When women support each other incredible things happen. Imagine applying that thought to our shopping habits. Globally about three quarters of all garment workers are female. That could be your sister, mother, aunty or grandmother sitting for hour after hour at a sewing machine; being paid less than a living wage, in unsafe work conditions. Making the top that you snap up for a bargain, photograph once for Instagram and then throw away.
We need to connect our purchases with a human face. Connect with the art and process of garment making. Let's make a conscious choice to know where our clothing came from.
As Emma Watson says “It’s not enough for me anymore that it’s a beautiful piece. I want to know who made it and where it came from”.
Using our buying power to send a clear message to brands that we will settle for nothing less than transparency and fairness for those women working in every facet of the fashion industry, is an important first step in empowering women globally; both consumers and producers.
The easiest way to take this first step in exercising your purchase power is by choosing brands that treat workers fairly, pay them a living wage and offer good working conditions. By choosing brands that reflect our values we are ensuring the growth of sustainable and ethical shopping. Here are four brands that are transparent, sustainable and empower women in the production life cycle of their brands.
“Because I believe in making fashion fair” - says veteran fashion journalist Marion Hume.