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fashion &
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story and the life-cycle of clothes, and
are willing to pay more for it all”.
The Clean Clothes Campaign is an
example of a group concerned with
the rights and health of workers in
the global garment and sportswear
industries. It raises issues with
governments, the media and
consumers and encourages fashion
producers to examine their practices.
Such was the case when Versace,
Gucci and Levi decided to stop using
sandblasted denim. The sandblasting
that gives jeans a used or worn look
also contributes to a potentially lethal
pulmonary disease in the workers who
carry it out.
On the opposite side of the coin are
the individual designers or labels that
are going directly into impoverished
communities and working with them
to create decorative components or
complete garments and accessories
that benefit everyone involved.
The Polly & Me collection, ‘Peace
of Cake’, was launched at the 2011
Rosemount Australian Fashion Week.
Australian designer Cath Braid began
Polly & Me in 2003 as a social
enterprise, working with around 1000
female embroiderers in 19 centres
across the remote valley of Chitral
in Pakistan, to create the signature
hand-embroidered cloth that adorns
the label’s handbags, clutches and
wallets. The aim is to encourage rural
artisans to utilise their traditional craft
in a contemporary way, promoting selfsufficiency
and dignity.
After the
catastrophic 2010
earthquake in Haiti
American designer,
Donna Karan,
visited the island.
According to Jan Breen Burns,
other local fashion designers working
hard to do the right thing are Alex
Trimmer from Sosume, Rachel Bending
from Bird Textiles and Lisa Gorman
(Gorman).
“These are all interesting designers
who could tell you about the struggle
to stick to your green principles, and
the kind of compromises they will and
won’t make, to compete in a market
that still privileges fast, cheap, fashion
with no ethics to speak of,” says Jan.
Overseas the trend is developing
in exciting ways too. Last year
Deana Bianco, the UK-based editor
of Runawaynow.com, a trend setting
travel website, wrote an article about
Ilaria Venturini Fendi (from the famous
Fendi Italian fashion house) who was
creating handbags made 100 per cent
in Africa.
“I wrote the article for the Eco
Tourism section of our site,” explains
Deana. “I write with my friends in
mind; places they want to visit, things
they want to do. People want to travel
but they want to know they aren’t
leaving a carbon footprint wherever
they visit.”
Deana says Stella McCartney
was one of the first designers she
remembers discussing ethical fashion.
“I remember reading that she wouldn’t
use leather or fur in her collection and
I thought that was pretty punk,” says
Deana. “The term really stuck with me
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