Celebrating 11 Years Of The World’s Largest Clothing Activism Movement
By Alice Hartwell
The past decade has seen a cultural evolution towards responsibility in fashion. On a grassroots level, consumer mindsets are more conscious than ever before, with voices growing louder by the year for a more sustainable and ethical fashion landscape. Only when these calls unify can they be heard, and we have movements like Fashion Revolution to thank for that.
Today, on its 11th anniversary, we recognise the mission and milestones of this global campaign, standing in active solidarity with aspirations for a fashion industry that conserves and protects, rather than depletes and exploits. In the words of a particularly notable Swedish climate activist, it is time to rebel.
What is Fashion Revolution?
This international, community-driven movement was initiated in 2014 as a response to the Dhaka Rana Plaza factory collapse on the 24th of April 2013, a devastation that stole the lives of 1,134 people, while leaving thousands more gravely injured. This preventable tragedy exemplified the danger vulnerable garment workers were being exposed to in the name of convenient fast fashion, spurring Fashion Revolution founders Carry and Orsola to set in motion the world’s now largest fashion activist organisation.
Their past 10 years have been spent rallying people, businesses and governmental policymakers to better the fashion industry and its environmental and human impact. Fashion Revolution’s central aims are built upon the restoration of our natural world and trade that values life over profit. Education, advocacy and community power are its chosen tools, each seeking to overthrow the culture of fast fashion and eliminate the abundant dangers it presents.
One of their many thousands of advocates worldwide is sustainability content creator, writer and founder of Ethical Influencers, Besma Whayeb, who shares with us a few thoughts on her presence in the mission:
“Fashion Revolution is both a magnifying glass on the fashion industry, as well as a hopeful lens pointing towards what fashion could come to represent. I spent a long time staring through the magnifying glass scrutinising fast fashion brands and calling out greenwashing, but today I’m more inspired by circular fashion and sustainable fashion brands that are working to prioritise people and the planet alongside profit.”
Who Made My Clothes?
It's a simple question really, but one that within an unsustainable fashion landscape becomes mystifying. Fast shopping habits are rooted in an ethos that’s very much “buy now, think later”, or, ideally, just don’t think at all. The #WhoMadeMyClothes campaign has proved central to the Fashion Revolution movement, influencing significant industry change through rallying cries for consumers to demand greater transparency and accountability from fashion brands. This includes access to information across their entire production line, from materials used, factory conditions, and, of course, the makers themselves.
Besma concurs, going on to say how Fashion Revolution “inspired millions of people to scrutinise fashion brand’s supply chains and how they were erasing people - and not just erasing them, but also keeping them in unsafe, unfair, and sometimes even illegal working conditions. They are the reason so many brands have begun mapping their supply chains and sharing more about the way their clothes are made with their customers.”
Renewing International Accord to protect garment workers worldwide
Considerable work within Fashion Revolution revolves around generating long-term policy changes. This goal requires diligent work, demanding greater legislation and legal agreements to protect the safety of garment makers in developing countries. In the wake of the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse, an International Accord was legally put in place to safeguard workers in the clothing industry. Fashion Revolution’s tireless campaign ensured this Accord was later renewed, promising the ongoing protection and fair pay of employees.
EU strategy for sustainable textiles
This ethical fashion organisation has also been an essential ally of the sustainable textile movement in the past decade, notably playing a role in the EU strategy for responsible fabrics. The 2030 visions of this strategy are founded on the following; greater durability and recyclability of textiles, more garment repair services and the availability of higher quality pieces at an affordable consumer price point.
Join the revolution, be the fashion revolution
With the movement celebrating its 110th birthday, there’s never been a more apt time to get involved. So how can you become a fashion revolutionary? According to Besma “Whether you’re new to the movement or a veteran, everyone is welcome”. Alongside making use of the organisation’s countless online education resources and event opportunities, you can use the one thing Fashion Revolution depends on to succeed: your voice. Share the hashtag #WeAreFashionRevolution to demonstrate support, spread the message and find other like-minded individuals determined to create a kinder fashion climate.
Fashion Revolution exists in over 90 countries worldwide, so no matter where you are, you can align with a local community. If it doesn’t exist yet, fear not, you can start one with the support of the online #fashrev collective and its countless resources. The biggest localised Fashion Revolution movements began with one person passionate about regional industry change.
“In the beginning, conversations around fashion and sustainability in Brazil were minimal. It needed to be built and has been a work in progress since 2014,” says Fernanda Simon, FashRev Brazil director.
Today, the country hosts over 800 Fashion Revolution events and works collaboratively with indigenous people in a united mission towards a better garment industry.
