Doing Good to Do Better: The Rushing Hour and Dress for Success

The Gap in the System:

The fashion industry has a serious problem when it comes to waste. Humans currently consume 14 million tonnes of material every year, 84% of which ends up in landfills either pre or post consumption. Every second, a garbage truck of unsold, unworn clothing is burned or landfilled. In a landfill, natural fibers take decades longer to decompose than they otherwise would, off-gassing methane and leaching chemical coatings into local groundwater. Synthetic fibers like polyester, acrylic, or nylon take thousands of years to decompose, meaning that a so-called “passing trend” will literally outlive humanity. These fibers do not break down even after the fabric has broken apart and can very easily contaminate local water systems, completely destroying the existing biodiversity; current estimates about annual microfiber pollution sits at half a million tonnes, equal to about 50 billion plastic water bottles. 

We can do better:

The Rushing Hour holds two core values: environmentalism and empowering our fellow women. It isn’t enough to make sure that our garments are without impact, in fact, we want to make as big of an impact as possible; thanks to our newest charity partner, Dress for Success Sydney, The Rushing Hour can now make an impact in the lives of any of the 100,000 women in New South Wales who are looking for work every year rather than impacting the local biodiversity. Dress for Success provides surplus professional clothing, a network of support, and the career development tools to women facing financial difficulty. 58% of their clients secure a paying job and 14% go on to further study while 99% say that they feel more prepared for their job interviews and 98% feel more empowered by the services provided. Dress for Success utilizes a five step process to help these women achieve financial stability and self-sufficiency. 

1. Interview Dressing Services Each woman is proved with an hour with a dressing mentor who helps her create a professional interview outfit that reflects her personality, intent, and career goals.

2. Employment Support Workshops Professionals provide workshops on acing interviews and navigating the job market. Dress for Success also provides weekly mock-interviews and resume assistance.

3. Networking Support Groups The women are connected with DFSS job search peers and those who have just started new careers or are also interviewing

4. One on One Counseling Employment or study-focused counseling by qualified professionals over the course of ten free sessions provides individualized care.

5. A “Got the Job” Return Dressing Service Upon employment, each woman has a second meeting with the dressing mentor to create a versatile, 5-day work wardrobe so that she has the tools to walk into work every day feeling confident.

Celebrating Influential Women:

We at The Rushing Hour are delighted to work with Dress for Success in order to divert unsold fashion products from premature ends in landfills and put them into the hands of women seeking to achieve financial independence. We know that fashion can be used as a tool for positive change in the world and in the lives of others. Our brand celebrates influential, exceptional women like the 2,500 women Dress for Success was able to help in 2018 and we are excited to contribute to this important, impactful organization.