Hello Kitty: A Lifetime Obsession

Sanrio's Hello Kitty, according to Sharon Kinsella, originated in 1971 as merely a stationary company for Japanese school students. (Kinsella 1995) At the time who would've thought that the simplistic cartoon character of a cat would be an icon with such staying power in decades to come. About 39 years later, Hello Kitty is bigger than ever. The mouthless cat is now redesigned and modernized with the times (now even in black and hot pink, as opposed to her now out-dated white face with a red bow). However, her cuteness still remains.

But what actually makes hello kitty such a classic over the years? The mystery of Hello Kitty is actually simple: consumer culture & Kawaii cuteness.

When Sanrio expanded production into fancy goods in the 1990s, they began to market the figure to ADULTS in Japan. Toasters, water coolers, computers, rice cookers, TVs, humidifiers, you name it. These goods have cartoon characters with specific Kawaii design elements: small, mamalian, round, without bodily orifices, mute, etc. (Kinsella 1995)

Through my observation as a child in the 90's, Sanrio goods were rare because they were only found in their mall boutiques or Asian specialty stores. Hello Kitty at the time wasn't as mainstream in the United States as it was overseas, which is what added to its appeal for young girls. They were rare and coveted, and often so pricey that most of the time my parents only offered to buy me a piece of 50 cent gum with Hello Kitty's face on it.

Currently Hello Kitty has become an icon, and because all things Japanese has become so trendy in the United States her popularity has risen to new heights. Now I can go to regular retail stores such as Target, Ross, and Urban Outfitters and purchase Hello Kitty products. Items such as Calendars, Toasters, microwaves, sewing machines, televisions, and adult sized robes, T-shirts, and Pajamas. Come on now, what's a 5 year old really going to do with a toaster? Clearly, they are now selling to a different audience here in America.

Mariah Carey In her Hello Kitty room.



Kimora Lee & her daughter's Aioki & Ming with their collection



Paris Hilton


Katy Perry


Rhianna

Call me crazy, but the secret to Hello Kitty's recent success is the fact that they are marketing to not just children but now to the adult demographic in the United States. One in particular, that used to love Hello Kitty when it first originated. What were once so coveted and rare in the past are now readily available and affordable as an adult, and because of this new found access I just HAVE to have it!



MAC recently released an entire line of cosmetics with the redesigned cat, and prior to this Kimora Lee came out with a luxury line of jewelry. Sanrio has also opened a new Luxury high end boutique in NYC called Sanrio Luxe with diamond jewelry, and designer hello kitty clothing and accessories.




(A Video of MAC's 2009 Hello Kitty Collection)




The Hello Kitty Luxe Store in NYC


No more gum for this gal! Sanrio is obviously capitalizing on our childhood, knowing we can't resist that whiskered face. A smart consumerist tactic indeed.





Even though I'm a sucker for Ms. Kitty I've chosen to make better decisions in buying products, by buying sustainable items from socially responsible brands that do not impact the environment, such as SIGG of Switzerland. During the compact challenge, even though I'll be sporting Hello Kitty atleast I won't be wasting anymore water bottles with my Sigg!





- Elaine de Lara
Blog #3


- Cuties In Japan by Sharon Kinsella

http://jezebel.com/5084561/hello-kitty--random-celebs-get-catty-at-sanrio-luxe-store-opening

E-Waste Disposal

E-Waste (or electronic waste) is a growing problem as new technology is constantly emerging and changing. Your once ultra-modern and trendy touch cellphone,Ipod,or DVD player may be obsolete by next year, or even in a matter of months. Quickly changing trends in electronics create a vicious cycle which gets consumers to buy a product, and later rebuy a similar product with the same concepts but with "upgraded" modifications or functions.

In Kawamura's Fashion-ology it states that "The consumer never finds a resting place...but must keep buying and discarding, picking up and dropping items, perpetually on the move to keep one jump ahead of the common heard..." (Kawamura 2006.) However being one step-ahead of the rest seems to come at a price to the environment and to those overseas, as we create more wastes when we dispose our electronics.

According to the EPA less than 20% of all electronic waste is recycled, with many headed to our landfills contaminating them with lead and other harmful toxins. (For more info on E-waste disposal click here.) Unfortunately most of our e-waste are sent to salvage yards in developing nations such as China, India, and Kenya where laborers extract the materials which are extremely harmful to their health. Brokers ship these loads to salvagers overseas, who are paid low wages and are exposed to toxins similar to the conditions of sweatshop laborers described in "Santa's Sweatshop".

