Category Archives: Social

WATCH// Social Alterations @ FEI

Here are just two of the videos we took at the conference. We have more videos to come, so stay tuned for those.

The first video is of my Pecha Kucha talk. I’ll be posting the slides and my notes a little later on. Please contact us if you have any questions on the works cited in the presentation.

Social Alterations @ FEI from Social Alterations on Vimeo.

The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) held the table next to ours during the Market Place on day two of the conference. We asked them what exactly responsible fashion meant to the EJF, and for their thoughts on why designers should care.

FEI Conference 006 from Social Alterations on Vimeo.

Pesticide Action Network (PAN) was also there, asking participants “what organic cotton means…..to me”. Pictured above is Nadira Lamrad (right) with her answer.

Hacking Fashion w/ Otto von Busch

One of the headliners at the conference was Otto von Busch (Haute-Couture Heretic – critically hacking and re-forming the operating system of fashion and the industrial modes of production). The presentation “Hacking Fashion” was absolutely fabulous, and when it came time for Otto to close his presentation, nobody wanted it to end!

Investigating ‘rituals of fashion,’ Otto discussed the role of fashion in activism and asked: are we still open to invest emotionally in fashion?

With fashion week, we celebrate the arrival of spring, and then when the new season comes into play, we ritualistically slaughter off the old to celebrate the new.

According to Otto, designers believe in intelligent design, meaning that what they do is extremely unique.

He asked some interesting questions:

Why do we slaughter fashion at the end of fashion?
What does this repetitive ritual mean?
Has the emotion been lost?

Other questions surrounded the consequences of the democratization of fashion, and so much more.

This is just a small reflection on Otto’s presentation. Stay tuned for a full roundup of Hacking Fashion: How can we participate in fashion differently to build an industry that nurtures both maker and wearers?

In the meantime, check out >self_passage<, a project that explores empowerment, self-development, and personal growth through fashion.

“The selfpassage projects try to bend the power of fashion into a force to achieve a positive personal and social condition with which the Everyperson is free to grow to his/her full potential by means of engaged fashion practices” (>self_passage<)

Social Alterations @ FEI

So here we are in London for the Fashioning an Ethical Industry Conference: Fast Forward. Today, Nadira and I will both be presenting at the conference, and with Katrine in attendance, this will mark the first time the SA team is all together in the same place at the same time!

We will be doing lots of blogging and twitter (ing?) from the event, and will have our presentations uploaded later tonight for you to check out, so be sure to tune in.

Follow on twitter via @maryhanlon for that feed.

Wish us luck!

Take action on Philippines labour rights abuses‏

A message from Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN):

Last fall, a high-level International Labour Organization (ILO) mission went to the Philippines to investigate “serious allegations of the murder of trade unionists, death threats, arrests of trade union leaders in connection with their trade union activities, widespread impunity relating to violence against trade unionists and the militarization of workplaces in export processing zones (EPZs) and special economic zones”. Their report is due to be released next month.

Unfortunately, violence and judicial persecution of trade union leaders and activists is continuing. Below, we urge you to support workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining by taking part in two action campaigns by labour and human rights promoters that highlight the continuing pattern of abuse of worker rights in the Philippines.

Karnation Industries: Twenty workers at Karnation Industries were arrested during a 2007 strike against the illegal dismissal of union members, the non-payment of holiday pay and night bonuses, as well as a salary that was only half of the minimum wage at the time. They have spent two and a half years in prison, during which time two workers died from tuberculosis contracted since their incarceration. 14 workers were temporarily released on bail in November of 2009. Four of the workers remain in prison. All of the surviving workers are still facing charges, and the company has filed a motion to reverse the bail decision and return all of the workers to prison. Join the Asia Human Rights Committee in protesting the continuing judicial persecution of the Karnation 20 here.

Dole Food Company: Managers at a Dole pineapple plantation in the Philippines have worked with the military on an intimidation campaign against an independent workers’ union and their democratically elected union leaders for the past four years. Workers who met recently with an International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) representative have been fired or suspended. Join the ILRF in protecting the rights of Dole workers to freedom of association and collective bargaining here.

Join the Maquila Solidarity Network and support the continuing efforts of labour and human rights workers on the ground.

Source: MSN

Tracing Trash

Trash of Your Society (T.O.Y.S.), an art project of theSYNdicate, is on tour investigating the after-life-cycle of products, or artefacts (a.k.a. trash). Do you know what happens to your products once you’ve tossed them?

Here is part of ‘The Concept’:

The footsteps or traces that refuse leaves internationally, are the subject of the art project of theSYNdicate: how countries deal with refuse in different parts of the world; the global cycle of refuse; the dimensions of European refuse in Africa.

Transport routes of primary products as well as of finished consumer goods cover long distances, in this globalised world, with many stages, and with goods passing through many hands: sometimes transported goods describe a cycle, other times goods travel in a more one-dimensional perspective.

At the end of a cycle, for example, a number of high quality goods from the southern parts of the world land in Europe, to be sold at high prices, with a hefty profit margin – which drives turnover and stock exchange assets. African countries (and other continents and countries with similar social and economic conditions) are the destination, the recipients, of refuse: the results of agrarian over-production, electronic junk, garments (often second hand clothes), and many similar goods. In this cycle, the places that are the countries of origin (right at the start of the cycle), are left mainly with refuse and package material. Africa – the First World‘s testing ground or laboratory, and self-service shop.

You can buy stock in the project for 35Euro, and receive a piece of upcycled art.

Follow along their journey through the TOYS Blog. The images and stories may surprise you!

Source: psfk

Images via the TOYSTOUR

Washing Machine + Soccer Ball + Hippo Roller + Storage Unit = ‘Swirl’

Meet Design Affairs’ ‘Swirl’!

Here is the product description:

Swirl is a human focused design that simplifies washing in developing countries. The overall design resembles a ball containing a swirled sphere shaped basket and lid, connected to a steel tube handle. Washing is accomplished through the rotation of the “washing ball” – using long distance travelling to and from water supply to wash the clothes. The user can also wash by just rolling it back and forth in slow rotation cycles. At home, after the basket is filled with clothes, the lid should be screwed and the handle locked in. Transportation can easily be done by pulling or pushing the handle. At the water source, the basket should be filled with water and the product is ready to wash.

The design resembles Project H’s Hippo Roller. Speaking of Project H… they are in the running to win an amazing prize that would help them to:

Start a high school design/build program in rural North Carolina….

To cultivate a culture of creative capital in a struggling economy.
To provide a hands-on learning path for low-performing students.
To teach design and vocational skills as creative problem solving.
To activate a poor and rural community through high school service.
To complete real-world, built projects with high school students.

Sounds pretty amazing to us! Education is the key point of intervention for responsible design. Click here to vote for their idea. As I type this they are ranked 15^th and they must get to at least 10^th place to qualify! You can vote everyday until the end of the month.

Source: Inhabitots, Core77 and Design Affairs

CSR Asia Summit 2010

In 2009, SA’s Katrine Karlsen reported on CSR Asia’s 7th summit “Sustainable Business as the Road to Recovery” in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Click here to read Katrine’s synopsis of last year’s summit.

This year’s summit will take place September 14-15 in Hong Kong, and will offer cutting edge workshops on the following topics:

-Community investment and cross-cultural engagement
-Measuring and reporting your carbon emissions
-Business strategies for adapting to a changing climate
-Water risks down your supply chain
-Asian companies going transnational
-What investors are looking for: Environmental, social, governance (ESG) issues
-A new agenda for human rights: Engaging governments
-The role of business in achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Asia
-ISO26000
-Disaster preparedness: The role of the private sector
-The 2010 Asian Sustainability Rating
-Measuring the impact of your community investment on business and the community
-Developing a sustainable development strategy in your organisation

Title: CSR Asia Summit 2010
Location: Hong Kong
Link out: Click here

Start Date: 2010-09-14
End Date: 2010-09-15

Bamboo// Continued Misconceptions

With the current spotlight on ‘green’ fashion over at Vogue U.K. via Livia Firth and the Green Carpet Challenge, we were surprised to see bamboo as designer Linda Loudermilk’s fibre of choice for Colin Firth’s suit at the premier of Tom Ford’s “A Single Man” in Paris.

Despite the comments out of Loudermilk’s office, we’re not quite convinced it was a responsible choice. Even if we were to believe that this bamboo was in fact not rayon, meaning that it was mechanically processed, not chemically processed, and that such mechanical processing was done without violating any human rights, we still think it’s an inappropriate fibre to showcase due to the global misconceptions on the use of bamboo as a responsible fibre both within and outside of the ecofashion movement.

Why not utilize the opportunity to showcase this design in linen, hemp or peace silk?

Here is a refresher on the potential social and environmental (not to mention cultural and economic) consequences of the use of Bamboo fibre, taken from our Fibre Analysis:

Still don’t believe us? Still not convinced? Read more on treehugger, the Competition Bureau of Canada, and Ecotextile News (re: FTC).

What do you think readers? When will the bamboo rayon train leave the ecofashion station?!?!

Source: treehugger and Vogue UK

Ethical Sourcing Forum North America 2010

The Ethical Sourcing Forum is a unique industry event that brings together members of the global sustainability community in order to address emerging sustainability and ethical supply chain challenges.

Here is the Agenda (subject to change):

Day 1: Thursday, March 18^th, 2010.

