5 Ways to Become a Fashion Revolutionary
by Sonja Kraft
“Fashion Revolution is a global movement calling for greater transparency, sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry. The goal is to unite the fashion industry and ignite a revolution to radically change the way our clothes are sourced, produced and purchased so that what the world wears has been made in a safe, clean and fair way.”
Fashion Revolution started after the Rana Plaza complex collapsed in Bangladesh in 2013, killing over 1,100 people. The need was realized for more transparency in supply chains and for consumers to be aware of how their clothes are actually being made and the possible negative parts of the supply chain, such as exploitation of the workers and pollution of the environment. If there is transparency, consumers can identify whether or not people are being exploited in the supply chain or the environment is being harmed. Fashion Revolution aims to restructure the fashion industry to value people and the environment while still creating profit for businesses.
At Purnaa, we stand behind the vision of Fashion Revolution. We are now World Fair Trade guaranteed, meaning that our manufacturing process is done in an ethical way. We strive for transparency; anyone can come to take a tour of our facilities, and we are open about who made your clothes, featuring our workers on our website through pictures and interviews.
You can also be a part of the Fashion Revolution. Here are a few easy steps to take to become more involved.
1. Get informed
Research the fashion industry. Research your favorite brands. Find out what is really going on in the manufacturing process. The first step in bringing about change is getting informed. If you don’t know where to start, here are a few ideas.
– Visit the Fashion Revolution site
– The book, “Slow Fashion” by Saffia Minney,
2. Ask your favorite brands
Find out how transparent your favorite brand is with their supply change. Ask them the question, who made my clothes? The week of April 24th-30th is Fashion Revolution week. Take a picture showing the tag of your clothes and post it on social media with the hashtag, #whomademyclothes? Then tag your favorite brand or email them with the question.
3. Host a screening of “The True Cost”
The True Cost is a documentary showing what really happens in the fashion industry. It shows the harmful things that are happening in the manufacturing process, while also showing companies that are trying to do things differently. Watch the movie yourself and host a screening to show others what is happening in the garment industry. To find out more information go to, http://truecostmovie.com/
4. Change shopping habits
The fashion industry will change if consumers change their shopping habits and only buy from manufacturers who are creating their garments in an ethical way. Once you are informed, use that information to only shop from brands that you know are treating their supply chain and the environment ethically.
5. Shop second hand
Buying from ethical manufacturers is not always the cheapest option. Another way to help protect the environment is to buy clothes second hand. A big part of the way the fashion industry hurts the environment is by all the clothes that are thrown away. Shopping second hand will eliminate some of this waste. There are second-hand stores in almost every town and you can find good quality items there.
Raising awareness is a huge step in bringing about change in the fashion industry. If people know what is going on, then they will be able to find ways to help prevent the negative side effects from happening. At Purnaa we are transparent. You know how we are treating the environment and you know who made your clothes, you can even stop by and meet them personally!