Fashion Revolution Week 2016

(Photograph by Stephanie Sian Smith for Fashion Revolution.)

Monday marked the start of 2016’s Fashion Revolution campaign, which is an entire week this year. As the movement grows, it’s important to remember the tragedy that captured the world’s attention on April 24, 2013, when Rana Plaza collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing 1,134 garment workers and injuring over 2,500. For many of us in the western world, that day brought a hugely needed wake-up call to the fashion industry, as the plight of these employees was laid bare before our eyes and we could no longer look away.

The collapse of Rana Plaza greatly changed my perspective on my shopping and fashion habits, and something I once loved as a fun and careless hobby soon became a driving force in my life. As I’ve educated myself about fast fashion, choosing to focus on supporting ethical and fair trade brands, I’ve found myself becoming more of an activist as each year passes. Joining the Ethical Writers Coalition has challenged me to continue this path in all areas of my life, and I’m constantly learning and questioning as I go.

I’ve written about Fashion Revolution in 2014 and 2015, shared tips to help you shop responsibly and told you about the beginnings of my own ethical journey. The ethics of fashion have forced themselves into all aspects of my life, and I definitely feel like I’ve made a lot of changes for the better, though it’s always a journey and I am still on my way. Many hours of research, thought, and discussion have gone into the ideas I share in this space, and I hope that you continue to find them helpful.

(Models Kimberley Marren, Savanna Small, and Emily Bador, photographed by Stephanie Sian Smith for Fashion Revolution.)

This year’s Fashion Revolution campaign continues to encourage consumers to find out “Who Made My Clothes?” by asking brands on social media. It’s a great place to start, but I encourage you to do more, to take responsibility for your own part in the fashion process, and to shop more ethically and responsibly, too. It’s not enough to ask a question if you never get an answer, but if you decide to put your money where your values and beliefs are, then change can come from that, I think. I hope.

My personal Fashion Revolution occurred three years ago, and I am steadfastly on the other side now. But I plan to continue as a guide and a source of information and, hopefully, inspiration, too.

Some helpful resources for Fashion Revolution 2016 include:

“The Clothes Keeper” by Orsola de Castro, founder and director of Fashion Revolution.

“A Moral Sense of Beauty” by Carry Somers, founder and director of Fashion Revolution.

Ethical Writers’ posts on Fashion Revolution 2016:
Sustaining Life
The Peahen
Green or Die
Sotela
Eleanor Snare
EcoCult
StyleWise
Kamea World
Terumah
Leotie Lovely
My Kind Closet
Let’s Be Fair
These Native Goods
IMBY