Author Archives: Mary Hanlon

Fashion Victims: Making Style Sustainable

Title: Fashion Victims: Making Style Sustainable – A conference for schools and colleges
Location: Bristol
Link out: Click here
Date: 2010-02-26

Fashion Victims: Making Style Sustainable, February 26^th, 2010.

Here is the Programme (subject to alteration), via Fashioning an Ethical Industry:

10 – 10:15	Welcome from University of West of England and Lee Holdstock, Soil Association
10:15 – 10:45	Tara Starlet, Blood, Sweat and T-shirts
10:45 to 11:15	Fairtrade farmer, garment worker and organic farmer panel (to be confirmed)
11:15 to 11:30	Break
11:30 to 12:30	Workshops 1
	1a. Designing for sustainability, Ian Capewell, Practical Action
	1b. From seed to shelf – an organic textile journey, Damien Sanfilippo, Pesticide Action Network and Lee Holdstock, Soil Association
	1c. Fashioning the future for garment workers, Garment worker (tbc) and Liz Parker from Fashioning an Ethical Industry
12:30 to 1:15	Lunch (exhibition and re-fashioning clothes demonstration)
1:15 to 2:15	Workshops 2
	2a. Fair trade and fabulous, Jenny Foster, Bristol Fair Trade Network, George Williams, Bishopston Trading Company and Fairtrade cotton farmer (tbc)
	2b. Waste and taking action on climate chaos, Lyla Patel, TRAID
	2c. New designs on fashion, Tamsin LeJeune, Ethical Fashion Forum
2:15 to 2:45	Break
2:45 to 3:30	Action update: Report back on workshops
	Conference end
3:30 to 4:30	Exhibition and re-fashioning clothe(to be confirmed)

FEI_Fashion_Victims

Source: FEI

Social Alterations featured on Fashioning an Ethical Industry

As followers of SA likely already know, this online lab was developed as a result of my research, ‘Social Alteration: Sustainable Design Solutions through Socially Responsible Design Education’ at Athabasca University. A few months in, SA has grown to include the work contributing writer and collaborator Nadira Lamrad, as well as contributing writer Katrine Karlsen, and has already created the SA Fibre Analysis as our first piece of free downloadable curricula.

I’m excited to report that Fashioning an Ethical Industry has added this work to the student project/dissertation section of their site! Thank you for your support!

Click here to check it out, as well as to learn more about these inspiring student initiatives:

22 magazine

Louise Boulter

University College for the Creative Arts (Epsom)

BA (hons) Fashion Promotion and Imaging

What is ethical wear?

Anita Costanzo

Universita IUAV di Venezia

Corso di laurea in Design della Moda

‘Six’

Danielle Fell

Nottingham Trent University

Fashion Marketing and Communications

Graduate

Can El Salvador develop and sustain homegrown design

Carolina Gomez

Chelsea College of Arts and Design

Textile Design

3rd Year

‘Make-Do-And-Mend’

Nathalie Gottschalk

Ma Ethical Fashion Graduate

Consumer Guidebook Nectar

Cathy Gray

University College of the Creative Arts

Work done in 3rd Year – now graduated

FILM CLIP and ‘Ethical Shopping Guide’

Kelly Levell

Arts Institute at Bournemouth

BA Fashion Studies Degree

Installation in response to exploitation of garment workers

Polly Pocock

North Devon School of Art

FdA Fine Art

‘Designing Happiness’

Anna Vening

Chelsea College of Art and Design

BA Textile Design

The Case for Sustainable Fashion: Organic and Sustainable Textile Seminar for Brands and Retailers

“21st Century supply chain management calls for innovative mindsets and specialized methodologies. Escalating oil prices, climate change, consumer awareness, water shortages, child labor, biodiversity, landscape management, transparency, pesticide management – all these elements impact on sourcing decisions, the supply chain and how we deliver product to the consumer.” (OE-MB Sustainable Fashion Seminars)

The Seminar is a unique 2 day intensive aimed to bring textile and apparel professionals working within the industry up to speed on opportunities to create responsible change within their supply chain.

Title: The Case for Sustainable Fashion: Organic and Sustainable Textile Seminar for Brands and Retailers
Location: London
Link out: Click here
Description :

“Some of the important topics covered include:

Environmentally Friendly Fabrics – Understand the Definition, Sourcing and Production Issues,
A discussion on Recycled Polyester and Climate Neutral Clothing,
Responsible Processing – The Good The Bad & The Ugly of Dyeing and Finishing Industry,
Product Integrity – Certification, Labeling, Transparency and Traceability,
Social Compliance – Understand the Different Systems and Learn The Actual Work Done,
Setting Sustainability Strategy – Learn from the Perspective of Leading Brands, Their Pitfalls, Triumphs and Lessons Learned,
Communication Strategy – How Sustainability and Branding Strengthen Each Other?
Fashion and Consumer Trends Towards Sustainability in Europe.

Participants will be encouraged to be critical, ask questions and share experiences during discussions. It would be an excellent place to actively share knowledge and information and to network at every possible level.

