April 22nd-28th is Fashion Revolution Week! And since we know you’re just as ready for it as we are, we put together a handy resource guide to answer your questions and let you know how to get involved wherever you are!
What is Fashion Revolution?
Fashion Revolution is a not-for-profit organization based in the U.K. that is dedicated to creating a more ethical fashion industry, one that values its workers and the environment and treats them both with respect.
How did it come to be?
On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed, killing 1,134 people and injuring more than 2,500. The factories inside the building produced garments for numerous popular apparel brands, including United Colors of Benetton and Zara. The day prior to the structural failure, cracks were discovered in the building, and architects warned that the conditions were dangerous. The space, originally designed for banking and retail use, wasn’t built to bear the weight of manufacturing plants with heavy machinery and thousands of employees. Under pressure to meet the short production deadlines of his fast fashion clientele, the building’s owner ordered factory staff to return to work the next day anyway. The catastrophe was the deadliest garment factory accident in history. More than half of the victims were women, along with many children who were in the factory’s daycare facility.
Photo credit: Fashion Revolution
To commemorate the tragedy, Fashion Revolution asks members of the fashion industry and people all over the world to unite annually on April 24th to make fashion a force for good. Believing that transparency is at the heart of ethical production, Fashion Revolution encourages everyone to ask one simple question: Who made my clothes?
What can I do?
1) Ask the Brand
Go straight to the source. Take a photo of your clothing label, post it to Instagram, tag the brand, and ask them #whomademyclothes? Some brands may answer, others may not, but if you’re tagging Mata, we’re happy to tell you: your clothes were made in India and Nepal by fair trade cooperatives!
2) Share Your Fashion Love Story
Clothing isn’t meant to be worn a couple times and discarded; it’s meant to be cherished, cared for, and passed on! Check out some of these fashion love stories, and then tell your own. Make an Instagram post, YouTube video, podcast, or blog post about an item in your closet that means a lot to you.
3) Share Your #Haulternative
Fashion shopping hauls are all too common, but not at all necessary! There are numerous ways to refresh your wardrobe without buying new clothing. Make a video showing your #Haulternative, whether it be distressing jeans, trying a cute DIY, buying secondhand, or organizing a clothing swap with friends. Upload your video to YouTube during Fashion Revolution week and spread the hashtag #Haulternative. For a complete how-to, download the #Haulternative guide.
4) Put on an Event
Photo credit: Fashion Revolution
Maybe you’d like to get involved in organizing a Fashion Revolution event like a panel discussion or film screening in your community! For more ideas,take a look at their Citizen’s Guide to Getting Involved here.
5) Share a Stat (or 12)
The first step in addressing a problem is creating awareness, and Fashion Revolution has done an amazing job preparing shareable images full of stats and facts. Share with your friends and followers, and keep them in the know about the current state of fast fashion.
6) Be a Conscious Shopper
The quickest way to stop the harmful effects of fast fashion is to stop supporting it. Instead, invest in slow fashion and research where and how a garment is made before purchasing. For a more comprehensive guide of how you can be a fashion revolutionary, Fashion Revolution has a booklet for you!
Learn more about how your favorite fair trade fashions are made at our artisan partner cooperatives, and how your support of ethical fashion affects the lives of garment workers overseas. And all week long, share Fashion Revolution photos from our facebook album of some of our artisans.
