The UN and LIFE-Con work with fashion designers in their part to address Climate Change.

The messages are loud and clear.

"The Pacific islands contribute so little to gas emissions, yet bear the brunt of climate change, natural disasters and environmental damage."

"We are not drowning, we are fighting"

These are a couple of messages voiced on international stages of conference halls packed with policy makers, analysts, advocates and anyone with a purpose in the global mission towards reducing human suffering because of climate change.

Words and action go together, and that is a simple description of the efforts of a small island developing state, like Samoa, to manage Climate Change.

Samoa is proud of its Climate Change advocates, voicing the visible damage to the lands and oceans of the Pacific region including Samoa for the world to understand how the actions of big industrial countries are impacting on the small islands.

There are also advocates working with people at the ground level to ensure that we act and move to do what is right to minimize the harm we do to the environment and worsening the effects of Climate Change.

The fashion designers in Samoa is another group of advocates and actors in the Climate Change space, who have stepped up to play their part to support national efforts in addressing Climate Change.

As reported by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change the fashion industry by the 21st Century has been found to be responsible for 10% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

"It was interesting to learn about sustainable fashion and the role of the industry to prioritise social issues such as safe and fair working conditions and remuneration and the environmental issues such as the industry’s waste stream, water usage and pollution and contributions to greenhouse gas emissions," said Tyra who was one of the participants.

"Approximately 20 new garments are made for each person every year on this planet and fashion purchases have increased 60% since 2000," the report adds.

This is a concern, and a thought to bring together interested designers to learn, share ideas and be committed to sustainable fashion was realized in the Basic Design Workshop and Sustainable Fashion held within the three days of events leading up to the main LIFE Con  Fashion Show.

Delivered by Samoa's high achieving fashion designer Afa Ah Loo, his personality and knowledge of fashion designing was very much appreciated by the 15 participants of young, talented and aspiring fashion designers.

"I'm grateful to the UN for the opportunity to deliver this workshop and there is no other time for designers to be well informed about the waste we produce from clothing and even the social hardships faced by garment workers," Afa said.

The workshop was jointly supported by the Resident Coordinators Office as part of its Sustainable Development Goals - Keeping the Promise advocacy campaigns and the UNDP 3rd National Communication project implemented by the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment in partnership with the LIFE-Con Pacific.

The LIFE-Con Fashion Show to conclude the 3 days event will showcase a special line of recycled wearable fashion. This is is to spark the creativity of the designers to make fashionable wearable garment from old clothes.