#WhoMadeMyClothes

“…We are a pro-fashion protest; we speak the language of fashion, positivity, and inclusivity in the way that we wish to express ourselves.”

Clothing labels can mean different things to different people. For some, it’s a marker that what they’ve purchased came from a designer they love. For others, it tells them that they need to dry clean their favourite sweater before it shrinks into doll-sized clothing. For the #WhoMadeMyClothes movement, a label tells the story of how their garment made its way to their closet.

In 2016, the idea that some items of clothing are as disposable as a Starbucks cup isn’t far from the sad truth.  Most of us are guilty of purchasing a too-good-to-pass-up deal, knowing that if the item falls apart or out of style, our investment was minimal.

We’re not the only ones who see that this is a problem.

A rapidly growing movement called Fashion Revolution believes that disposable clothing isn’t sustainable and wants to spread the word by telling the stories of the individuals behind the sewing machines.

Refinery29:

Founded in the wake of the Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh, where 1,134 people were killed and thousands injured in the deadliest garment factory disaster ever, Orsola de Castro, Fashion Revolution’s cofounder says the tragedy was a catalyst for worldwide debate. “The Rana Plaza disaster acted as a metaphorical call to arms,” she says. “Consumers are increasingly aware of inequalities and ethical inadequacies throughout the fashion supply chain. We, as many others, felt that enough suffering had happened in the name of fashion and it was time to join forces and create a movement for positive change.” – Read More

 

Until Sunday, use #WhoMadeMyClothes to start up a conversation about the people behind your clothing while encouraging others to ask questions about their own buying habits and their favourite brands’ business practices. You’ve heard us say it many times: buying less, but buying better is one of the simplest ways to be sustainable with your closet. And as people who spend a lot of time staring at clothing care labels, let’s take a closer look.