On the morning of 24 April 2013, the Rana Plaza garment factory in Savar, Bangladesh, collapsed.

The building had suffered a dramatic structural failure: its eight floors crumbling on top of each other and into heaps of gnarled rebar and pulverised concrete.

The garment and textile workers who had just turned up for their daily shift could do little as the weight of the entire building fell upon them. Once the clouds of dust had cleared, more than 1,000 garment and textile workers had died and over 2,500 had been injured.

To this day, the tragedy is remembered by the grim record it set: it remains one of the deadliest structural failures in modern times and Bangladesh’s worst industrial disaster.

But the Rana Plaza disaster also marked a paradigm shift in the conversation around sustainable textiles and human rights and environmental due diligence in textile supply chains. It sparked outrage across the world, fueled calls for greater transparency in supply chains, and activists to lobby for a better, fairer, and more sustainable textile and fashion industry. 

‘The Rana Plaza tragedy drew attention to the way clothing products were being manufactured and the conditions in which workers were operating,’ explains Subindu Garkhel, Senior Cotton and Textiles Lead at the Fairtrade Foundation. ‘But the impact of the textile industry extends even further back, to the farmers who produce the very cotton which is sourced by the brands. That’s why we continue to call for full supply chain transparency – so brands and manufacturers can have a positive impact before it’s too late.’

The Fairtrade Cotton Standard was launched more than a decade ago to benefit the farmers at the end of a long, complex and sometimes nebulous supply chain. And over this period, Fairtrade has had success in both spotlighting the problems faced by cotton farmers and providing them with tools for empowerment and training. But despite the gains made thus far, the journey towards a fully sustainable and fair textile industry continues.

We spoke to Subindu Garkhel about how the Fairtrade standards are making an impact in the textile supply chain and helping pave the way to a fairer and more sustainable fashion future. 

Fairtrade International: This month marks the eighth anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster. Eight years later, can we be satisfied with the progress that has been made in ensuring the textile industry is safer, greener, and fairer?

Subindu Garkhel: We have seen progress in the textile industry but there’s still much to do and we’re not moving fast enough. The progress has also not been uniform. We’re still struggling with workers and farmers receiving poverty wages. The industry continues to be one of the largest polluters.

Compared to eight years ago, there are now more efforts being made to work towards fair wages and human rights due diligence, to address environmental concerns, and conduct better purchasing practices. But we would certainly like to see the industry do more and do it faster.  

Fairtrade International has joined 29 other signatories to call on clothing companies and government regulators to ensure full supply chain transparency in the clothing sector. Why is this call necessary and what does Fairtrade hope to achieve with it?

Subindu Garkhel: The Rana Plaza tragedy drew attention to the way clothing products were being manufactured and the conditions in which workers were operating. In fact, many brands did not even know their products were being manufactured in Rana Plaza. It is for this very reason that we’re calling for full supply chain transparency because businesses must know how their clothes are being produced in order to have a positive impact. In this way, transparency is a tool for bringing about positive change in the textile sector and key to mitigating and addressing any negative impacts.

How can the Fairtrade system help positively impact the textile sector and why does the textile industry need Fairtrade?

Subindu Garkhel: Fairtrade has farmers and workers at the heart of its mission and works for fairness, better conditions, and decent livelihoods. We work with cotton farmers and factory workers throughout the supply chain to ensure that everyone receives an income that benefits them and uplifts their communities.

We have two different standards that work towards positively impacting the textile sector. The SPO Standard for Cotton Farmers, for example, has a safety net of the Fairtrade Minimum Price that protects farmers from market shocks. There is an additional amount of Fairtrade Premium which the producers democratically decide how to reinvest into their farming practices and communities. 

We also have the Textile Standard that offers a comprehensive approach to engaging workers in the supply chain and using an empowerment model that strives for better working conditions and living wages.

Could you share with us an example of an activity driven by Fairtrade where you saw positive and long-lasting change for textile producers, workers, and farmers?  

Subindu Garkhel: There are many great examples of how the Fairtrade Premium has been used by Fairtrade cotton producers in India and how they have positively impacted their communities. In one instance, one producer organisation used the Premium to invest in the building of a school. That school, which was built from a Premium generated by 1,500 farmers, added new classes each year. Today, it runs up to Grade 12 and offers a bus service that reaches some 80 villages. This is a perfect example of how the Premium can have a wide impact.

Similarly, another producer organisation invested their Premium into a warehouse to stock cotton. During the off season, they were able to rent the warehouse out to generate additional income. And that income was ultimately reinvested into a water purification system that benefitted the broader community. 

These examples are truly powerful and inspiring because they show how farmers intelligently reinvest their incomes and build up their communities when given the opportunity to do so.

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]]> https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/media-centre/blog/five-fashion-brands-youll-feel-good-wearing/ Wed, 15 Apr 2020 23:00:00 +0000 https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/media-centre/blog/5-sustainable-and-ethical-fashion-brands-youll-feel-good-wearing/ By demanding sustainable fashion and choosing Fairtrade cotton, we can ensure that farmers are paid a Fairtrade Minimum Price for their cotton.

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]]> by Hannah Adlington-Goulding

Forget socks and sandals, the true crime against fashion is the exploitation of garment workers and cotton farmers, many of whom work in unsafe conditions and get paid a fraction of what they deserve.

By demanding sustainable fashion and choosing Fairtrade cotton, we can ensure that farmers are paid a Fairtrade Minimum Price for their cotton as well as a Fairtrade Premium to invest in community projects of their choice. Fairtrade empowers the people behind the label.

