Annual campaign calls for a more transparent and accountable fashion industry

A host of events in the city marked the Fashion Revolution — an annual global campaign calling for a fairer, safer and more transparent fashion industry.

Pondicherry University joined other institutions, such as the German International Academy in Chennai and the Vidyashilp Academy in Bengaluru, in a week-long campaign to shift the dialogue to how fair prices, decent working conditions, environmental protection and gender equality are intersectional drivers that would shape the future of fashion.

Fairtrade India, which hosted the campaigns, also organised Show Your Label 2019, in collaboration with Fashion Revolution, to raise awareness about sustainable fair trade fashion and its makers.

As part of this, when consumers spot the Fairtrade mark on the garments, they know that the farmers were paid a fair price, workers had access to safe working conditions and the planet and the people were treated fairly in the making of the clothes they buy. .

If the German International School placed an order for their sports uniform to be Fairtrade and are on their way to becoming India’s second Fairtrade school, joining over 1,000 schools internationally, students from the Vidyashilp Academy challenged their favourite brands to show them who their farmers were and led by example by sporting 100% sustainable Fairtrade school uniform tees.

In the city, youth from the Pondicherry University organised debates, slogan writing competitions, a flash mob and created collages to drive home their message.

Show Your Label events, which concluded on Sunday, were also held across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata and Goa. According to the hosts, with fashion being the second most polluting industry in the world, it was the need of the hour to mainstream sustainable fashion for everyday consumers, so that they get an opportunity to be part of a fashion revolution that will protect the planet and its people.

It is estimated that global textiles production spews 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases annually, more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Besides, an estimated 53 million tonnes of fibres are used to make clothes and textiles annually, only to landfill or burn 73% of those fibres.

Sexual harassment, discrimination and gender-based violence against women is also endemic in the global garment industry, where women comprise 80% of the global workforce.

Published On : 13-05-2019

Source : The Hindu