“Fast fashion isn’t free. Someone, somewhere is paying.” —Lucy Siegle, journalist and author
The world is a daunting place, but my hope is to make a little better with each passing day. There’s always an update within the industries of social good & fashion, so I want to do a better job of keeping you in the loop of all that’s going on.
So here’s the latest update of what’s been happening this week:
Ethical Fashion
Guess what? Detroit is no longer known only for cars and smuggling the most liquor to our country during the prohibition- they’re now known for becoming an ethical fashion hub. Cool, huh?
Midtown Detroit is about to launch a program called the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC). This center aims to teach traditional industrial sewing skills, along with new technologies within the apparel space. Their whole idea centers around the ethical fashion movement and creating sustainable products and practices in hopes that up and coming ethical fashion designers will turn to this hub for production, bring more jobs to the Detroit area and stimulate the ethical fashion movement even more!
Read more here.
I’d like to say that I would… but…
On Saturday, hundreds of people protested the fashion industry in Bristol city center organized by Extinction Rebellion to raise awareness of the human and environmental costs of the fashion industry.
Read more here.
Sustainability
Google and Stelly McCartney and teaming up to measure the environmental impact the fashion industry has on our beautiful planet.
“The tech giant is building a tool that uses data analytics and machine learning to give brands a more comprehensive view into their supply chain, particularly around raw material production. This pilot project aims to help brands determine the impact of producing raw materials, so they can make more ethical sourcing decisions.”
Stella McCartney admits they’re not perfect, but they’re hoping this new tool can open up ways for them to improve and become even more transparent.
That’s some groovy stuff!
Read more here.
I struggle to vote on this one. Did you know most of our donated products are shipped overseas to developing nations? Sounds like a good idea, right? It provides the less fortunate with free clothes they can wear and stay warm in. But that’s not all. People collect them to sell at local markets and now the villages are inundated with our old T-shirts. This is putting local tailors, traditional garment designers, and manufacturers out of business and breaking down their local economies. We’re overwhelming them with our culture and it's causing them to lose their own. The problem has gotten so bad that now parts of Africa are refusing our ‘recycled goods’. Pretty terrible, right?
Read more here.Human Trafficking
In case you thought girls were only sold into sex trafficking overseas, think again. It happens right here, every single day.
A 14-year-old girl from Flint, MI was abducted in Chicago, IL in September 2018 and started being sold for sex. The girl was later transferred to CA and was forced to service men up and down the state. This young girl got a hold of a crisis hotline number and texted in saying she was being held against her will and sold for sex. The police later located her and two other women being held at a Motel 6 in San Jose, CA. This lead to the takedown of three men involved in leading a sex trafficking ring. These men consisted of Curtis Russell, 59, Christopher Johnson, 39, and Antoine Williams, 43.
Read more here.
A sex trafficking ring in Europe has been dismantled after a 6-month investigation conducted by Europol. 20 vulnerable and objectified women with no family or support were set free this week, thanks to the European government.
Read more here.
Alabama lawmakers are taking steps to combat human trafficking in their state. It’s a huge problem everywhere, but especially in AL. The first step? To raise awareness within the industries that can be the first to catch it (hotels, airlines, hospitals, truck stops, etc.).
Read more here.
Fashion Trends
Crop tops for men. You read that right. Crop tops are popping up everywhere, just in time for summer, but I didn’t expect ASOS to start making ‘sustainable’ and ‘reclaimed’ ones for men. Who knows? Maybe you’ll love ‘em.
See them here
Sorry, you won’t find these in my store, but maybe it’s good to know? Ha.
Read all about it here
Granny’s clothes are making a comeback. Tweed is everywhere, always.
Take a look at some of the photos here. I’ve been dressing like a grandma since middle school- and no, I wasn’t cool back then. What do you think about it?
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Photo credit: The Bristol Cable, USA Today (Screenshot of ASOS crop tops for men. Photo: DALVIN BROWN), Inc. (CREDIT: Getty Images).