothes?” to raise awareness about the people behind our garments and the conditions they work in. Through education, campaigns, and activism, we aim to push for systemic change — from workers’ rights to environmental protection — and empower citizens to be part of the solution.

We have an ongoing Sustainable Fashion Exhibition, which was organised by Fashion Revolution Hungary. Exhibitions like the one at A.P.Art Gallery serve as powerful platforms to engage the public on the environmental and social issues associated with the fashion industry. By showcasing the impacts of textile waste and microplastic pollution, they make abstract problems tangible, encouraging visitors to reflect on their consumption habits. Such exhibitions not only educate but also inspire actionable change by highlighting sustainable and ethical alternatives in fashion. We choose April for the exhibition because every year the Fashion Revolution Week takes place around 24th of April, remembering the Rana plaza tragedy. Globally, this is the main event series, where people can attend roundtable talks, workshops, clothes swaps, design fairs, open showroom events or repairing sessions.

The exhibition aims to draw attention to the harmful environmental impacts of the fashion industry, specifically focusing on textile waste and microplastic pollution. By presenting sustainable and ethical alternatives, the exhibition seeks to inform and inspire visitors to make more conscious choices in their fashion consumption.

Two Hungarian designers, who are both volunteers at Fashion Revolution Hungary, presented their creations. Fanni Rohonczi from Fannica Alta Moda made a dress using only plastic bags. She tried to draw attention to the huge amount of plastic and microplastic pollution, as well as unnecessary packaging for fast fashion items. The other creator is by the upcoming designer Márti Nagy. She created a beautiful set from used and thrown away jeans. We also had a collaboration with the student firm Indigo AKG , who set up a jean collection bin during the whole month in the gallery. They collect the waste tocreate new products from denim material, adding design flairs before selling it on. I truly believe in collaborations and it was a good opportunity to platform smaller designers while introducing new projects.

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This material is part of the PERSPECTIVES 2 project – a new label for independent, constructive, and multiperspective journalism. The project is funded by the European Union. The opinions and positions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). The European Union and EACEA assume no responsibility for them. Learn more about PERSPECTIVES.