Can a Streetwear ARG Change Clothing Recycling?

We all know fashion has a waste problem.
Some of you might not know how big it is.

Less than 15% of clothing is recycled globally each year; yet we produce 92 million tons of textile waste in the same period. 

Most of that ends up burned or in landfill. 

Can storytelling change behaviour?

People are not going to stop producing fashion. It’s a part of who we are. How we make it, what we make it out of, and what we do with it after, is all going to change.

Historically, we’ve never had to worry about what happened to it after we were done. Can how we feel about what we’ve bought change that?

A photo representing the circular fashion process, organic cotton fibres clean enough to break down and reuse.

Why organic cotton isn’t enough.

If it was only that easy. Changing how people behave is hard.

Cotton is one of the most toxic fabrics on the planet, synthetics and micro plastics are another big topic. We’ve seen incredible and ridiculous innovations in textiles, but these are more often clickbait than sustainable.

GOTS certified organic cotton is grown free from harmful chemicals making it easier to recycle.

But organic cotton alone is not the main reason why most people buy.

Building a streetwear ARG.

The world I am building has game play elements. Comics, games and a series are in the pipeline, but the overarching question is how can we change behaviour?

A small incentive is a start. But is it enough to make you go through the steps of returning a t-shirt?

We all have clothing we value; we tend to keep those items. Often regardless of condition. What we do with the stuff we don’t want, or is damaged, is barely a thought.

The Canis is the experiment.

Do we not recycle because that’s the way it’s always been and ‘all it will take’ is a few regulations?

How long will these regulations take to become globally enforceable?

Or can we do something about it in the meantime?

I’m not saying I have the solution. But maybe, when you’re done with your tee or it’s looking a little haggard, you’ll hear Tenet’s voice saying, “The Canis takes it back” and scan the QR code.

Building Streetwear Mythology

I grew up in the era of gaming magazines, comics, album covers, flags and posters. I thought Gerald Brom had superhuman abilities. Mythology and fantasy were my textbooks.

I can talk to you about stories, systems and art for days. The Canis is my attempt to build mythology, collectibles, comics and game mechanics into a streetwear brand.

What’s left of what was on my wall in the 00s.

Mapping game to garment

The first part was easy, ARG mechanics slot right in, designing the characters and mythology, however, can be painfully slow.

I just spent the entire weekend drawing a new version of Sun Eater and the villain, both of which were canned. I’m torn between game iconography and art and have not stopped testing concepts.

Comic books

Accompanying the core range and TCG’s are comics. This is where the story unfolds.

The next generation of art is in progress; provided I stop canning them.
The rulebook is done, version one. The first series of cards is done as well. As the visual language evolves, so will these.

Never thought that kid cutting art and articles out of gaming mags would be designing TCG’s but, there we are.

Star maggots

Sun Eater is part of The Originals; the first batch of my old teenage art I used to start the shop. Weird, misfit art. In its own right.

Reworking this doodle into a re-usable artifact of The Canis has been one of the biggest challenges to date. Raptor is on this list as well.

Due to an obsession with cosmology (Et Al) we have star maggots and axiomatic entities.  

Building worlds

I used to complain about my to-do list. Now, I miss it.

It’s been fun and challenging but it’s the start of mythology.

ARG game mechanics, rules, cards, comics, and an evolving world all mapped to our core range.  
Can’t stop now, this giant world keeps rolling.

Look ma, I made a hoodie!

The build begins. One eye, one line, one rule broken.

I’ve only just stopped dreaming in web build, waking up in the middle of the night feeling like I’ve been holding down ctrl shift or something for hours. There are two things happening simultaneously.

The Shop Is Open

I somehow managed to pull that all together in a day and a half. And I’m loving every minute of it. Ok, maybe not so much the stress part; but I have gotten better at managing everything. As it stands, I am a non-conformist. I’m the guy that pushes the red button that says do not push. OK, I’m not that dumb but when I am told no, I usually pick it up and go- ok but why?

Rebel with a cause.

My cause is not unique, it’s essential. We all know we need to improve everything from fashion to well, everything. ‘Lest we all end up like Mad Max. So, I’m not going to bang on about that, other than to say that developing products that last is incredibly important to me. It took months of research before choosing Teemill, and I am eagerly awaiting my first sample, I’ll share as soon as it arrives. I cannot wait to launch our designer range. To say I’ve been working hard is an understatement. I used to talk to people about stars, actual ones not the Hollywood kind, and now the only thing that comes out of my mouth is related to building, design or vision.

I’ve had to start watching Ghost Adventures again as a way of switching off.

There’s nothing like Aaron’s “whoa’s” to take your head out of reality. I’m not here to debate ghosts though. I am here to say I watch things like this to escape, and I’ve just finished a series, the first in almost a decade, thank you Peacemaker. I don’t have time nor the inclination to watch six episodes just for a bit of story and ten to get to the big action sequence. I haven’t watched any series aside from maybe the pilot in years. Kudos.

Although would I have watched it if John Cena wasn’t in it?

Doubt I would have clicked. Clearly, I don’t want to talk about work, I’m due to finish a design today, hopefully bring it to you asap, and I started writing this last night talking all business and it made my eyes water and my brain go all squirmy.

If this sounds like the kind of fashion you’re into

Bwaahahahahahaha. SEO is going to hate this because it makes no sense. But I’ve just thrown out my second rule book. If you weren’t around for the old blog, the last time I threw out a rulebook I built this. This time I drop kicked it out. Boom. I’d rather innovate than copy, hopefully, I’m not a complete idiot and this all works out nicely. So far, I’ve built a business in a few short months. And launched it. So…hold my beer. Wait, was that a ghost?