Joy Tandt

It takes guts to downplay your own success for the good of the planet. Full-time commercial model Joy Tandt (27) is doing her best to live up to that ideal. When her schedule fills up with bookings, her gut instinct starts to push back. She can no longer smile her way through campaigns for fast fashion brands. “Those brands focus solely on what sells,” Joy says. But in her view, the focus should be on people. “We should be allowed to be who we are.” She no longer wants to represent the idea that you have to change yourself to be beautiful. Joy isn’t calling herself a sustainable model just yet. She wants to do thorough research first. That’s how she discovered that even second-hand clothing has its environmental impact. Deepening her dive into sustainability, she began her own investigation into the ecological footprint of different textiles. “Not everyone has time to worry about global-scale problems,” she says. That’s why Joy is doing the research for them. With her findings, she’s creating an accessible, easy-to-understand guide to the do’s and don’ts of ethical fashion, especially for busy moms.

Siene Van Geerteruy

Everything in Siene Van Geerteruy’s (24) life is second-hand: from her décor and furniture to, of course, her clothing. For Siene, it just makes sense. “Why wouldn’t I buy second-hand if it’s better for both me and the planet?” Even as a teenager, she could be found digging through vintage shops in search of her unique style. But when she wants something truly one-of-a-kind, she takes matters into her own hands. Her Instagram page is known for her two-tone shirts, a design she continues to reinvent. The very first shirt she made was a birthday gift for her best friend, and ever since, the list of friends wanting to wear her pieces has only grown. That’s how her Instagram account was born. Keeping her prices low is important to Siene. “I know where I used to be. I didn’t have much money to spend on clothes either.” With student life still fresh in her memory, she makes sure her price tags stay affordable.

Lennert Goessens and Sumit Bunthanon

The non-profit organization Verzamelwoede was brought to life in September 2020 by close friends Lennert Goessens (25) and Sumit Bunthanon (26). The two were working together at fast fashion store Snipes when they witnessed firsthand just how damaging the fashion industry really is. Once they saw the extent of the problem, they felt compelled to offer an alternative. “If we’re going to work in fashion,” they say, “then it has to be in a conscious way.” Driven entirely by their own initiative, Lennert and Sumit launched a sustainable non-profit. Verzamelwoede rescues old clothing and textiles. Anything unsellable is transformed into new fabric. As Sumit puts it, “We’re more of a platform than a brand.” Their goal is to serve as a hub for other organizations that are also fighting for a greener fashion world.

Marijne Van Boeckel

"Everybody is a good body." With this, Marijne Van Boeckel (21) makes clear that every body type deserves respect. Her fight for body positivity on Instagram started from a scenario that many plus-sized people recognize. In 2018, Marijne and her then-boyfriend were sitting on the terrace of a fast-food restaurant, KFC. While enjoying their meal, two men walked by and openly laughed at her. Marijne realized: "Whether I'm at a salad bar or a fast-food restaurant, it will never be good enough." Now, Marijne fights for the space her body deserves. "Life is too short to wait until you lose ten kilos before jumping into the pool," she pleads. Through her Instagram account, she reaches a wide audience, from young students to 40-year-old mothers, giving them a new sense of pride.