OneThread Africa founder Nyaniso Burris challenges conventional views on sustainability in fashion, highlighting Africa's long-standing practices that balance culture, community, and the environment.
For years, the fashion industry has treated sustainability as a checklist: use organic fabrics, reduce carbon emissions, recycle materials and cut down on waste. But according to OneThread Africa founder Nyaniso Burris, that definition is far too narrow, and it overlooks something Africa has been doing for generations.
Speaking to IOL, Burris argues that sustainability on the continent has never simply been about saving the planet. Instead, it has always been about balancing people, culture and the environment in ways that allow communities to thrive.
"The definition of sustainability is simply the ability for something to maintain itself at a specific rate," Burris explains. "It has nothing to do with the environment. We've taken this huge definition and made it tiny."
It's a perspective that challenges much of the mainstream conversation around sustainable fashion, which often centres on eco-friendly materials and production methods while overlooking affordability, cultural preservation and economic realities.