Here are five brands that sell stylish and sustainable clothes made with Fairtrade cotton.

Nudie Jeans

Fairtrade range: Men’s fashion: T-shirts and boxer trunks

Famed for their jeans, this stylish Swedish brand is about much more than just denim. They’ve got Fairtrade cotton tees and, for those of you who want to be ethical and sustainable from head-to-toe, they also sell Fairtrade cotton underwear, delivered to you in a beautifully designed box.

Shop Nudie Jeans.

Little Green Radicals

Fairtrade range: Baby and kids’ tops, trousers, pyjamas, dresses and more!

Want to dress your little ones in clothes that are both adorable and ethically made? Take a look at Little Green Radicals’ Fairtrade and organic cotton collection for kids and babies. Whether you’re after super soft babygrows, or comfy outfits for outdoor adventures, Little Green Radicals have it covered. And the clothes you buy will be delivered in 100% compostable bags.

Shop Little Green Radicals.

People Tree

Fairtrade range: Women’s fashion: T-shirts, dresses, sweaters, activewear

People Tree have been at the forefront of ethical and environmentally sustainable fashion since 1991, devoted to promoting fairer trading conditions and empowering farmers and workers. With items made to last, People Tree is an essential for your wardrobe refresh.

Shop People Tree.

Thought Clothing

Fairtrade range: Women and men’s fashion – tees, shirts, joggers

Thought have a range of stylish and organic Fairtrade cotton pieces. They’re perfect for building your collection of great quality (and kind) essentials.

Shop Thought Clothing

White Stuff

Fairtrade range: Women’s fashion: dresses, tees, vests

Looking for an effortlessly stylish look? We thought so. At the core of White Stuff is ethical sourcing, which is why in 2018 they became the only British lifestyle brand to sign a three-year commitment to increase the amount of Fairtrade cotton that they source, helping to ensure their products feel good and do good.

Shop White Stuff.

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The post Five ethical fashion brands you’ll feel good wearing appeared first on Fairtrade Foundation.

]]> https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/media-centre/blog/the-true-cost-of-fast-fashion/ Tue, 24 Apr 2018 23:00:00 +0000 https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/media-centre/blog/the-true-cost-of-fast-fashion/ The UK spends £27 billion on clothes each year and there’s no sign that our obsession for fast fashion is slowing down.

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]]> by Martine Parry

The UK spends £27 billion on clothes each year and there’s no sign that our obsession for fast fashion is slowing down.

Most of this huge sum is pocketed long before it reaches the salaries of factory workers or cotton farmers.

What is the real cost of fashion and how can we make sure a fair price is being paid to the people doing the hard work so they can care for their families?

Watch our film, Unravelling the Thread, which shines a light on the dark side of the fashion industry and aims to show how we can play our part in improving the lives of garment workers.

The process of making clothes is complex and involves many people and corporations around the world. Brands want to keep their profits high and their costs down so they will move orders to whichever factory will make it cheapest. To get the work, factories often compete to pay the lowest prices. They cut corners on health and safety. Slash wages. It’s a race to the bottom.

In 2013, 1,138 people lost their lives when Rana Plaza clothing factory in Bangladesh collapsed. Five years on, people from all over the world have used their voice to tell brands that things must change. And it’s working. The industry is starting to change.

You, me, all of us have a lot more power than we think in all of this. Retailers need to sell clothes. They need us to buy them. Which puts us in prime position to say what we will and will not put up with.

Subindu Garkhel, Cotton Manager at the Fairtrade Foundation

Arun Ambatipudi who has worked in the cotton industry for many years explains: ‘Cotton prices globally are very, very low. For the last 50 years the price of cotton has always been low and more importantly the price of production is going up year on year which means most of the time the cotton farmer is making a loss.

‘Cotton and textiles is a very lengthy and complex supply chain – so cotton farmers are removed from the consumers. They are at the bottom end of the chain which means they do not have the power to negotiate with the consumers or with the traders.’

Cotton farmers aren’t making enough money for a decent standard of living. They can’t afford to pay for essentials for their families like medicine when they are ill, school fees for their children and even food.

Where cotton is grown on smaller farms it is even harder for the farmers to make their voice heard. And it’s not just the people that suffer. In an effort to increase their crops and therefore their income, farmers often use chemicals that are harmful to the environment and their health.

In the textile factories, some workers do not earn enough in a month to pay for one of the garments that they are producing. They are forced to work in unbearable conditions in order to meet the demands for disposable discount fashion.

‘The process of making clothes is complex and involves many people and corporations around the world. There isn’t just one thing that’s the problem,’explains Subindu Garkhel, Cotton Manager at the Fairtrade Foundation.

‘Brands want to keep their profits high and their costs down so they will move orders to whichever factory will make it cheapest.  And brands push for cheaper ways of making clothes because consumers – the people who buy the clothes – want cheaper clothing.  As a result, the whole chain of making and selling clothes is broken.”

How can we break the cycle?

Fairtrade supports cotton farmers and workers in the clothing supply chain through our Seed Cotton Standard.

And the Fairtrade Textile Standard was set up to bring about positive change and protection for workers in textile supply chains. It works with manufacturers and workers to bring about better wages and working conditions, and engages clothing brands to commit to fair terms of trade.

How we can help

Cotton

10 June, 2020

Find out what is meant by Fairtrade cotton, and where you can buy Fairtrade cotton clothes, bedlinen, towels and other homewares.

The post The true cost of fast fashion appeared first on Fairtrade Foundation.

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