Fashion Revolution Week: Digital Strike
It's day 5 of Fashion Revolution week, and today is also 7 year anniversary of the day the Rana Plaza factory, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, collapsed. Killing 1138 people and injuring 2500 more. Among the rubble labels of Western clothing brands were found, including Primark and Benetton. (source: Forbes)
This 7 year anniversary I am digital striking to say enough is enough, fast fashion retailers need to be held to account. For their continued use of slave and sweatshop labour, for the unsafe working conditions they pay for, and for their destruction of our planet.
The human rights abuses of fast fashion brands are inextricably linked to their abuse of the natural world. "In China, it is estimated that 70 percent of the rivers and lakes are contaminated by the 2.5 billion gallons of wastewater produced by the textile industry." (source: Ecowatch). And fast fashion's carbon footprint is immense.
Meanwhile it is the poorest in our societies, many of the same people the fast fashion industry preys upon, who will be most affected by climate change.
"Deadly heatwaves - similar to one in 2015 that killed thousands of people in India and Pakistan - could soon become the norm, with the eastern Indian city of Kolkata (Calcutta) and the southern Pakistani city of Karachi likely to be the worst affected." (source: BBC News)
"Meanwhile Bangladesh experiences different types of Natural Disasters almost every year because of Global Warming" these include flash floods, cyclones, salinity intrusion due to rising sea levels, and extreme temperatures and drought. (source: NCDO)
These three countries are where much of the world's fast fashion is made.
So let's demand better of retailers, let's spend better when and where we can, let's consume less, let's lobby for government regulation and intervention, and let's say ENOUGH, TRULY IS ENOUGH!
To get involved with digital activism around fashion and the climate I have linked some great organisations below!
- Fashion Revolution, the founders of fashion revolution week, work in a number of ways. They work with the industry to help create more transparency, accountability and better working practices across the supply chain. They host events and digital campaigns with the public. They also lobby government and policy makers, for lasting change to revolutionise the fashion industry.
- XR Fashion Action, campaign for change in the fashion industry in terms of climate change. They are involved in demonstrations, particularly at Fashion Week last year. They are also running online classes in mending and knitting.
- Fridays for Future, run online digital strikes every Friday relating to the climate crisis, anyone can get involved.
- Fashion Our Future is a community pledging to they consume fashion to help stop climate chages. You can take an online pledge, and get involved on Instagram.