Dr. Shantell M. Reid

In 2025, the Buffalo State Fashion and Textile Technology (FTT) and Africana Studies Departments launched a study abroad trip to Ghana. As a major importer of discarded clothing from the Global North, Ghana's secondhand fashion industry, known as obroni wawu (“dead white man’s clothes”), is vital to its economy and a significant source of waste and pollution. Witnessing the environmental impacts inspired FTT assistant professor Dr. Shantell M. Reid to explore design solutions. Textile Mirage (2025) is a prototype dress made from sustainable mulberry paper pulp. She explains the dress "exemplifies a biodegradable and recyclable approach to fashion: once used, the garment can either decompose naturally or be repurposed into new paper garments or other paper products, thereby minimizing environmental pollution.” As such, Textile Mirage serves as both an artistic statement and a functional alternative to sustainable garment creation and end-of-life management.