Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanjuria Willis.
Hi Tanjuria, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always had a love for fashion, but I was never drawn to fast fashion—the quality was poor, and it felt disposable. As I dug deeper, I learned that textiles are the second-largest pollutant in landfills, and the production process is riddled with toxic chemicals and water contamination from synthetic dyes. Yet, no one was really talking about this. Fashion is marketed as something superficial and glamorous, but rarely do we hear about its environmental cost.
I wanted to change that narrative. My goal was to raise awareness about the hidden impact of clothing, introduce consumers to eco-friendly, small-batch designers, and offer real solutions for making more environmentally responsible choices. I also wanted to show that sustainable fashion can be sexy, stylish, and modern—while staying authentic to its mission. Education is a key part of this, helping people make small, incremental changes toward living more sustainably.
That vision led me to launch Sustainable Fashion Week Atlanta in October 2021—a fashion week that’s as entertaining as it is educational. I wanted to bring the conversation down from a 30,000-foot view to something relatable and actionable for the average consumer.
Today, Sustainable Fashion Week Atlanta is the first B-Corp certified fashion week. In 2024, we hosted the first zero waste fashion week in Georgia featuring international designers and brands, including partnerships with the Netherlands and the German Cultural Center, and has spotlighted designers and experts from El Salvador, Africa, UK, Germany, Berlin and the Netherlands. But it’s more than just runway shows—we’re building an ecosystem. For example, I also partner with the National Black Arts Festival to teach sustainable fashion to students at Drew Charter Academy, helping inspire the next generation.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. The biggest challenge has been securing funding and sponsors. I initially thought that because our mission sits at the intersection of both the arts and the environment, it would be a natural fit for companies to support. But it’s been much harder than expected. Convincing brands and organizations to see the value in sustainable fashion, especially in a city that’s still growing its fashion identity, has required persistence and creative problem-solving. It’s an ongoing challenge, but it’s also pushed me to build stronger partnerships and find new ways to sustain the vision.
We’ve been impressed with Sustainable Fashion Week Atlanta, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At its core, Sustainable Fashion Week Atlanta is about transforming how people think about fashion. We specialize in curating experiences that blend style, sustainability, and education. We’re known for showcasing eco-friendly, small-batch designers from around the world and for creating space for meaningful conversations about the environmental impact of fashion.
What sets us apart is that we go beyond the runway. Our events are designed to be as educational as they are entertaining—showing that sustainable fashion isn’t just an alternative, it’s the future, and it can be just as chic, sexy, and cutting-edge as mainstream fashion. We also work at the community level, partnering with schools like Drew Charter Academy through the National Black Arts Festival to teach students about sustainable fashion, sparking awareness and creativity in the next generation.
I’m especially proud of the partnerships we’ve built—not only have we featured international designers from El Salvador, Germany, and the Netherlands, but our newest collaboration with the College Football Playoffs. Together, we’re upcycling game day banners and textiles, and turning them into fashion pieces—keeping them out of landfills and giving them new life on the runway.
For readers, I’d love them to know that Sustainable Fashion Week Atlanta is more than just fashion shows. We offer immersive experiences, workshops, and collaborations that give people actionable ways to make more eco-conscious choices—whether they’re designers, students, or everyday consumers. We’re here to prove that sustainability and style go hand in hand, and we’re excited to keep building this movement.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Yes—I’d love readers to know about the exciting next chapter we’re building. We’ve launched the Conscious Couture Museum, which features incredible fashion sculptures from the Recycle Runway collection by environmental artist Nancy Judd. These pieces transform recycled materials into stunning works of wearable art, showing the powerful intersection of creativity and sustainability. We premiered the exhibit during the 2024 Sustainable Fashion Week Atlanta, and now we’re working to secure a permanent location to house the collection year-round.
As part of this vision, we’re also bringing back our popular Community Closet—a pop-up shop where people can swap, donate, and shop secondhand fashion, making sustainable style accessible to everyone. Plus, we’re relaunching the Repair Café, where community members can learn to mend and upcycle their clothing instead of discarding it. It’s all about giving new life to old garments and building a culture of reuse right here in Atlanta.
Our ultimate goal is to create a Sustainable Fashion Hub—a space where designers, students, and the community can come together to create, learn, and innovate around sustainable fashion. This hub will be a resource for the city and a beacon for anyone who believes that fashion can be both beautiful and responsible.
And we’d love for everyone to join us this fall: Sustainable Fashion Week Atlanta returns September 24-27, 2025. Whether you’re a fashion lover, a student, or simply curious about sustainability, there’s a place for you in this movement. Together, we can change the future of fashion.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sustainablefw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atlsfw
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atlsfw
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/atlsfw
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ATLSFW
Image Credits
Photo Credits:
Brian the Photogpher
Skyy Wonders
Models:
Jocasta, Alexis Brooks, JOAN ANDERSON, Na’Kaiah Hambrick, Sara Guimaraes
Elias Hunt
Tamera Simmons
Tonya Bradley Brown
Makeup:
GMMA Training Center
Belle by Brina
DD Metzgar Team
Hair:
Elite Hair by Red
