Author Archives: Mary Hanlon

Call for Submissions // CoDesign: Special Issue for Socially Responsive Design

CoDesign, the International Journal of CoCreation in Design and the Arts, has a call for papers out under a special theme:

Socially Responsive Design – understanding the differences between service design, social design and social innovation and identifying tools and methods for designing and evaluating social change.

Click here to read the full details of this call for submissions.

Deadline for submission: 28 January 2011

Proposed timetable to publication thereafter:

Post-review notification of decisions: 30 April 2011
Deadline for submission of revised papers: 30 June 2011
Final selected papers to production: 9 September 2011
Publication of Special Issue: December 2011

Contact Professor Lorraine Gamman l.gamman at csm.arts.ac.uk with any questions about the Special Issue.

Take Action // President of Garments Workers Unity Forum (GWUF) arrested, Bangladesh

Social Alterations has learned that Moshrefa Mishu, the president of the Garments Workers Unity Forum (GWUF) in Bangladesh has been arrested.

While Mishu was reportedly wanted by authorities in connection with the protests earlier this year, it has been reported that she was taken from her home on the night of December 14th, without an arrest warrant.

On Saturday, December 18th, teachers, writers, artists and cultural activists will gather in a Protest Rally to demand the immediate release of Moshrefa Mishu and an investigation into the cause of the recent factory fire that claimed the lives of at least 28 garment workers.

Speak up and out on behalf of garment workers: join the #SABangladeshProject by uploading your photo to flickr (tag #SABangladeshProject), twitter (@SA_FashionLab) or to our Facebook page.

Educating and Engaging // Shared Talent India, Centre for Sustainable Fashion

Shared Talent India encourages “fashion designers to exchange expertise with other protagonists across the supply chain, transcending traditional divisions, be they linguistic, geographic, or discipline based.” (Shared Talent India)

Designers can now access much needed information on opportunities and limitations of materials in India such as cotton and silk (among others). While designers may feel discouraged when they learn that genetically modified (GM) cotton “has found its way into almost every Indian supply chain,” they will no doubt understand the opportunity for change, as it exists in India, when they learn that “[s]eed exchange projects empower farming communities” (Shared Talent India).   

The project also provides information on the historical and cultural significance of skills such as weaving and knitting, dyeing and printing, embroidery, etc., as well as information on their processes. And, most important to designers, Shared Talent India presents a platform not only for education, but for engagement with direct access to suppliers on the ground.

Visit the project, get informed and join in on the industry conversation!

Congratulations to the Shared Talent India design team, their partners and funders and to the Centre for Sustainable Fashion for making this brilliant project happen.

At least 28 Garment Workers Die in Bangladeshi Factory Fire, Clean Clothes Campaign Reports

We are stricken by the news out of the Bangladesh today, where at least 28 garment workers have died in a factory fire. As you know, we have been campaigning for these workers, with your support. Our campaign is ongoing, and we will keep you posted on how to get involved as the story develops. In the meantime, please read the below message from the Clean Clothes Campaign.

The Guardian reports: Workers jump to their deaths as fire engulfs factory making clothes for Gap

The Associated Press, via npr: Dozens Killed In Bangladesh Factory Fire; 100 Hurt

______________________________________________________________________

The folowing text is an urgent message from the Clean Clothes Campaign:

AT LEAST 28 MORE GARMENT WORKERS DIE IN BANGLADESHI FACTORY FIRE

Labour rights groups: “Failure of brands, government and manufacturers to take preventive action condemns more workers to die”.

Amsterdam/Toronto/Washington D.C., December 14, 2010

“The Bangladeshi garment industry is notorious for its chronic safety problems, including locked or inaccessible fire escapes and malfunctioning fire equipment, which often lead to fatal accidents.” (Clean Clothes Campaign)

At least 28 more Bangladeshi garment workers have died and dozens more have been injured after a fire broke out today on the 9th and 10th floors of the “That’s It Sportswear Ltd” factory located 16 miles from the capital Dhaka. Several workers appeared to have suffocated, while others jumped to their deaths trying to escape the burning building or were trampled by their colleagues as they rushed towards the exits.

The factory was reportedly producing for major international buyers including Gap (confirmed) and Wrangler (VF Corporation), as well as for Hong Kong buying house BF Fashion. It belongs to the well-known Ha-meem group, one of the biggest manufacturers in the country, which has a dubious labour rights track record. The company is known for unauthorized subcontracting, meaning the factory may have also been producing for brands which are unaware of their production there.

The Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and other labour rights organisations have regularly contacted buyers sourcing from Ha-meem about violations of freedom of association and other labour standards at the company’s factories. According to the Ha-meem Group website their buyers are presently Walmart, H&M, Next, JC Penney, Kohl’s, Squeeze, Sears, Target Store, Charming Shoppes, Carrefour, Inditex, Miss Etam, Migros and Celio.

First eyewitness reports indicate that at least 2 of the 6 exits were locked, and that this was a common occurrence in the building.  The Bangladeshi garment industry is notorious for its chronic safety problems, including locked or inaccessible fire escapes and malfunctioning fire equipment, which often lead to fatal accidents. Said Scott Nova of the Worker Rights Consortium, “Labor rights organizations have pleaded for years with US and European clothing brands to take aggressive steps to address the grossly substandard fire and building safety practices of their business partners in Bangladesh. The brands have failed to act and, once again, we see the gruesome consequences of this inaction.”

Following the deaths of 21 workers in the “Garib and Garib” factory in February of this year, virtually all of the buyers of Hameem group were contacted by the CCC, the International Labour Rights Forum (ILRF), the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), and the Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) with a set of recommendations* outlining specific measures that should be taken to eliminate the systemic problems underlying these deadly tragedies. “More needs to be done by all concerned to ensure further disasters are prevented” the buyers were told, but brands, employers and the government failed to take the necessary action to avoid these preventable tragedies.

Measures proposed by the labour groups included a thorough review of all multi-story garment production facilities, expert fire safety inspections and ensuring that workers are allowed to report and challenge health and safety violations by supporting their right to organize.

“Workers keep dying while the brands, the government and the employers drag their feet and try to shift the responsibility upon each other” says Ineke Zeldenrust from the CCC. “We’ve warned the brands repeatedly that this would keep happening again and again, but they’ve chosen to respond only in a minimal fashion,” she added.

The CCC, ILRF, WRC and MSN also call upon the brands sourcing from the Hameem group to make sure that the injured receive all the medical care needed and that they and the relatives of the victims are compensated for current and future loss of income.

To read the full set of recommendations made by the CCC, ILRF, WRC and MSN to eliminate systemic safety problems in the Bangladeshi garment sector please visit: http://www.cleanclothes.org/news/action-for-safe-factories-in-bangladesh-on-5th-anniversary-of-spectrum-disaster

(Source: Clean Clothes Campaign)

‘Taking Liberties’ // Garment workers in Gurgaon earn poverty wages, facing violence and threats

“Workers’ children in the area are not admitted in the Government schools in Delhi as they cannot provide the documents the Delhi Government Schools ask for.” (Worker X, Case Study: Taking Liberties)

Labour Behind the Label and War on Want are reporting gross violations of workers rights in two Delhi factories producing garments for M&S, Debenhams, Next Monsoon and Arcadia.

Taking Liberties, cites exploitative labour practices such as unregistered living in slum housing, precarious labour through non-contractual temporary employment, threats and violence against workers through hired security in anti-union workplace environment, poverty wages (workers paid less than ½ a living wage), and forced overtime.

The report is asking M&S, Debenhams, Next Monsoon and Arcadia to:

Take action! Click here to download the report have your say! Speak out against worker violations and speak up for workers rights!

Youth in Action // Vow of Silence—Vancouver, Canada

“I am silent, are you listening?” (Child’s rights activist—Vancouver, Canada) 

Earlier this week, we told you that youth were going silent to mark the 21st anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Today, youth gathered outside the Vancouver Art Gallery. In solidarity, they stood silent to help protect the basic rights of children internationally.   

For more on this event, visit Free the Children’s www.iamsilent.com

VOTE // “Fair Trade Fits” student video contest, Fair Trade USA

To showcase their Fair Trade Apparel & Linens Program, Fair Trade USA created a student video competition titled “Fair Trade Fits.”  

Finalists from University of Michigan, Portland State University, College of William & Mary, University of Texas at Austin, and Kent State University are competing to win  a paid trip to visit a Fair Trade USA farm or factory. Fair Trade USA producers and manufacturers are located in India, Liberia, Peru, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

To vote, pop on over to the Fair Trade USA Facebook page (titled Fair Trade Certified) and ‘Like’ your favourite video.   

Voting closes this Friday @ 5pm Pacific Time, so you’ll have to hurry!  

Great work, everyone! And good luck to the finalists!

 

Toby Roberts, Portland State University

Jenna Creech, University of Texas at Austin

Rob Marty, Danielle Dwyer, Scott Brewington, Paula Billingsley of The College of William & Mary

Sharon Dranko, Kent State University

Theo Schear, University of Michigan

TAKE ACTION // Youth speak out for child rights through 24 hour vow of silence: November 19th, worldwide

On November 20th the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) celebrates its 21st anniversary.

