We all have to wear clothes. Yet, many of us are unaware of the real cost of the things that we put on our bodies.
Around the world, environments are destroyed to create clothes and worse, so are many of the people who are put to work in the factories of underdeveloped countries.
That’s where FashionRevolution.org comes in.
It’s a not-for-profit campaign with a single objective to make the fashion industry and its supply chains transparent and easy to examine, so that consumers can make informed decisions about the clothes they buy. They make choosing sustainable clothing brands a no-brainer.
The Origin Of Fashion Revolution Week
In 2013, a building in Dhaka, Bangladesh called Rana Plaza collapsed.
More than 1,000 people died. More than 2,500 more were injured. It is the deadliest accident involving the structural failure of a building in modern times.
It was home to many of the most exploitative fashion companies in the world.
The head of the local fire department would note that the upper four floors of the building had not had any planning permission at all and the building itself had never been intended to accommodate factories and the heavy equipment associated with them.
The tragedy of Rana Plaza made global headlines and from the rubble of the destruction a new movement was born. Fashion Revolution.
They had several objectives for their movement including:
- To provide dignified work in the fashion industry. No more exploitation and slavery. Workers in Bangladesh were being paid a pittance to risk their lives.
- To provide fair and equal pay. The constant outsourcing of fashion work to the poorest countries on earth keeps people in poverty instead of raising them up.
- To give workers a voice. Many fashion industry workers are frightened to speak out against their exploitation.
- To respect culture and heritage. To enable the fashion industry to recognize and celebrate its influences.
- To preserve the environment. This includes protecting the environment during manufacturing and enabling recycling, reusing and upcycling of the finished products.
- To deliver transparency and accountability. When an industry cannot hide away in the dark – we are all better for it.
The Famous Hash Tag | #whomademyclothes
The Fashion Revolution led to an annual event called Fashion Revolution Day to call the world’s attention to the abuses of the fashion industry.
In its first year, 2014, the hashtag #whomademyclothes which is representative of the movement was the number one trend on Twitter and it has been that way on April 24th of each year ever since.
How Can You Get Involved?
If you want to get involved in making the world a better place by improving the fashion supply chain – you can.
You can sign the manifesto on the Fashion Revolution website to show your support and to let big brands know that you support this. They will then send you a newsletter with other tips to help you take part.
If you work in the fashion industry, you can take an even more active role and volunteer with Fashion Revolution to help change your industry, for the better, forever.