The new clothing on the feast day is one of the symbols of victory for the Indonesian people. The symbolism encourages people to buy new clothes before Eid. Not only clothes, but the community also buys Mukena (praying robe) and Sarong to wear during Eid. This increase in clothing purchases certainly presents a huge advantage for traders. The turnover obtained by clothing merchants in times like these can increase up to twice as much. However, such tradition has the potential to harm the environment.

As the demand for clothing increases, the production units upstream will use more raw material resources. This situation will pose a threat, namely an increase in textile waste. Meanwhile, the downstream or the sales unit will experience a large overflow of second-hand clothes. These second-hand clothes need extra care to be resold. This extra treatment can be a cleansing process that requires a considerable amount of detergent, which can increase the level of fashion waste in the environment.

The environmentalist of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Prof. Dr. Prabang Setyono, M.Si., responded to this phenomenon. According to Prof. Prabang, the symbolic value behind the new clothing culture in the Eid celebration has a positive meaning. In practice, however, it must be balanced with a wise attitude in dressing patterns. “The culture actually has a good symbolic meaning, only the physical meaning does not have to involve new clothes, instead of good condition clothes that have been stored for a long time, yet have not been worn or rarely worn,” said Prof. Prabang, Saturday (30/4/2022).

I Have Purchased New Clothes, What Should I Do?

For people who have bought new clothes, Prof. Prabang provides several solutions to solve this concern. The professor in Environmental Pollution science advises the community to use a decent-clothing circular system. This system worked as the distribution of clothes that are considered too small or no longer trendy but still decent for people in need. Instead of discarding, this circular distribution system will not generate textile material waste from unused clothing. “For those who have bought clothes, they can distribute their old clothes to a business unit or shelter for decent clothes suitable for donation to other users, hence promoting sustainable clothing cycle,” added the Head of the Environmental Science Undergraduate Program UNS.

Meanwhile, a circular economy system must be applied to clothes that are no longer decent to wear and is considered garbage. The clothes can be sold to producers that use waste fabric as their raw material. Pieces of clothing can be converted into fillets or household property fillers such as sofa chairs and cushions.

In line with the children’s song “New Clothes,” released in the 90s, the Eid celebration did not have to be celebrated with new clothes but with the purity of heart to welcome an essential victory. Alhamdulillah, there are new clothes. We’ll wear it on holiday. Without new clothes it still okay. There’s still the old one. Humas UNS

Reporter: Ida Fitriyah
Editor: Dwi Hastuti

The post Welcoming Eid Celebration, UNS Environmentalist: Beware of Increased Garment Waste appeared first on Universitas Sebelas Maret.

This webinar was held through the Zoom Meeting channel and was attended by more than 100 participants from various walks of life and regions. Prof. Ismi Dwi Astuti Nurhaeni, M.Si., the Dean of FISIP UNS, opened the webinar. Three speakers were invited Professor Sohyun Chun from Nagoya University, Theofilus A. Suryadinata, S.Fil., M.A from Sociology Program FISIP UNS, and Hening Parlan S.Sos., M.M., environmental activist at Walhi Indonesia. The webinar was led by Rezza Dian Akbar, S.IP., M.Sc., and aims to find a new views on gender, environment, and disaster issues globally and holistically.

Multidisciplinary speakers were invited to create a multi-perspective discussion. “Practitioner from Walhi was invited to provide closer looks on the phenomenon that occurred in Indonesia. Participants are expected to bring knowledge from various sources and efforts to solve gender, environment, and disaster issues through the think globally, act locally concept,” Khabib Bima Setiyawan from Master Program in Sociology UNS, stated.

“Typhoons were named after women. In Japan, 1959 hurricanes and tropical storms named Sarah with 2000 deaths and the newest hurricanes and tropical storms in the Caribbean, 2017 named Maria with 3059 deaths, said Chun Sohyun,” Professor Chun, who is focused in disaster and gender studies in Japan, explained.

The second speaker, Theofilus, focuses on the environmental issues and disasters in contemporary Indonesia. He started the discussion on environmental issues during the neoliberal government to the examples of case studies in Environmental disasters in Central Kalimantan (Borneo). The following speaker, Hening Parlan, discussed Gender, Disaster, and Climate Change and stated that the impact of climate change and disaster need extraordinary efforts.

After the material presentation, the event held on Tuesday (6/7/20201) was followed by a questions-and-answers session. According to the news release received by the uns.ac.id team on Wednesday (14/7/2021), Dr. Trisni Utami, M.Si., hopes that the scientific agenda similar to this webinar could continue. “Hopefully, scientific agenda like this will continue, and collaboration among campuses outside Indonesia could be developed well,” she stated. Humas UNS

Reporter: Zalfaa Azalia Pursita
Editor: Dwi Hastuti

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