As I’m sure you’re aware, this week is Fashion Revolution Week because three years ago on Sunday 24th April, 1,134 people were killed and over 2,500 injured when the Rana Plaza complex collapsed in Bangladesh.
This year I’m participating in #makersforfashrev on instagram, organised by Emily from In the Folds.
As makers, I think there are various ways we can get involved with and support the work of Fashion Revolution, including:
- Sharing & promoting our crafts (sewing, knitting, dyeing, weaving, spinning, etc.), in order to increase awareness of what is involved in making fabrics and clothes, and inspire other people who are curious to try for themselves.
- Supporting those (largely independent) companies who have ethical and sustainable practices – including those who are local to us and support our local economy.
- Recognising our continuing role as consumers – not of RTW, but of fabric, haberdashery and other supplies.
I have a couple of resources on my blog which are related to these topics:
- Last year I published a blog post exploring where a number of well known fabric manufacturers produce their fabrics. I’ve updated the post, which can be found here and in my blog sidebar.
- In my sidebar you’ll also find a post exploring British fabric, yarn and haberdashery manufacturers. Seeking out local-to-you producers is a great way to identify independent businesses who are supporting local jobs and industries, as opposed to exploiting cheap labour overseas.
P.S. I’d recommend the podcast Conscious Chatter which features interviews exploring sustainable fashion. You can find a list of all of my favourite craft/sewing podcasts here.