To mark this occasion, Free the Children is campaigning for students and activists around the world to participate in a vow of silence on Friday, November 19th.

Why take the vow of silence?

• 121 million primary-school aged children are denied the opportunity to attend school. Most of these children are girls.

• 218 million children around the world work as child labourers. More than half (126 million, to be exact) work in hazardous conditions: in mine fields, with chemicals and pesticides, with explosives and with dangerous machinery.

• An estimated 300,000 boys and girls are exploited by armies during times of conflict when they are forced to act as soldiers, sex slaves and servants.

• Every day, 28,000 children die from poverty-related causes.

                                                                                                   (Free the Children)

The vow of silence asks youth who have a voice to go silent for those who don’t.

So what does this vow of silence entail? No talking, texting, or email for 24 hours!

Are you up for the challenge?

Teachers // To assist you in your classroom, Free the Children has developed free lesson plans (75-120 minutes), available online for download. Click here to download the lessons.

“Stay silent on November 19th in solidarity with children whose human rights are not being upheld. Show the world that we are not doing enough to protect the rights of children.” (Free the Children)

Students // Head on over to www.iamsilent.com and learn how you can get involved:  

  • Take the Vow
  • Get the Facts
  • Spread the Silence
  • Make it Count
  • Join an Event
  • Break the Silence

If this campaign runs on just a fraction of the energy stirred up from this year’s WeDay, we’re sure it will be a huge success.

ATTEND // International Symposium and Exhibition on Natural Dyes (ISEND): La Rochelle, France

In 2011, the International Symposium and Exhibition on Natural Dyes (ISEND) is set to make the case of natural dyes, internationally.

Understanding that responsible design must incorporate culture, society, environment and economy (respectfully / inclusively), ISEND successfully accounts for each of these four pillars, with speakers and presenters representing a vast array of countries, organizations and academic institutions.  

When: April 25-30, 2011

Where: La Rochelle, France

Details:

Monday: April 25th

Morning //

Session 1—“Natural Dyes, Across Ages, and Around the World”

Afternoon //

Session 2—“Textile Decoration using Natural Dyes: From Tradition to Innovation”

Tuesday: April 26th

Morning //

Session 3-5— “From the Past to the Future of Natural Dyes: The Contribution of Archaeological and Anthropological Research”

I. « Reds and blues in history, from Asia to America; recent identifications of colorants in museum collections »

II. « Natural dyes of American pre-Columbian civilizations »

III. « Purple from Muricids and Indirubins »

Afternoon //

Session 6A—“Roundtable on Natural Indigos”

Session 6B —“Biological Activities of Natural Colorants, Applications as Food Colorants”

Wednesday: April 27th

Morning // Excursions

Afternoon //

Session 7— “Recent Advances in the Selection, Biochemical Study, Production and Applications of Natural Colorants”

I. « Cultivation of dye plants »

Workshops: Natural Dyes of Americas / Natural Dyes of Australia / Natural Dyes of Madagascar / Dyeing with cochineal / Colouring the unexpected; dyeing felt

Thursday, April 28th

Morning //

Session 8-9— “Recent Advances in the Selection, Biochemical Study, Production and Applications of Natural Colorants” (Con’t)

II. « Identification and scientific studies of traditional and « new » sources of  colorants; extraction of natural colorants from dye plants

III. « Applications in the textile industry »

Afternoon //

Session 10— “Recent Advances in the Selection, Biochemical Study, Production and Applications of Natural Colorants” (Con’t)

IV. « Advances for applications in different crafts and industries: cosmetics, paints and plastics » Workshops: Hair-dyeing using natural colorants / Recently developed processes for dyeing with natural colorants

Friday, April 29th:

Morning //

Session 11-12— “Economic and Social Impact of the Development of Natural Dyes – Case Studies”

I. Gender and rural development issues

II. Environmental and pedagogical issues, contributions of NGOs

Afternoon //

Session 13— “Valorisation of Natural Colorants: Databanks, Marketing, Labels”

I. « Proposition of a computerized tool to collect and make globally available knowledge on natural colorants »

II. « Marketing of natural colorants and of products dyed/coloured with them »

III. « Label(s) for natural colorants »

Click here to read the full program, and to check out the amazing list of speakers and presenters.  

Embedded within the symposium will be excursions and workshops, poster presentations, fashion and art exhibitions, as well as stalls, with even Aquarium and Museum exhibitions open to delegates and public.  

On Friday the 29th, under Session II: Marketing of natural colorants and of products dyed/coloured with them, Sasha Duerr and Katelyn Toth-Fejel of the Permacouture Institute will be presenting a lecture on “Slow Textiles, Ecoliteracy, and Natural Colorants.”  

Sounds amazing!