Sustainability Is Ancestral to Us All, Especially the Black Community
By: Tia Robinson, CEO & Founder of Vertical Activewear
When we hear the word sustainability, we often think of new technologies, eco-certifications, and buzzy trends. But for many of us in the Black community, sustainability is not new, it’s ancestral.
During my recent appearance on Black Enterprise’s Beyond the Hype podcast with Alfred Edmond Jr., I spoke about how sustainability practices have always been deeply rooted in the way Black Americans live, create, and survive. Long before the fashion industry began using terms like circular economy or slow fashion, our communities were already living out those principles, because we had to.
We reused, repurposed, and repaired everything. Our elders made magic out of scraps—quilts from old clothes, meals from leftovers, garments passed down and remade with care. These weren’t environmental initiatives. They were acts of resilience, ingenuity, and love.
That’s why it’s so important to recognize that the current sustainability movement isn’t starting something new; it’s rediscovering something ancient. And as we work to build a more just, equitable fashion industry, we must ensure these ancestral practices are not erased, but celebrated and passed on to future generations.
As the founder of a sustainable, on-demand apparel company, I’ve seen how powerful it can be when we honor our roots while embracing innovation. The future of fashion isn’t just about less waste, it’s about more wisdom. It’s about reclaiming the knowledge that’s already within us.
If this message speaks to you, I invite you to learn more in my book, The 10% Shift: Rethink Fashion, 10% at a Time. It’s a practical guide and a cultural manifesto on how shifting just 10% of our fashion habits—whether as consumers, brands, or manufacturers—can radically transform the future of fashion and sustainability.
Get your copy here: www.tiarobinson.co/store-4-1
Let’s honor our past by shaping a more conscious future, one shift at a time.