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Fashion
Revolutionary
Calling all fashion
revolutionaries!
Contents
02 Foreword by Tamsin Blanchard
04 Its time for a Fashion Revolution
06 Who is Fashion Revolution?
08 The things we need to change
10 The human side of fashion
11 Fashions environmental impact
12 Lets tell a different story about fashion
17 Transparency is beautiful
18 How you can be a Fashion Revolutionary
20 Be curious
26 Find out
30 Do something
38 Discover more
40 Contact us
And at the other end of the spectrum, I still love clothes for all the reasons I did
Ever since I can high street fashion grew and grew. to begin with. I know there is a long way
remember, I have What started out as affordable clothes,
made usually in British factories,
to go and industry itself has to make the
change. But as consumers we do have
loved clothes. became a global business. And when some power. Its really simple. We should
companies began to discover they could be buying fewer clothes, (we all have too
make more clothes for less money if they many), making more thoughtful decisions
I loved the long black velvet party dress used factories in India and China, they about the clothes we buy, wearing them
my mum made for me in the mid- increased production. What started as the longer, and enjoying them more.
seventies when I was six years old (I wish democratisation of fashion just got faster
and faster. Clothes got so cheap that there That is why I am proud to be a fashion
I still had it). I loved the sweater dress I
was no point making them anymore revolutionary, asking the question who
saved up for and bought from Chelsea
because you could buy a dress for less made my clothes? I want to know how
Girl in Liverpool when I was old enough
than the cost of a few meters of fabric. they are made, where they are made, and
Foreword to go shopping for clothes on my own.
what they are made of.
Tamsin Blanchard My mum used to make her own clothes From the late nineties on we started to
and she showed me how to make become a nation of greedy consumers. Together, we will
Journalist We bought stuff because we could it
mine too (although if I could sellotape
a hem, I would). I would look at clothes was cheap. And then we bought some we must -
in magazines, but I would shop for more of it. Some of it we didnt even make the change.
fabric and try to make my own. I would wear. Most of it ended up washed up and
sometimes buy vintage clothes and I unwearable or in a bin bag bound for
would revel in finding a bargain at a Oxfam. And even the charity shops didnt
jumble sale. For my first gig (Altered really want it. The clothes I once loved
Images c.1982) I made a skirt from have become a commodity, production
net and even managed fingerless line fodder.
gloves made from lace. Clothes were
I knew things were out of kilter, and I
something I lived, not something I ever
knew that such ferocious production
took for granted. I knew every messy
and mass consumption was not
stitch of my wardrobe.
sustainable. This was not what I signed
Not surprisingly perhaps, I went to fashion up for. The sheer volume and speed at
college and became a fashion journalist. which we are now producing clothing
I wanted to write about clothes and the is killing the planet: using too much
people who designed them. For me, water, polluting the rivers, destroying the
clothes were part of the culture we lived ecosystem with pesticides for cotton, and
in. They were a reflection of the music we being produced by garment and textile
02 03
On 24 April 2013, the Thats when Fashion
Its time for a Rana Plaza building in
Bangladesh collapsed.
Revolution was born.
There were five garment
Fashion
1,133 people died and factories in Rana Plaza all
another 2,500 were manufacturing clothing
injured, making it the for the western market.
Revolution
fourth largest industrial The victims were mostly
disaster in history. young women.
We believe that 1,133 is too
many people to lose from
the planet in one building, on
one terrible day to not stand
up and demand change.
Since then, people from all
over the world have come
together to use the power of
fashion to change the world.
Fashion Revolution is
now a global movement
of people like you.
05
We are We are designers,
academics, writers,
Fashion business leaders,
Revolution policymakers, brands,
retailers, marketers,
producers, makers,
Were here to tell a We believe that positive
workers and fashion
lovers. We are the
different story about change can happen if we
the clothes we wear. all think differently about
fashion and demand
better. We want a cleaner,
safer, fairer, more
transparent and more
accountable fashion
industry and we are
and textiles industry.
We want fashion to
the public. We are
become a force for
good. We believe in an
industry that values
people, the environment,
world citizens.
creativity and profit
in equal measure. We are you.
06 07
The things we
need to change
Model
Fashion is now one of the most
globalised industries. A single product It is estimated that we make
400 billion m2 of textiles annually.
It takes 2,720 litres of water to make
a t-shirt. Thats how much we
may span multiple continents before 60 billion m2 is cutting room
floor waste.
normally drink over a 3 year period.
Mindset
If we want to see fashion become a
force for good, were going to have
to change the way we think about
what we wear and why we wear it.
We need to love our clothes more.
We need to look at them as precious
heirlooms and as trusted friends. In Bangladesh garment
workers earn 44 per month
just of a living wage.
08 09
The human side
of fashion
Lucy siegle
10 11
Fashions
environmental
impact
12 13
Lets tell a
different story
about fashion
14
Cut me out for your selfie!
