This week was somehow reassuring, we're definitely heading in the right direction. Hannah Donald, the Communications Manager for Not My Style, an app that tells you how much your favourite brands share about the women and men who make our clothes, joined the Hospital Club last week for a showcase in sustainable fashion from a range of the UKs hottest brands.
"Clothes are getting drastically cheaper, and the number of styles on shop floors is dramatically increasing. It’s called Fast Fashion. The system is reliant on our clothes being made overseas by more than 40 million garment workers. Most of these garment workers are women in developing countries.
How do we know they’re being treated as we would hope? We want fashion brands to reassure us. Information on who makes our clothes and their working conditions remains elusive, even for the savviest consumer. Brands say that consumers don't care enough to push them to disclose their data, but consumers can't access the data easily, even if they try.
Not My Style is here to change that. With your help, we will create a consumer movement that pushes brands to be more transparent about their supply chains, with the ultimate goal of improving the lives of the women and men who make our clothes." in Not my Style
If you live in London and were anywhere near Oxford Circus station, you've probably came across Jigsaw's inspiring manifesto:
"British style is not 100% British. In fact, there's no such thing as 100% British. Or 100% Dutch, American, Asian or European. Whatever your opinion, at some point in your ancestry, someone moved in and unsettle the neighbours. Because none of us are the product of staying put. And we're no different.
As a clothing brand we couldn't do what we do if people weren't free to move around. Without immigration, we'd be selling potato sacks. We need beautiful minds from around the world. Working with beautiful materials from around the world. To make beautiful things for people around the world. Fear, isolation and intolerance will hold us back. Love, openness and collaboration will take us forward. " Jigsaw
Elsewhere in the world, we came across Away, an innovative travel brand which was created with social responsibility in mind, hiring from the start a social impact strategist. This brand has a unique partnership with Peace Direct, an organisation building peace in communities afflicted by conflict across the globe. (You can read all about it on Forbes).
Could this be the beginning of a shift in the way brands operate in the world? Let's not forget our role as consumers to make it happen. Shop wisely and demand more information about social responsibility initiatives and suppliers from the brands you love!