Last Fall, in an effort to reuse and be sustainable with old used electronics, I decided to create a table out of a cupboard door, speakers, VHS and cassette tapes.

The legs of the table are made of Speakers, the table top is of VHS and Cassette Tapes glued onto the cupboard door, while coasters were made of old vinyl records. The speakers on the table actually work, so during parties we hook up a second set of speakers (in the middle) and a radio to it.

The cassette and VHS table top. The table signifies rapidly changing technology, as both of these items are rarely used today. Interestingly enough vhs & cassettes are now considered "vintage" so displaying and reusing them with the table serves as a good conversation piece at the apartment.

The speaker "legs" of the table.

vinyl record coasters.

So during the Compact Challenge, before disposing your old CD's, phones, VCR's etc. try reusing them into something new! If that doesn't work try giving them away to someone in need or properly recycle them in an e-waste facility (specifically one that you researched, who does not ship their materials overseas.)

Hope this helps! good luck everyone!

-Elaine de Lara
Blog #2

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/environment/2008-07-06-ewaste-recycling_N.htm

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/photosvideos/photos/a-chinese-child-sits-amongst-a

Kawamura, Yuniya. Fashion-ology.

Holstein, Palmer, Ur-Rehman and Ito."Santa's Sweatshop: In a Global Economy, it's Hard to Know Who Made Your Gift-and Under What Conditions."

How to be sustainable AND fashionable!

In celebration of last week's Earth Day, I've decided to blog about Eco-Fashion! Currently, the most prominent topics in sustainability seem to be issues surrounding plastic consumption: water bottles, trash, grocery bags etc. However, during the compact challenge have you ever given your clothing consumption a thought?

Now many people donate their used/unwanted clothing to charities such as "Goodwill" and "The Salvation Army" which is a great way to be sustainable through reuse. Although, most people are unaware that most items donated which are stained, slightly damaged, or simply unsellable are thrown away. To reduce overstocking their thrift stores, many items are still going into our landfills.

Because fashion is fluid and continuously changes, our landfills continue to be filled with textile waste. According to solidwastedistrict.com, Americans produce 2.5 billion pounds of post consumer textile waste, annually. This is 10 pounds of waste per person. (For more statistics on this issue click here.)

Naturally, all of us are guilty of clothing consumption but it is important to resist consumerism and be responsible for what we do with our textile wastes. Instead of giving away unwanted clothing try reusing/redesigning them into new items for your own use. "Threadheads" are a group on youtube who make DIY videos that can inspire you to reuse your unwanted textiles and keep you from shopping during the compact challenge!



This specific video is an Earth Day special featuring a clothing recycling organization, Wearable Collections. The video also offers a DIY on how to make a picnic blanket out of old shirts! (perfect for studying on the grass on campus during warm days!)

Unfortunately, I missed this year's "Trashion Show" on campus, because it was last Thursday during our guest lecture at 12pm. In general the show is put together every April by the Student Fashion Association and the ASUCD Environmental Policy and Planning Commission. It features creative fashion of recycled/reused materials. So support the design students, and come check it out or participate in the years to come!

I participated during the first annual Trashion Show (in 2007). Here are some pictures that may inspire you all to consider sustainable fashion during the compact challenge and as consumers in the future! Enjoy!

Garments during judging. (Left to Right) A Dress of reused fabric scraps, caution tape, and neck ties!

A closer look at the fabric scraps & caution tape dress.

The rouged dress on the left is of old puff coats and fabric, while the white gown is made of rags and t-shirt scraps.

Hopefully this will inspire you all to reuse and reinvent before buying new clothing and donating your old clothes to charity. Not only will this help you save some cash, but it will also keep your waste out of land fills!

As Kawamura in Fashion-ology states "Production influences consumption, and consumption influences production," (Kawamura 2006). Based on this concept, I believe if we as consumers change our habits and make better decisions on what we buy and how we dispose of our materials, maybe manufacturers will follow suit.

Thanks for reading everyone and good luck! =)

- Elaine de Lara
Blog #1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHnHNEPxHfw - Threadbanger Video

http://www.solidwastedistrict.com/stats/textiles.htm - Solidwastedistrict.com

Kawamura, Yuniya. Fashion-ology. New York:Berg, 2006.