When Tia Robinson traveled to Ghana, she expected a cultural homecoming. Instead, she found beaches littered with mountains of discarded clothing—many with tags still on—shipped from countries like the U.S., U.K., and China. What began as a personal journey quickly became a confrontation with the global cost of mass production and textile waste.Through vivid storytelling and lived experience, Tia reveals the flaws of modern fashion systems, driven by overproduction and under-regulation, and offers a path forward. Tia Robinson gives us a whole new way to think about fashion and makes the case that we can transform an industry by the choices we make.As CEO and founder of Vertical Activewear, she eliminates waste by producing on-demand, ethically made activewear. In 2023, Tia expanded her vision by launching an in-house, vertically integrated supply chain.Her brand has been featured in Essence, Shape and New York Magazine, and she received Beyoncé’s NAACP and BeyGOOD Foundation Grant.With more than 15 years in marketing, merchandising and wellness, Tia offers solutions that reduce environmental and social harm.She is a Morgan State University graduate and Georgia Tech ATDC portfolio company member. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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