7:45 AM – 8:30 AM: Registration & Breakfast

8:30 AM – 9:15 AM: Welcome Note and ESF Community Poll Findings

What are YOUR top sustainability issues and management challenges? (Kathrin Bohr, Director, ISS Advisory Services)

9:15 AM – 10:30 AM: ‘VISUALIZE’ Panel Discussion

The Arc of Sustainability Progress: What have we achieved, where are we going and where do we need to be?

David Schilling, Program Director for Human Rights at Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (Moderator)
Matt Kistler, SVP Sustainability, Walmart
Linda Yanz, Director, Maquila Solidarity Network
Stephen Howard, CEO, Business in The Community
Amy Hall, Director of Social Consciousness, Eileen Fisher
International Labor Affairs Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM: Spotlight on Innovation: Walmart’s Sustainability Index

Matt Kistler, SVP Sustainability, Walmart

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM: Coffee Break/ Networking

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM: RE-THINK LABS

Mini-Lab 1: Social Networking for Effective Stakeholder Engagement
(Kevin Long, Co-Founder, JustMeans & Brian Walsh, Head of Global Social Engagement, Liquidnet for Good)

Mini Lab 2: Collaboration: Potential and Pitfalls
(Scot Sharland, Executive Director, Automotive Industry Action Group & Monique Oxender, Global Manager, Supply Chain Sustainability, Ford Motor Company)

Mini Lab 3: Role of investment in driving CSR progress
(Garry Bell, VP Global Marketing for Gildan Activewear & Curtis Ravenel, Analyst at Bloomberg)

Mini Lab 4: Measuring and Reporting Environmental & Social Impacts
(TBC)

1:00 PM – 2:15 PM: Lunch

Joe Sibilia, Chief Visionary Officer of CSRWire and David Mager, President, Major Environmental Solutions and Co-organizer of Earth Day preview their new book: Street Smart Sustainability – The Entrepreneurs Guide to Profitably Greening Your Organization’s DNA

2:15 PM – 4:15 PM: RE-THINK LABS

Mini-Lab 5: New Models for Sustainable Purchasing and Factory Compliance (Amy Hall, Director of Social Consciousness, Eileen Fisher & Julie Yan, Manager, Hudson Bay Company)

Mini Lab 6: New Approaches to Factory Compliance
(Marie David, Director, Corporate Strategy & Sustainability, Walmart)

Mini Lab 7: Transparency in Supply Chain (Chuck Goncalves, Director of Global Responsibility for the America’s Region, Gap)

Mini Lab 8: Managing Supply Chain Environmental Risk: ” Both Win” Tools and Approaches (Jia Liu, Intertek Sustainability Solutions with Supplier (TBC), moderated by The Home Depot)

4:15 PM – 4:30 PM: Coffee Break/ Networking

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM: Panel Disussion: What Combination of Strategy and Tactics Really Drives CSR Progress?

Moderator: NY Bureau Chief, major international magazine (To be confirmed)
Genevieve Taft, Global Workplace Rights, The Coca-Cola Company
Sherlyn Broderson, Ethical Sourcing and Sustainability Manager, Cadbury
Frank Rexach, VP and General Manager, Haworth
Judi Kovacs, VP EHS Programs, NBC Universal

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM Cocktail Reception

Day 2: Friday, March 19^th, 2010

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM: Breakfast

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM: Keynote Presentation
TBC

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Presentation: Child/Forced Labor Preview of New Anti-Child/Forced Labor Supply Chain Management Criteria

CREA (Center for Reflection, Education and Action) will preview its work on developing ethical supply chain management criteria (contracted by the U.S. Dept. of Labor)

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM: Coffee Break/ Networking

10:15 AM – 12:15 PM: SOLUTION LAB – Backcasting: Developing Your Sustainable Roadmap

A hands-on collaborative sustainability decision-making / solution session involving the technique of reframing – a model for examining challenges from multiple stakeholder vantage points in order to uncover previously unseen perspectives and decision paths.

12:15 PM – 1:45 PM: Lunch/ Closing Remarks

Source: Ethical Sourcing Forum Agenda

Title: Ethical Sourcing Forum North America 2010
Location: New York
Link out: Click here

Start Date: 2010-03-18
End Date: 2010-03-19

Midway: Message from the Gyre

“We’ve lost our sense of outrage” (Chris Jordan, TEDtalk, June 23, 2008).

How do we change? We change through behaviour, says photographer Chris Jordan.

His book, Running the Numbers: An American Self Portrait, is available for direct purchase through his website, and also via Amazon, through the SA [reading list].

This short film speaks for itself:

Jordan presents his research and master imagery in TEDtalk: Picturing Excess:

Source: chris jordan photographic arts