On Friday I was very honoured to sit on an ethical fashion discussion panel with Kresse Wesling from Elvis & Kresse, Veronica Crespi from Rewardrobe, Lori Smith from the Rarely Wears Lipstick blog and Heather Lodge from Helo Eco. The panel was being run by Shine Unconference, and explored how social enterprise fits in to the fashion industry.
There was some great discussions about new innovations, trends and projects that make fashion more ethical and sustainable. There were also some really tough questions from the audience that illustrated the huge mountain we’ve still got to climb.
Some of the key discussion points included:
Young People
Engaging young people is key to success. More work needs to be done in schools not only educating young people, but also teaching them basic make and mend skills. Too many things are thrown away for want of a simple stitch here and there.
Language
The way we describe things, and present them to others, is vitally important. Let’s drop words and phrases like ‘make, do and mend’ and ‘hand me downs’. Instead let’s swish and customise, and most importantly let’s have fun. When the world sees what a good time we’re having they’ll want to join in too.
Ask the question
High Street brands are starting to slowly change, but it’s still not enough. The excuse they often give is that they are driven by what consumers want. And if consumers aren’t asking for it, then they won’t deliver it. So it’s time we start demanding action and change. Write to your favourite retailer and tell them you want them to go eco.
Ethical fashion and international development
If all the Primark factories closed down tomorrow, what impact would that have for people in developing countries? Is ethical fashion the friend or foe of international development? Not a question with an easy answer, but when we look at the profits of some of these large companies, (some of which they aren’t even paying tax on) there is clearly room for re-distribution of wealth. Whether that is through community trust schemes, or a Robin Hood Tax.
What do you think the biggest issues in ethical fashion are? Leave your questions below and we’ll find some experts to answer them for you.