By Amelia Burke
The people-powered projects are changing the production and value of clothing.
When it comes to fashion, it’s important to remember that it is rarely sustainable. In terms of pollution, water use, carbon emissions and human rights, the industry can have a significant effect on the environment.
It’s unfortunate that something that can be so inspiring, creative, empowering, something that combines history and tradition, can be so damaging.
Many people are aware of this, but I think that social media has convinced a lot of people that awareness is action; instead, we are just met with a loop of good intentions but low engagement.
Fortunately, there are many simple ways to learn about and play your part in making the industry a safer and more sustainable place.
There are inspiring action groups all around the world that are fighting against an unsustainable fashion industry and working towards a permanent change.
In honour of World Action Day for the climate, which was on Saturday, the 15th of November, I have researched a few of the many action groups designed to work towards a more sustainable fashion industry. Their policies, narrative and the system they use to keep fashion green.
Fashion Revolution:
For over ten years, Fashion Revolution has been pushing for a safer, cleaner industry. They believe in a “global fashion industry that conserves and restores the environment” rather than one of profit.
After the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, Fashion Revolution was developed by Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro. It is a diverse team full of designers, writers, business leaders, policy makers, brands, retailers, marketers, producers, makers and workers.
On their website https://www.fashionrevolution.org/about/, they have a full overview of their history, and all their aims, such as an end to human and environmental exploitation, safer working environments and living wages for everyone in the supply chain. They work towards ending throwaway culture, which is one of the biggest faults we as a society have today, caused by overconsumption and fast-changing trends and does huge damage to our planet.
Their website also has a blog written by people across the globe, where you can read all about updates and new discoveries about the industry and the climate. It includes sections like upcycling, equity, craft and culture, gender and many more.
Re/Make Our World:
The second organisation that I want to talk about is Remake Our World. Remake is a community of activists fighting to reduce both the social harm and the environmental damage caused by the fashion industry. They are a non-profit organisation that raises awareness of problems such as waste colonisation and the lack of gender and ethnic diversity in the industry’s top leadership.
Their websites: https://remake.world/, highlights the main issues within the industry.
100 billion garments are produced a year, and the majority are discarded after purchase. Two to eight per cent of greenhouse gas emissions come from fashion, the third-worst industry. 93% of fashion brands do not pay their garment workers enough to live on.
They have a list of actions that are simple and easy to act on, such as “no new clothes”, a challenge, where you try to buy no new clothes, or only shop second-hand for 90 days.
They also have a section labelled “5 Minute Actions” that includes petitions you can sign and emails you can quickly send to push executives to protect their workers. The more petitions and emails sent make it more likely that they will receive any acknowledgement, and the best part is that it really only takes five minutes.
The Clean Clothes Campaign:
An action group that fights for better conditions for garment workers, and may be one of the most successful campaigns in the fight against exploitation and for living wages.
“Our experience shows that the momentum for change is growing… There is still a long way to go, but together we can make change happen.
Fashion Declares:
“The climate, ecological and social crisis is the most serious issue of our time.”
Fashion Declares was launched in 2022 with an open letter calling for radical change in the fashion industry. The campaign was launched with the purpose of connecting with many people to create positive social impacts.
Fashion Declares believes that “the only thing missing is not the knowledge, technology and ideas, but the will.”
They have a global movement of over 1,000 fashion practitioners that run monthly webinars on decarbonisation, social justice and circular economy.
Style has become a conduit for change, a commitment dedicated to better transformations. It’s a movement and a fight towards a permanent solution, and through online websites and being more careful when you spend money on clothes, you too can be a part of this movement.
The benefits extend way beyond the impact of the environment and workers; sustainable companies are paving the way for a future in which the fashion industry can prosper without endangering the surrounding environment or the welfare of its people by encouraging a more moral and conscious approach.
So fashion can be fun, creative, empowering and green.