A Fashion Revolution From Your Couch

Fashion Revolution week is coming to a close, but we continue to hope for a brighter future for the fashion industry. The COVID-19 pandemic marked a new chapter of change, causing business to shut down, orders to be canceled, and garment workers vulnerable to its effects. Nevertheless, as society slows down and pauses, the Fashion Revolution is ramping up more than ever, asking pertinent questions in a time of transition within the apparel industry. As consumers, there is a responsibility to seek credible information, be in the know, and advocate for better working conditions. Positive changes are happening, but many still remain in the dark. We can change that!

YOU can be part of the Fashion Revolution everyday. And with the current Stay Home, Stay Healthy order in most states, YOU can be part of the Fashion Revolution from the comfort of your home. #weareinthistogether

Fill your time with something fun and proactive by following @fash_rev on Instagram (trust us, they post great educational bits and tips to being part of the revolution!). And learn how you can be a part of a generation that calls for greater transparency in the fashion industry during COVID-19. There are many ways!

→ Order the Fanzine
One great aspect of the Fashion Revolution is that it uses creative mediums to highlight otherwise heavy subjects. The ability for a movement to visually capture complex issues can be seen in the Fanzine, a discussion of apparel industry problems and solutions. Released in batches of 1,000, the currently available Zine investigates the UK’s 10 Sustainable Development Goals. This is especially relevant during this pandemic, as goals like decent work and economic growth are on the forefront of political agendas. Get yours before it’s gone!

→ Shop fair trade brands
Of course, our shop is a verified member of the Fair Trade Federation, so rest assured, your purchases from us keep artisans employed, orders fulfilled, and hope restored. There are many other ethical and sustainable apparel brands out there; we’re in good company on this list curated by our friends at The Good Trade. Another way you can support the fair trade, ethical shopping movement is by sharing content on social media. Follow brands that we proudly stock and show them some love: @knownsupply, @matatraders, @globalmamas, @sevyahandmade, @abrazostyle, @maggiesorganics, @passionlilie. Repost their content on your Instagram story.

→ Email/tag any brand and ask, “Who made my clothes?”
Download, print, or make the “Who made my clothes?” poster, take a selfie in your favorite branded products, and tag the retailer. Emailing more your style? Fashion Revolution has put together a list of popular companies’ emails. Reaching out to your favorite brands shows them that their consumers care about the workers within the supply chain, which will lead to better transparency.

→ Sign the Fashion Revolution Manifesto
“We love fashion. But we don’t want our clothes to exploit people or destroy our planet. We demand radical, revolutionary change.” (Fashion Revolution).

Hold yourself accountable to the change that you want to see in the apparel industry.  Before you sign, read the Manifesto here ,which includes the belief that “Fashion is transparent and accountable. Fashion embraces clarity and does not hide behind complexity nor rely upon trade secrets to derive value. Anyone, anywhere can find out how, where, by whom and under what conditions their clothing is made.” Signing the manifesto is quick and easy (it took us 30 seconds!)

→ Read and share
The more you read up about the transparency issues within the apparel industry, the better versed you’ll be to share with your family on the phone, on your Instagram, and once we can interact with people again, with your co-workers, and barista at your favorite coffee shop. It can feel futile sharing a cause when everyone has something going on, but challenge that thinking. What if you took this time to educate yourself and others about how the apparel industry has had harmful effects on people and the environment? What if we used this time to really hone in on our consumption habits, reevaluated, and changed them for the better? Change starts with awareness, so pull out your phone, your laptop, drink your favorite beverage, and start reading!

—Thanks to Tabitha for this blog post (Apparel Design & Merchandising major at Seattle Pacific University and part of the FTW family!)