‘Uzumaki’s World’ by Beth Williams: Envisioning a Fashion Industry that is as Kind to the Environment as it is to People

Beth Williams is a disabled sustainable fashion designer who graduated from the Royal College of Art, London. For her post-graduate collection, they created Uzumaki’s World, a collection which seeks to envision what the fashion industry would look like if it could nourish the environment and help the disabled. Hence, Uzumaki’s World was created with a compostable garment that allows seeds to grow within its weaves. 

Eventually, the pieces of clothing will biodegrade and become plant medium, instead of ending up in landfills as most fashion waste do today. The pieces are also designed as pliable crochet to allow people with limited mobility better access to the pieces. All this is why Uzumaki’s World by Beth Williams is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Reduced Inequalities and Responsible Consumption and Production.

Today, 92 million tonnes of textile waste end up in landfills annually. At today’s production rate, this number is predicted to soar up to 134 million tonnes a year by 2030. Hence, Uzumaki’s World is imagining a future where even if garments are discarded and end up in landfills, they will not pile up and become pollutants, but can instead support new life to grow from the soil. 

A 2021 report by Forbes Magazine also found that despite disabled people being the largest minority group in the world, they continued to be underrepresented and underserved by the fashion industry. The report finds that adaptive fashion, the term used to describe fashion accessible for differently abled people, is worth an estimated USD 490 billion in the United States alone, making it a large untapped market. This is yet another reason behind the creation of Uzumaki’s World by Beth Williams.

Beth Williams’ Uzumaki’s World reimagines the fashion industry as one that nurtures both the environment and individuals with disabilities. By designing compostable garments that double as plant-growing mediums and creating accessible crochet pieces for people with limited mobility, Williams showcases an innovative and inclusive approach to sustainable fashion. Williams’ vision sets a compelling precedent for a kinder, more inclusive future in fashion.

Find out more about Uzumaki’s World by Beth Williams and their other initiatives on her website www.beth-williams.co.uk or Instagram @beexbeth.