For anyone building a business, knowledge and good networking is key. Due to its complexity, this is even more true for entrepreneurs or brand owners in the field of ethically-produced fashion. This article explored why and how the Fashion Revolution Movement can help to gain knowledge and build a solid network.
The Movement
Fashion Revolution is a global movement and platform campaigning for greater transparency and sustainability in the fashion industry. It is the world’s largest fashion activism movement and provides useful information to enable citizens, brands, retailers, students, producers, educators and journalists to act.
Its supporters believe in a fashion industry that values people, the environment, creativity and profit in equal measure. They want to evoke change through uniting people and organizations to work together towards radically changing the way in which clothes are sourced, produced and consumed, so that clothing is made in a safe, clean and fair way. They want to have a positive influence while also scrutinizing industry practices and raising awareness of the fashion industry’s most pressing issues. Furthermore, the movement aims to show that change is possible, encouraging those who are on a journey to create a more ethical and sustainable future for fashion.
Fashion Revolution was born six years ago on April 24, the day when the Rana Plaza factory collapsed. 1,138 factory workers were killed and many more were injured. In memorandum to that day Fashion Revolution has institutionalized the global Fashion Revolution Week. Every year, they encourage brands and producers to follow their #whomademyclothes campaign and ask them to respond with the hashtag #imadeyourclothes to demonstrate transparency in their supply chain.
City Chapters Network
Fashion Revolution is represented by two separate entities in the UK, Fashion Revolution CIC and the Fashion Revolution Foundation. These organizations spearhead the global network of official Fashion Revolution country offices and the volunteer country coordination teams. Fashion Revolution Switzerland has its largest city chapter in Zürich, while Berne and Geneva also have local organizational units.
«If you are an entrepreneur or a small brand in the field, be part of the Fashion Revolution movement. It is a platform where you meet other brand owners. As an ethical fashion brand, you fight extra challenges and you compete against the regular brands. As part of the Fashion Revolution movement you can exchange know-how and find insider information that can help you with everything from sourcing to branding challenges. » says Jamil Mokthar, member of Fashion Revolution Switzerland and founder of Fashion Revolution Berne.
Online Education
With an online course on Future Learn, Fashion Revolution provides knowledge to anyone wanting to learn more about the fashion industry, fair trade, international development, and the Sustainable Development Goals. This includes fashion professionals or students and activists interested in environmental protection and sustainable consumption. They educate about the link between fashion and the Sustainable Development Goals. In detail, the online course offers insights into everything that entrepreneurs or brand owners in the field of ethically-produced fashion need to know, including the following:
- Workings of the fashion industry, how humans interact with it and its impact on people and the planet
- The Sustainable Development Goals and how they relate to the clothes that we wear
- Fair/ethical trade and why it is essential to international development and human rights
- Global fashion supply chains, how they work and how they can have a more positive impact on people and the planet
- Gender equality, women’s empowerment and how it links to the clothes that we wear
- Decent work and economic growth, what this means in the global fashion industry and what we can do to support good working conditions
- The environmental impacts of the clothes that we wear and how we can support better conservation and protection of the planet and its natural resources
Participants of the online course will learn with devotees from the international Fashion Revolution team: Sarah Ditty, Policy Director, Ilishio Lovejoy, Policy & Research Manager and Sienna Somers, a Policy and Research Coordinator. Participants will learn how clothes are made, how the fashion supply chains work and the importance of responsible production and consumption.
They look at how the fashion industry can have a more positive impact for people and the planet. Completing this course can empower entrepreneurs or brand owners with new knowledge and ideas to contribute their business idea towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Do you want to get involved with the Fashion Revolution movement? Reach out to your city chapter. For Switzerland, contact: email hidden; JavaScript is required
For regular updates, follow #FAFAZH and @fairfashionzh on Instagram!
Watch this video about the free online course offered by Fashion Revolution:
