As an online store that ultimately needs to make sales to keep afloat, this is going to seem slightly controversial. However, I feel like what I am about to say needs to be heard.
For the past few weeks, everywhere I turn there is something or someone telling me to set up my “Black Friday Sales” or asking me what discounts and freebies I will be doing for Black Friday?
I started to think about how I could approach it, we’ve done some sales in the past, but Black Friday feels different to me, it feels dirty.
eco.mono is an online platform for small ethically and sustainably run brands, who each do their bit for fair fashion.
Our brands do small production runs to limit the amount of fabric waste they create; they ensure their workers are paid fairly, trained, educated and looked after. People forget that there are actual human-beings making our clothes and when you slash the prices – someone or something pays the price.
I want the brands I partner with to continue to pay fair wages, source natural fabrics and run training and educations programs for their workers. What I don’t want is for them to feel pressured by the industry, to be constantly battling and competing with mass market fast fashion giants who are paying their workers less than the living wage (so much less!).
REMEMBER THE HUMAN COST…
https://youtu.be/LvHXMthiJPM
So, why do I think Black Friday is dirty?
It’s all about buying more, cheaper and faster. Can you afford it? Who cares you’re buying it anyway. Do you need it? Definitely not but its cheap and you’ll wear it once and throw it out. Awesome. Good job. The entire concept of Black Friday is everything we are working against and highlights the problem behind mass consumerism and fast fashion.
LET’S GIVE SOMETHING BACK! FEEL GOOD FRIDAY!
Fashion Revolution is only five years old and already the world’s largest fashion activism movement. On 24 April 2013, the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed. 1,138 people died, and another 2,500 were injured, making it the fourth largest industrial disaster in history.
That’s when Fashion Revolution was born. Since then, people from all over the world have come together to use the power of fashion to change the world. Have you ever wondered who made your clothes? How much they’re paid, and what their lives are like?
This Black Friday, I am NOT running any sales or reducing any of our prices but what I am doing is for each and every sale that comes through between 28th November – 16th December we will be donating $2 to The Fashion Revolution an organisation doing amazing work to support garment workers.
