In celebration of the 10th annual Fashion Revolution Week, a national campaign of fashion activism which takes place this year from 15 - 24 April, we delve into how Notts locals can do their bit to support the cause right here in our city.
Fashion Revolution Week is the world's largest fashion activism movement, and each year seeks to rebel against the disposable mindset of the current global fashion industry, while addressing issues such as human and environmental exploitation; transparency and accountability across the supply chain as well as the current ‘throwaway culture’.
It was launched by the founders of global movement Fashion Revolution, Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro, and each year takes place around the anniversary of the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster. Widely considered to be the fourth largest industrial disaster in history, the event saw 1,134 people killed, and more than 2,500 others injured after the collapse of a garment factory in Bangladesh where clothing from many of the biggest global fashion brands were manufactured.
In the ten years since the disaster, the fashion industry is still riddled with fast fashion brands who exploit workers and manipulate buyers with practices such as greenwashing, which uses deceptive marketing to persuade shoppers into believing that their products are environmentally friendly. Or, the likes of SHEIN, Boohoo and Pretty Little Thing selling goods for as little as £1 or even 10p during Black Friday sales, which only serves to escalate the throwaway culture that is leading to tonnes of garments ending up in landfill and polluting our environment.
However, there are some brands and cities who are being the change they want to see and Notts is certainly one of them.
Nottingham is a city which has had an undeniable impact on the fashion and textiles world. A city where style and sustainability have been woven into the very fibre of its being, long before sustainable fashion as a movement was even a thing.
Notts consistently tops the charts as the top location for charity shops, vintage preloved finds and thrifted treasures, boasting almost 200 charity and vintage shops across the city
Some might say Nottingham’s sustainable fashion journey began with its lace making roots, which saw lace makers source quality cotton for their iconic lace patterns ensuring their garments stood the test of time, eventually getting handed down through the generations.
More recent years have seen other Notts brands championing sustainability, including the likes of fashion house Paul Smith, which a few years ago committed to using more materials with a lower environmental impact through its Sun Logo collection.
All Paul Smith garments that sport the Sun Logo contain at least 50% low-impact materials such as GOTS certified organic fibres, organically grown cotton, recycled fibres, responsibly sourced wood-based fibres, natural rubber, leather from LWG rated suppliers or materials such as vegetable or bio-based fibres. The brand’s SS23 collection achieved a level of 78% low-impact materials, with a view towards achieving 100% in the coming years.
Meanwhile, businesses like family run Notts business Ettos, are helping to revolutionise transparency in the fashion industry with its digital platform that empowers clothing brands around the world to gain complete transparency of their supply chains. Allowing brands to foster sustainability, accountability and traceability, Ettos marks an integral step towards a more transparent and ethical fashion industry, where brands and manufacturers can verify the sustainability of their entire supply chain.
There are other ways the city’s fashion industry is doing its bit to help too, in fact Notts consistently tops the charts as the top location for charity shops, vintage preloved finds and thrifted treasures, boasting almost 200 charity and vintage shops across the city. This includes the likes of charity shop giants White Rose which have a range of shops across the city centre as well as Beeston and West Bridgford, and further afield in places such as Sheffield, Leicester, Derby and Newark. Or, popular vintage shop COW which recently launched its kilo thrift store last year.
While it’s encouraging to see so many positive steps in the right direction when it comes to revolutionising the current fashion world, there’s still a way to go with the most recent figures stating that fast fashion accounts for 1.8 billion tonnes of carbon emissions each year, 35% of microplastics in the ocean and 20% of global freshwater pollution. In addition, according to Fashion Revolution’s Fashion Transparency Index 99% of the world’s big fashion firms are still underreporting on the numbers of workers in their supply chain who are paid a living wage.
That’s why movements such as Fashion Revolution Week are still as important today as they were ten years ago. And, in a world that continues to be ravaged and pillaged of its goods for a cheap look or where people’s lives come second to the latest trends it’s never been more important to help bring about further change. Thankfully, there are so many ways you can get involved.
@fash_rev
Visit
Re-Fashioned Revolution: The Charity Fashion Show at Metronome
Tuesday 16 April at 7pm | £3.50
Featuring a range of looks styled by NTU students using clothing donated by Oxfam, guests can shop the runway outfits after the show. All proceeds go to Oxfam.
Do
Mend in Public Day
Saturday 20 April
Grab some friends and your needle and thread then get out into your local community and stitch in protest against disposable fashion.
Shop
Opt for preloved or shops with transparent sustainability credentials.
We recommend: COW and COW Thrift, White Rose, Lucy & Yak, Hopkinsons, Garms, Relic x Hooked, Karma Vintage, Happy Sunday, Argang Store, Karma Vintage, Rebekah Peters, Ford & Guy
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