Transparency
is beautiful
Knowledge, information, The situation now: Why we need transparency
Brands dont even know Lack of transparency costs lives.
honesty. These three who makes their clothes.
things have the power to ts impossible for companies to make
sure human rights are respected
transform the industry. The Behind the Barcode report found and that environmental practices are
And it starts with one that out of the 219 biggest fashion sound without knowing where their
simple question: brands, only half actually knew what products are made.
Who made my clothes? factories their products were made
in, and only a quarter of brands knew Thats why transparency is essential.
where things like zippers, buttons, Transparency means companies
thread and even the fabric came from. know who makes their clothes at
least where they are stitched as a first
And its not just brands and retailers. step and communicate this to their
There are lots of middle-men involved customers, shareholders and staff.
too wholesalers, agents, supply
chain managers, and distributors. This is what Fashion Revolution
These are important and profitable is asking for. Knowledge,
parts of the industry that the public information, honesty.
doesnt really see.
How you can
become a
Fashion
Revolutionary
18 19
Take a look at Fashion Revolution calls on
20 21
Ask brands Turn you clothes inside out, Some brands wont answer at
who made my or at least make your label all. Some might tell you where
clothes? visible, then take a selfie. your clothes were made
Post your selfie on whatever but not who made them.
social media platform you Some will direct you to their
prefer with the hashtag corporate social responsibility
#whomademyclothes? policy. Only a few pioneers
Dont forget to tag the will show that they know
brand youre wearing something about the people
to encourage them to who make their clothes.
answer your question.
The best companies will ask
for the factory number on
your clothing label and reply
with specific details.
take a selfie
showing your label
__________
as k the brand
#whomademyclothes?
22
# who ma de myclot hes?
Become a What are you wearing as you
find fashion
detective
read this now? Have you got
30 minutes to investigate
it online? What could you
out uncover? Reconstruct the
story of your clothes by
investigating blogs, online
27
Play the Our new Trump Card game Another brand might score an
Fashion uses free2works research A- for worker rights because
Revolution on over 200 fashion brands, it might have a program that
Trump Card scoring them on ethical ensures workers are fully
game trade policies, transparency, paid even if a brand ends a
factory monitoring and relationship with a supplier.
workers rights.
This game will help you delve
Anyone who has ever played deeper into some of the most
a top trumps game can recall important issues in fashion
their favourite pack, the card today. So, when youre next
that beats the rest, and the shopping, you might find
one that always lost. It sticks yourself thinking not only
with you. about what would look good
or if you can afford it, but also
In this game, a brand might if the brand would give you a
score a D+ for workers winning or losing card.
rights because, among other
factors, it doesnt pay a living Download the trump
wage, doesnt guarantee card game here:
fair prices to its suppliers www.fashionrevolution.org/
and doesnt ensure that its education
factories have independently Explore free2works
elected trade unions. research here:
www.free2work.org/
a game for
ethical fashion
28 29
Buy better, Buy less
do bUy less.
Invest in
success.
The average UK household
has 4,000 worth of unworn
something
clothes and about 30% of the
Eileen Fisher
sustainably who are waiting to
be discovered.
Buy better
The Investment Buy is the
30 31
Rent, swish, Mend, make You can easily find places,
swap. Buy and customize physical and online, that will
second hand teach you amazing ways to
and vintage customise, mend, transform
pieces. and revitalise your clothes.
Donate your Its great that you give your Not that you shouldnt give
clothes clothes to charity shops your clothes to charity shops,
responsibly when you dont want them you should! But consider more
anymore. But our unwanted carefully where you choose
Buy vintage Swap til you drop second hand clothing is to donate. For example, you
Stylists use it, celebrities If youre sick of your becoming a problem for might donate your clothes
swear by it, and its a wardrobe and in need of a some countries in the to help people get to back to
sustainable way to buy. fashion fix, then you could developing world. According work with organizations like
Vintage gives you personal swap clothes with your to Oxfam, More than 70% of Dress for Success or Career
style and means youll friends. Go to a big swishing the clothes donated globally Wardrobe. Or you might look
be reusing, repurposing event, host your own end up in Africa, which has out for local clothing drives to
and extending the life of swishing party or even swap destroyed the economy for help the homeless, refugees
beautiful clothes. your clothes online. local tailors. or people in crisis.
32 33
express get others There are also loads of
36 37
Discover
more
38
Contact us
@Fash_Rev
fash_rev
fashionrevolution.org
fashrevglobal
www.fashionrevolution.org
credits
Written by:
Sarah Ditty
Ian Cook
Laura Hunter
Futerra
Designed by:
Heather Knight
40
__________
show
your label
__________
ask brands
who made
my clothes?
be curious
find out
do something
24.04. 16
#whomademyclothes?
fashionrevolution.org
@fash_rev