It’s that time of year again folks. The week where we ask brands #whomademyclothes for Fashion Revolution Week to help campaign for a clean, safe, fair, transparent and accountable fashion industry.
This week is all about being collaborative. Working together to use our power as consumers and our collective voices to raise awareness and help change the fashion industry for the better. And there are LOTS of ways you can get involved.
“In the midst of this global pandemic, the need for citizens to hold brands and retailers to account is more pressing than ever before. Over the past weeks, we have seen the devastating impact of brands’ buying practices on some of the most vulnerable workers overseas. Now, more than ever, we need to keep asking #whomademyclothes and hold these brands, many of whom have made immense profits in recent years, to account for their actions.” – Carry Somers, Founder of Fashion Revolution
WHAT IS FASHION REVOLUTION?
In 2013 the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed. 1138 people died and thousands more injured and left without families, making it the fourth largest industrial disaster in history. There were five garment factories in Rana Plaza all manufacturing clothing for big global brands. The victims were mostly young women.
Fashion Revolution is the campaign launched in the wake of this tragedy to shine a light on the lack of transparency and human rights for those working in the garment industry.
“Our clothes have gone on a long journey before they hit store shelves, passing through the hands of cotton farmers, spinners, weavers, dyers, sewers and others. Approximately 75 million people work to make our clothes. 80% of them are women between the ages of 18 and 35.
However, the majority of the people who makes clothes for the global market live in poverty, unable to afford life’s basic necessities. Many are subject to exploitation; verbal and physical abuse, working in unsafe and dirty conditions, with very little pay.”
This is why, during Fashion Revolution Week, we need to ask brands #whomademyclothes?
Ask brands #whomademyclothes
Hold your favourite brands to account by asking this simple question:
#WhoMadeMyClothes?
Take a picture wearing an outfit exposing the label, post the image on Instagram or Twitter using #whomademyclothes.
Your voice can change everything.
Send an email
My favourite Fash Rev story comes from one of my personal favourite brands Spell.
In 2016, Spell’s co-founder Lizzy received an email from a customer asking #WhoMadeMyClothes as part of Fashion Revolution. This email was the catalyst for their decision to gain independent ethical accreditation of all their partner factories and overhaul how they operate as a brand.
Never underestimate the power of a single email. YOU have the power to make a difference!
Fashion Revolution has done the hard work for you by creating an email template and form you can use here.
Attend a virtual event
Fashion Revolution has gone digital this with hundreds of fantastic events happening this week streaming to you from all corners of the globe. Here’s a few of my faves:
Live on Instagram – Clare Press 7 Days of Revolutionary Fashion – 20th-26th times vary you can find them on @mrspress for each day
Wardrobe Crisis Live this week is all about Revolutionaries! Starting with @fashionweekaus Melinda Tually today at 5pm AEST, & featuring through the week: @fash_rev_italia @kitx @katiejonesknit @emsladedmondson @sara.k.arnold @behavebandana
Live on Instagram – Kowtow Conversations: Fair Trade and Ethical Manufacturing – 21st 17:00-18:00 AEST
Join Kowtow Founder & Creative Director, Gosia Piatek and Fairtrade Australia & New Zealand CEO, Molly Harriss Olson, on Instagram for a live conversation on fairtrade and ethical manufacturing practices.
Webinar – Shaping Fashion Webinar: What’s in My Clothes – 23rd 23:00 AEST and 24th 00:30 AEST
The Global Shapers “Shaping Fashion” Community invites you to join a 90-minute interactive “What’s in my Clothes” webinar discussing
- The state of the fashion industry in times of COVID-19;
- Our personal power to effect change through a framework of 5 simple steps;
- Topics such as asking for transparency, the material composition of clothing and how to assess and treasure your closet.
Live on YouTube – Fashion Revolution Question Time – 24th 11:00-13:00 BST
Discussion: Mass Consumption, the end of an era?
You can find a full list of events here.
Support the campaign
Fashion Revolution is a non-profit run by volunteers so they rely on our support to keep this vital movement going.
“Fashion Revolution is working to secure radical change in the way that our clothing is produced, sourced and consumed. We are pushing for greater transparency in the fashion supply chain through social media outreach, investigative research, innovative events and inspiring, informative content.”
You can support them financially by donating via the site or purchasing their Fanzine, there are six excellent issues available here.
