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Sophia Kianni launches ‘we wear oil’ campaign

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London, UK
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Sophia Kianni is calling out fashion’s dependency on oil by educating others on production and manufacturing processes. Clothes are currently made from fossil fuel-derived synthetic fibres at an ‘absolutely horrific rate.’

With COP28 in full swing, phasing out fossil fuels to tackle skyrocketing greenhouse gas emissions is once again receiving mainstream attention.

Transitioning away from coal, oil, and gas doesn’t appear to be happening any time soon, however.

Rather than using the summit to bring about change, fossil fuel tycoons have spent the first week of talks upholding their big-business agendas – with host Sultan Al Jaber at the helm.

2,400 industry lobbyists are attending COP28 to argue that total reliance on clean energy is unnecessary to keep global warming below 1.5° Celsius.

This blatant disregard for the safety of humanity and prioritisation of profit over people has raised furore among activists, one of whom is Sophia Kianni, best known for her youth-led non-profit organisation Climate Cardinals, which is dedicated to closing the climate translation gap.

Turning to social media to vocalise her dismay, Sophia has launched ‘we wear oil,’ a campaign calling out fashion’s dependency on fossil fuels.

Her hope is that through combining culture and climate, the message will reach more consumers striving to be conscious. Our spending power is the only tangible way to hold major corporations accountable for delaying progress.

‘We can make young people understand that they are part of the solution by giving them the tools they need to understand what difference they specifically can make,’ she told Vogue Arabia in an interview.

‘This is why we must use fashion and social media to affect change. One of the biggest problems today is that we consume so much and so fast – and fast fashion is killing our planet.’

Sophia explains that fashion and fossil fuels are intrinsically linked, given that synthetic fibres made with coal, oil, and gas have enjoyed recent, rapid growth in popularity despite their environmental harm. According to Fiber2Fashion, polyester represented about 58 per cent of the global fibre market in 2021.

The more clothes we buy, the more rapidly depleting raw materials we consume. ‘We are all literally wearing oil,’ she continues.

‘How do we discuss transitioning away from fossil fuels when this industry is producing clothes made with coal, oil, and gas at an absolutely horrific rate?’

For a trend-driven generation like Sophia’s, which in many parts of the Global North is accustomed to shopping voraciously and digitally, leaving behind fast fashion for good seems improbable.

That’s why Sophia’s solution is to encourage more of a balance, whereby we infuse our insatiable purchasing habits with a more careful approach.

‘But here’s the turning point,’ she concludes.

‘Every time we choose to re-wear an outfit, every moment we decide to buy mindfully, we’re casting a vote for the world we want to live in. Choosing quality over quantity, natural over synthetic, second-hand over new – these aren’t just fashion choices, they’re declarations of our commitment to the planet.’

Feature Media Manager & Senior Writer London, UK

Sofia (She/Her) – I’m the Deputy Editor & Media Partnership Manager at Thred, specialising in exclusive articles and live interviews, fashion and beauty with a focus on sustainability, women’s rights, psychedelics, and Latin America. I studied Spanish at the University of Exeter and International Journalism at City, London. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

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