#whomademyclothes #ipledgeFRD
On Fashion Revolution Day (24th April), over 100 members of the public gathered at The Impact Hub to not only celebrate those who are taking strides to make positive changes in the fashion industry but to remember those who have died in the many garment factory disasters around the world.
With the screening of the award winning documentary, The True Cost, guests were left to ponder what the social and environmental impacts of the clothes they were wearing were, and what they should do to make a difference. What actions could they take?
Since the 2013 tragedy at Rana Plaza, Bangladesh, steps have been made to ensure the safety of workers who make clothes for fashion brands around the world. Our fellow Country Coordinator in Bangladesh, Nawshin Khair, explains that although workplaces in Bangladesh have become safer due to the Bangladesh Accord and Alliance's [1] enforcement of safety standards, there are still many factories that remain unaudited, and many workers still have poor living conditions. In fact, only 1/3 of exporting factories have been audited through The Accord, with an estimated 3 million garment workers falling outside the scope of both The Accord and Alliance. These include those working in unregulated factories where subcontracting takes place, and all of the homeworkers. These are the places where the workers are most vulnerable. To find out more, Fashion Revolution Bangladesh partnered Humans of Dhaka City to investigate the conditions of workers and published a series of photo stories with #imadeyourclothes from 18th - 24th April. You can see their stories here.
Change has to start not only along the supply chain, but at the consumer level too with people seeking more transparency and asking #whomademyclothes.
Being Responsible Consumers
Being a responsible consumer means being informed and being aware of your values. Our list of sustainable fashion options give consumers the choices that they can make in Singapore, but we asked our guests to decide what choices they would make as a commitment to sustainable fashion on Fashion Revolution Day #ipledgeFRD. Here's what was pledged.
Demanding Transparency
What do we look for when seeking transparency in an organisation? The new Fashion Revolution Transparency Index suggests looking at these key factors and questioning whether these are readily available to the public:
Policy & Commitment - what are the standards and goals the company sets itself for the protection of workers’ rights and the environment?
Tracking & Traceability - how well does the company know its supply chain?
Audits & Remediation - how does the company go about checking its supply chain for compliance with its policies and standards? And what is its approach to dealing with suppliers who fall below these standards?
Engagement & Collaboration - which organisations and stakeholders does the company work with to ensure its suppliers and their employees are treated well?
Governance - what checks and balances does the company have in place within its own organisation, to ensure its initiatives take place as planned?
Many companies are taking steps to do right, to pay living wages, to ensure minimal impact to the environment, to engage in open discussions with relevant stakeholders, and to collaborate with other parties who want to make fashion good. But we need many more to create a tipping point, to create a fashion industry where sustainability is not the exception but the norm. So let's continue to seek transparency and continue to ask #whomademyclothes.
Notes:
[1]
The Accord is a legally binding agreement between international trade unions IndustriALL and UNI Global, Bangladesh trade unions, and international brands and retailers (Companies).
The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety (Alliance) is a legally binding, five-year commitment to improve safety in Bangladeshi ready-made garment (RMG) factories.
