Client: Epson
Epson has strong brand recognition, but little is known about its work beyond paper. Throwing down the gauntlet, Kindred was challenged to show a different side to the brand and how its technology is tackling one of fashion’s biggest problems – discarded clothing. We identified a newsworthy entry point: children’s clothes - a high-turnover category that is both deeply relatable and underreported - and turned it into an idea consumers couldn’t ignore. In collaboration with award winning designer, Priya Ahluwalia - a poster child for sustainable fashion – we took real runway designs and reimagined them in miniature to create a first-of-its-kind doll-sized fashion collection using textile waste. Each piece was created using Epson’s Dry Fibre Technology, transforming old clothing into wardrobe must-haves. Priya’s small but mighty outfits were brought to life with a high-fashion photoshoot and a playful stop-motion fashion show complete with miniature catwalk. To add rigour, a partnership with leading sustainability broadcaster Lucy Siegle was brokered to rally brands and businesses to take action. By blending fashion, play and technology, Fashion Play exposed an understated issue and ignited interest through an earned-first idea designed for mass cut through. It achieved 359 pieces of coverage with 100% positive sentiment. Post coverage analysis revealed that 74% agree that Epson is more than a paper printer brand (vs. 29% before) and 73% will make a concerted effort to reduce their clothing waste. A powerful reminder of the scale of the problem… and the potential to rethink it.
