When Thammika Songkaeo, a co-founder of the Singapore-based company Two Glasses, saw people around her with big boxes of clothes for donation, she wondered, who wanted used clothes?
"I lived in many places including Africa, India, Thailand and Singapore. People in these places did not lack clothing. Many people have too many clothes and they try to solve the problem by donating without thinking what happens afterwards," Thammika, who is based in Singapore, said.
"When people shop for clothes, they do not worry about fashion overconsumption. They simply see a low-price shirt and impulsively buy it. Their thinking stops at a superficial level. It fascinates me how people can be so shallow."
Thammika decided to produce a short dance film without dialogue, Changing Room, which won a grant from the National Geographic Society. The movie asks, what does criticising our bodies have to do with climate change?
Changing Room is a film about three women who look in the mirror and are not satisfied with their physique. They think clothes can make them look how they want to be. But in reality, that might not be true. After the film, audiences participate in somatic practice and rewatch the film.
"People who use somatic practice believe that the body holds information. Somatic is to move around without dancing and without feeling like you need to move a certain way. All you need to do in somatic practice is to feel honest with yourself," explained Thammika.
Crispian Chan
"A professional dancer will invite participants to respond to the prompts by expressing through movements what their body feels. The dancer will then provide feedback on how participants' movements reveal stories that they may have forgotten for decades, particularly those related to their overconsumption of clothing. Everyone will explore the underlying reasons for this overconsumption."
Thammika explained that she decided to screen the film and follow up with somatic practice and let the audience rewatch the film again because she wanted to make sure the film has a real effect.
"There are many documentaries about environmental issues which filmmakers hope have an impact on the audience. Unlike them, I do not just hope. I take extra steps to ensure the film will have an impact. Audiences in Singapore told me that after leaving the cinema, their perspective on clothing shifted as they are more self-conscious about purchasing clothes and question why they want to purchase more clothes," said Thammika.
After success in Singapore, Thai audiences will have an opportunity to experience Changing Room at People of Ari White Box in Phaya Thai, Bangkok, on Aug 17 and 18. There will be four events -- Changing Room Film Screening and Somatic Practice; a Special Trivia on Marine Life; Fabric of Legacy; and Somatic Meditation.
All four events are related to fashion overconsumption. Thammika explained that Two Glasses decided to host the event because fashion overconsumption is the worst thing for climate change.
"When talking about the environment, people focus more on industries such as tourism and aviation than fashion. However, the fashion industry actually emits more greenhouse gases and carbon than shipping and aviation combined. Some major fashion brands which overproduce clothes even dump discarded clothes in the Atacama desert in Chile. It is disastrous for the environment," said Thammika.
A scene from Changing Room.
"It is interesting to consider, why do we need so much clothing? Is it for status or social reasons? Deep down, what are we truly lacking that we believe clothes can fulfil? This is why the issue of fashion overconsumption intrigues me."
One of the events is Special Trivia on Marine Life, hosted by Thammika and Watcharapong Hongjamrassilp, a biologist and faculty member at the Department of Marine Science, the Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University.
"This event is like a game show which asks questions about how apparel affects marine life and ocean health. It is an activity for family, friends and colleagues who want to participate as a team. In Singapore, we had participants aged seven to over 50. People participate in the event for fun and to learn new things," said Thammika.
"A marine biologist is one of the hosts because he can provide in-depth information about how fashion consumption affects oceans. Fashion overconsumption is not limited to land. Research shows that 35% of microplastics in the oceans come from garments and small marine species in the deep sea consume these microplastic fibres."
At the Fabric of Legacy, parents will be guided through a reflective writing journey, ending with composing a poem or narrative they can bring home to their child. In addition to their own reflection, there is an opportunity to meet and discuss with other parents who care about sustainability and clothing.
Somatic practice at the Singapore screening of Changing Room.
"The event will incorporate writing prompts, music and discussion. Since memory is one of the most important elements in a person's life, participants will explore the reasons behind their excessive clothing consumption and question the true value of material possessions," Thammika explained.
A professional photographer will be on hand for the somatic meditation, so participants can see the differences in themselves before and after the event. Unlike Buddhist meditation which focuses on breathing in and out, somatic meditation draws attention to how people feel in different parts of their bodies. Thammika gave an example.
"A host might say, 'Notice how your feet feel as you walk. Now, imagine your feet are suddenly submerged in a pool of honey. The honey comes up to the level of your knee, etc'. Participants will imagine the honey in their own way. While some people might describe honey as cold and sweet, others may say it is warm and uncomfortable," she said.
"A woman might explain that the honey reminded her of the time when she wanted it on pancakes, but did not do so because she worried about gaining weight. From there, the session becomes a space for conversation, as the event triggers memories. Somatic meditation allows people to explore their physical sensations from a perspective that most people have never experienced."
Bangkok will be the first international venue for Changing Room outside of Singapore. Then, the event will take place in Tokyo and Zurich next year. Thammika hopes to see the enthusiasm and energy of people in Bangkok.
"We hope that Bangkok will be the first place where we can generate international interest. I personally would like to see good vibes and creativity from Bangkokians. I feel like people in Bangkok have a lot of energy and I want to see their energy used to do great things for the world."
Changing Room will be shown at People of Ari White Box in Phaya Thai, Bangkok, on Aug 17 and 18. Tickets range from 750 to 1,550 baht while an all access pass ticket costs 3,000 baht. Tickets are available at ticketmelon.com.
