Fashion Revolution
Fashion Revolution is a global movement calling for greater transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry.
On the 24th April 2013 a clothing factory complex in the Dhaka District of Bangladesh collapsed. The devastating collapse left 1138 dead and and over 2500 injured. Just months before a factory fire left 112 dead in another tragic accident. These two disasters, notably some of the worst ever recorded industrial incidents, opened the world’s eyes to the incredibly poor working conditions that many clothing workers face around the globe. These disasters were a catalyst for groups such as Fashion Revolution to form, and they have been uniting producers, brands, retailers and consumers worldwide to take a stand and make a positive change to the industry.
Fashion Revolution Week
22nd – 28th April is Fashion Revolution week. It falls on the 6th anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse and aims to unite the fashion industry and radically change the way our clothes are made and bought. Over the past half decade, Fashion Revolution have helped prove that our questions, voices and shopping habits can have the power to change things for the better. Together we can drive positive trends.
“Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want” – Anna Lappé.
Who Made My Clothes?
Have you ever wondered who made your clothes? Where they live, if they have a family, what their lives are like?
Our clothes pass through many hands before they hit store shelves. Approximately 75 million people work to make our clothing, 80% of them are women. However, the majority of garment workers are exposed to unsafe working conditions, low wages and long and unpredictable working hours. This is why it is so important to make sure the clothes we buy have been sourced in an ethical and sustainable way by the brands we love.
We have designed cards that make it easy to ask your favourite brands, ‘who made my clothes?’. We’re sending them out with every order during Fashion Revolution Week so you can snap a pic, tag brands (and us!) and share on social media.
Babipur team member, Gemma (@honeybeesandmuckyknees), will be posting photo grids on Instagram throughout Fashion Revolution Week. These grids, images of Babipur customers, staff and buddies, will total the number of people that lost their lives in the Rana Plaza collapse. Highlighting why it is so important to ask brands ‘who made my clothes?’ and make sure they are made in a safe and fair way.
Certifications
How do you know if your clothing has been made in a way that has a positive effect on people and the planet?
Certifications are the best way we have to prove that a garment has been made to certain standard. Examples of these are Fairtrade, GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Oeko-Tex, Soil Association, Peta certified vegan and Fairwear. The list does go on and it is really important that, as a consumer, we understand which certifications should affect our purchases. We explained some of the big hitters surrounding organic cotton in a previous blog post.
GOTS
GOTS is the worldwide leading standard for organic fibres. Its criteria is extensive and addresses both ecological and social issues across the supply chain. If a garment is GOTS certified it means that everyone throughout the manufacturing process has been treated fairly, from farmers, and cotton pickers through to weavers and tailors. It also means dyes and processes used are environmentally friendly and the final product is made to a high quality.
From the very beginning of Babipur all the clothing brands we stock have been GOTS certified and will continue to be so. We see the importance of being sure that our children’s clothing has positive effect on the people who made it.
So, join us this Fashion Revolution Week and ask, ‘who made my clothes?’
