From the 22nd of April to the 29th, Fashion Revolution Week 2023 takes place.
What is Fashion Revolution?
Fashion Revolution is a well-known organization within the sustainable fashion community that is dedicated to transforming the fashion industry into a more ethical and sustainable one. The organization was established in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh, which claimed the lives of more than 1,100 people and roughly 2,500 others. This tragedy brought to light the harsh realities of the fashion industry, including the exploitation of workers, environmental damage, and the disregard for human rights.
Fashion Revolution’s mission is to change the way people consume fashion and to raise awareness about the true cost of fast fashion. They believe that everyone has the right to know where their clothes come from and who made them. The organization works towards creating a more transparent and accountable fashion industry by encouraging consumers to ask #whomademyclothes and by promoting sustainable practices among fashion brands.
In addition, Fashion Revolution has created the Transparency Index, which asses and ranks fashion brands on their transparency and sustainability practices. As you might have seen on my website, I often refer to this index! Next to this index they also have a blog, guides, and even a course that you can take to learn more about the sustainable development goals. Side note, I took this course without knowing it was from Fashion Revolution and I would highly recommend it. You can find the course on FutureLearn with the name ‘Fashion’s Future: The Sustainable Development Goals‘.
Fashion Revolution also works with various stakeholders in the fashion industry, including brands, manufacturers, policymakers, and academics. They advocate for policy changes that support a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry, such as improving labor laws and reducing textile waste. For example, their “Good Clothes, Fair Pay” campaign.
What is Fashion Revolution Week?
So the next question we then have is ‘what is the Fashion Revolution Week’?
It is an annual campaign of Fashion Revolution which happens every year in the week of the 24th of April, which is the ‘anniversary’ of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013.
During this week, the organization encourages consumers to engage with fashion brands and to ask them about their supply chains and sustainability practices. This event also serves as a platform for raising awareness about the impact of fashion on the environment and society.
The theme of this year is “Manifesto For a Fashion Revolution”.
“We love fashion. But we don’t want our clothes to exploit people or destroy our planet. We are coming together as a global community to bring our manifesto into reality.”
Their manifesto includes ten points covering topics like fair and equal pay, culture and heritage, and conserving the environment. Read their full manifesto here.
During this week, many events, online and in-person, are organized to bring together the global community and fight for systemic change in the fashion industry. Fashion revolution is active in 88 countries across the globe, including the Netherlands.
Interested in attending an event? Please click here to see if fashion revolution is active in your country.
All information including the pictures used on this website was gathered from fashionrevolution.org