It is of our main intention that you will leave this event with:

Practical and in-depth sustainability strategies that can be used by your business,
A roadmap of action – a clear idea of what needs to be done, and how,
A new set of meaningful contacts.

Who would benefit most from this seminar?

If you are involved in supply chain management, buying, designing, fabric sourcing, marketing, CSR or are a professional and manager of a clothing brand or retailer, this seminar will assist you to initiate and develop your sustainable textile and apparel programme.
By attending, you will provide your company with an excellent return on investment as you meet with your peers, expand your knowledge of sustainable textiles, and find new opportunities for innovation, risk reduction/brand protection, and cost savings.

Please contact Nany Trivita Kusuma for additional details or questions” (event description directly sourced through OE-MB Sustainable Fashion Seminars)

Start Date: 2009-11-19
End Date: 2009-11-20

Source: CSF and OE-MB Sustainable Fashion Seminars

Ecouterre launch party @ Kaight

Will you be in New York at the end of October? If so, check out the launch of Ecouterre at KAIGHT.

Here are the event details:

Come sip organic cocktails, nosh on vegan cookies and snacks, browse through racks of sustainable fashion at KAIGHT (15 percent off everything for one night only), and chat about the future of eco-fashion with Ecouterre editors and other readers. If you’re interested in joining the fun, please rsvp@inhabitat.com, tout de suite! Here are the details:

WHAT: Ecouterre Official Launch Party!

WHERE: KAIGHT NYC, 83 Orchard between Broome and Grand, New York, NY 10002

WHEN: October 29, 2009 (Thursday) from 6-9 p.m.

WHO: Team Ecouterre and Inhabitat, including Jill Fehrenbacher, Jasmin Malik Chua, Abigail Doan, Yuka Yoneda, Rebecca Paul, Dan Mendes, and of course, KAIGHT founder and owner Kate McGregor!

HOW: Please RSVP to rsvp@inhabitat.com

FTA 2 for 1 Membership Promo

Fashion Takes Action is offering a 2 for 1 membership promotion until Oct. 30^th. Membership includes, among other services, free access to FTA’s e-courses, designed to expand and deepen your organization’s approach to sustainable business practices. For a sampling of what an FTA e-course is all about, the first e-course is available for free to both members and non-members.

Fashion Takes Action Membership Offer: Oct. 09

For more information on becoming a member, click here.

Source: FTA

SA Interviews Natalie Purschwitz of MakeShift [podcast]

SA had the pleasure of meeting with Vancouver designer Natalie Purschwitz of Hunt and Gather at her showroom on Saturday, Oct. 17^th (Day 47!) to discuss her project, MakeShift.

Here is the edited interview.

The MakeShift project challenges Purschwitz to wear only items she herself has made, for an entire year. The MakeShift Blog catalogues her daily progress.

Day 48, MakeShift

Although the project has been compared with the 100-mile diet, it must be said that notions of sustainability and social responsibility are not the primary focus of the MakeShift project. Such interpretation likely developed through some of Purschwitz’s design decisions- for example, she has chosen to repurpose materials she already owns through upcycling wherever possible.

SA was drawn to the project for its examination into the making of things, with respect to “the role of clothing as a form of cultural production.” (MakeShift)

Understanding the way in which we view our clothing is a necessary step in any effort to transform design and production. Once we have a sense of how we relate to our clothing, and how we, as individuals, are reflected in that process, we may discover systems that respect culture, society and the environment in the process. We believe that MakeShift’s investigation into “the relationships between ‘making,’ ‘clothing’ and ‘living’” (MakeShift) lends itself well to this challenge.

In this interview with SA, Purschwitz sheds light on why she decided to take on the project and some of the design challenges she has faced 47 days into the project. She also explains how she shapes her own ideology as a designer through the language of clothing, touches upon the role of social responsibility in the context of education and reflects on what she would like to see people take away from the project.

For more on MakeShift, visit the Blog and check out the showroom at Parkingspot, located at 8 E. Cordova St., in Vancouver’s Gastown.

We’d like to thank Natalie for taking the time to speak with us about her project, and are truly looking forward to following its developments.

BSR Conference 2009

Title: BSR Conference 2009
Location: San Francisco, CA
Link out: Click here

The 2009 BSR Conference kicks off tonight in San Francisco with a Human Rights Networking Reception starting at 5:30pm. Of the many interesting panel sessions, including “Integrating Sustainability into Sourcing, Design, and Production of Products” with Amy Leonard and Erik Joule from Levi Strauss & Co’s, Hannah Jones will be discussing Nike’s Considered Design Ethos during the panel “Integrating Sustainability into Corporate Innovation” at 4:30 on Oct. 22^nd.

We’ve mentioned Nike’s Considered Design Ethos before (see Nike Talks Trash and Nike: Considered Design Ethos, Steve Nash and the “Sixty Million Dollar Man”).

Check out this article on Greenbiz to learn more about Nike’s Considered Design initiative.

Description:

“In a world that’s been ‘reset’ by a trio of global crises—the sharp worldwide recession, accelerating climate change, and a collapse of trust in business—the implication and opportunities for business are enormous.

“Now more than ever, innovative sustainability strategies are needed to deliver business value today, and position companies to successfully meet the greater challenges ahead. The BSR Conference is an essential opportunity to learn how to leverage your resources, implement changes, and succeed in a world where business as usual is no longer viable.

“Don’t miss your chance to be part of one of the largest and most influential communities of corporate responsibility leaders, at what Forbes.com ranks among the top 12 influential executive gatherings for 2009. A new, restructured format with more—and more varied—session time than ever before means that you will be able to customize your agenda with the topics, level, and length of sessions that are right for you. Any way you design it, the BSR Conference will deliver a practical and interactive learning experience, unrivaled access to industry experts, and the knowledge you need to lead in a ‘reset world.’” (BSR)

Start Date: 2009-10-20
End Date: 2009-10-23

Source: GreenBiz and BSR

SCHMATTA: RAGS TO RICHES TO RAGS//HBO Documentary

“A cautionary story of labor and greed, Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags follows the decline of the once-robust apparel manufacturing industry in the U.S., while chronicling the industry’s relationship with unions and government. From the “Garmento” to the seamstress, from the designer to the marketing maven, from the small businessman to the financier, Schmatta offers a firsthand account of how the industry helped generations of Americans march out of poverty and right into the golden age of the American middle class. But while Schmatta reminds us of the early days of the garment industry and its heyday, it also probes its troubling decline, which has occurred largely within the last 30 years. In 1965, 95% of American clothing was made in the U.S.A.; by 2009, only 5% is manufactured here.

Director Marc Levin focuses his lens on Manhattan’s Garment District, an eight-block area on Manhattan’s West Side which gave birth to the domestic industrial labor movement, and played a key role in major American political activities. From its immigrant origins in the 19th Century, the labor movement rose quickly against deplorable sweatshop conditions. In recent years, however, the realities of automation, deregulation, globalization and outsourcing – all part of the race to the bottom line – eventually eroded the industry’s unprecedented momentum (more)” (HBO Synopsis)

Click here to read the review by Women’s Wear Daily, “HBO Heads Inside the Garment Center” by Rosemary Feitelberg.

Premieres Oct. 19 th-click here for showtimes.

Source: NLC and HBO

Community News

Community News is a new feature at SA, where we round up some stories, headlines and updates from in and around the community of socially responsible fashion design.

BusinessWeek

Special Report: Design Thinking

World’s Best Design Schools

Core77

IIT’s 2009 Design Research Conference: It’s all about Synthesis

Reflections from a Better World by Design Conference

Organelle Design’s “Hangeliers”

Design Revolution: An Interview with Emily Pilloton (by Allan Chochinov)

Design Museum lectures (Videos) [it will take some time to download] Vivienne Westwood: Active Resistance to Propaganda

Book Review: Change by Design, by Tim Brown

CSR Asia

Oxfam calls on businesses to do more on climate change

CSR Europe

Body Shop teams up with ECPAT International to stop child sex trafficking

Future ISO 26000 standard on social responsibility published as Draft International Standard

Ecouterre

Portland Fashion Week Showcases Green, Sustainable Designers

Eco-Fashion Struts Its Stuff at Paris Fashion Week’s Ethical Fashion Show, Green Showroom

Ethical Style

E.S.’s 24^th Magazine Issue “Ethical Accessories” is up, check it out.

Michael Kors on Cleaning Out Your Closet

Stella McCartney Calls Other Designers ‘Heartless’

Fashion Takes Action

FTA’s 1^st e-course is available to both members and non-members-click here to sign up.

Update: Women Exploiting Women

In March, SA followed The National Labor Committee (NLC) as they cited sweatshop conditions in a Guatemalan factory manufacturing clothing for Briggs New York (80%) and Lane Bryant (remaining 20%) clothing.

The NLC is now reporting that the workers have won their right to healthcare.

“Significant health and safety improvements have been implemented. All overtime will be voluntary. Vacation time and pay will be honored. And workers are guaranteed their right to defend their legal, women’s and labor rights-including the right to organize an independent union. CEADEL will help train factory supervisors on respect for human, women’s and worker rights. CEADEL will also verify factory conditions to guarantee that the agreement is fully implemented.

This campaign proves that international solidarity combined with the effective and dedicated work of local nongovernmental organizations such as CEADEL can result in major victories for workers across the developing world.” (NLC)

The NLC is also asking for support with its petition- a call to action that demands G20 leaders to protect, and not ignore, workers rights. The petition is demanding that “world leaders do something positive and concrete to protect some of the most vulnerable workers anywhere in the world.” (NLC)

Drawing attention to the danger and misery of child labor in Bangladesh’s shipbreaking yards, the petition asks the G20 to empower the International Labor Organization (ILO), to establish the rule of law, and to implement basic safety provisions.

The petition is directed towards Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown, as he is the chair of the G20 this year. Click here to sign the petition, and to support international workers rights.

This video, “Where Ships and Workers Go to Die” highlights Bangladesh’s controversial shipbreaking yards.

Source: NLC