PETA activist Sascha Camilli is pushing for the fashion industry to rethink its reliance on animal skins and synthetic materials, advocating for a reduction in both production and consumption. Known for her bold protest during Gucci’s Milan Fashion Week in September 2023, where she interrupted a catwalk to oppose the use of wild-animal skins, Camilli now focuses on educating future fashion professionals through PETA's "Change the World With Your Wardrobe" lecture series. The program travels to universities in the UK, Italy, and the Netherlands, aiming to shape the perspectives of aspiring designers, marketers, journalists, and business leaders before they influence the industry. Camilli challenges common assumptions in fashion, such as the belief that leather equates to luxury or that wool is inherently natural and sustainable. PETA encourages students to look beyond both animal-based and synthetic materials, arguing that no new material can truly solve the environmental crisis of the fashion industry unless production and consumption are significantly reduced. The organization emphasizes that the solution lies not just in finding alternatives, but in rethinking the scale of production itself. Some high-end fashion houses have already begun experimenting with next-generation materials. For example, Hermès has used mushroom leather, while Karl Lagerfeld has incorporated cactus-based materials into its designs. These innovations show that sustainable alternatives are becoming more accepted in the industry. However, Camilli points out that the environmental impact of these materials isn't limited to their production. Factors like land use, water consumption, energy use, and human labor must also be considered in the overall assessment. Camilli highlights that while public opinion on fur and exotic skins tends to be more favorable toward change, reactions to challenges against everyday materials like wool and leather are often more resistant. This is partly because these materials are deeply embedded in people’s lifestyles and perceptions of quality. In classrooms, she brings samples of alternative materials for students to experience firsthand. Yet, she stresses that innovation alone cannot sustain the industry’s current levels of output. When students ask if replacing all leather with cactus-based materials would solve environmental issues, Camilli responds that the real solution is to produce less of everything. For the fashion industry to become more ethical and sustainable, Camilli argues that it must do more than simply swap one material for another. It needs to re-examine its relationship with clothing itself—producing fewer garments, valuing them more, and teaching future professionals that creativity doesn’t rely on constant consumption. She concludes that the only way for fashion to exist on a livable planet is by slowing down the pace of production and consumption.