Not everything we encounter at the beach is what it seems. For photographic artist Mandy Barker, this startling realization reconnected her with the past in hopes of saving the future.
As It's Nice That detailed, Barker began looking for answers after mistaking a piece of cloth in a rockpool for seaweed. She resumed her childhood habit of shoreline scavenging and discovered millions of tons of seaweed-like textile samples blending into their surroundings.
"That changed my life," Barker said. "Mistaking this moving piece of cloth for seaweed, I started the recovery of synthetic clothing from around the coastline of Britain for the next 10 years."
Today, Barker's latest book, "Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Imperfections," is a powerful visual reminder of the dangers of fast fashion — and a call not to overconsume the industry's wares, which rely heavily on synthetic fibers and exploitative labor.
Given their poor quality, fast-fashion items last only about as long as a passing trend, making the sector a sneaky yet significant source of toxic microplastic pollution. Once they enter our ecosystems, microplastics are difficult to clean up and can migrate to unexpected places — across the world and into our bodies through our food supply and drinking water.
Ultimately, breaking up with fast fashion is an easy and cost-effective way to clean up your closet and support Mother Earth. Fast fashion wears out quickly and has little resale value on the lucrative secondhand market.
Instead of donning uncomfortable plastic-based fibers, seek out high-quality natural fibers that will stand the test of time. You may even score coveted designer goods for a fraction of their original price if you hit up your local thrift store.
To assemble her book, Barker used a cyanotype solution to create photogram prints with garment waste. The result is reminiscent of the groundbreaking documentation of botanical specimens by Victorian botanist and photographer Anna Atkins in 1843, per It's Nice That.
"The visual elegance is compelling, but the truth is what stays with you," one Instagram user remarked.
"Whether the book ends up on a coffee table or bookshelf, it is my intention that conversation around the project will increase awareness of the industry's impact," Barker concluded.
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