Fashion Revolution Day takes place on April 24, which marks the date of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh, a garment factory where 1,133 workers died and many others were injured. This movement was formed in response to that specific event, headed by Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro. Both are fashion designers who have experience in the fashion industry. After this tragic event, they began to call for more transparency and sustainability in the fashion supply chain.
One of this movement’s main focuses is to shine a light on the poor working conditions of the factory workers and also push consumers to buy more sustainable clothes rather than cheaply-made fast fashion items. The big goal, directly from the Fashion Revolution’s website, firmly states: “A global fashion industry that conserves and restores the environment and values people over growth and profit.”
They also emphasize the slogan “What’s in my clothes? Who made my clothes?” This movement is supported and kept up by hundreds of different groups around the world, including high-level roundtable events and protests by people from all walks of life.
This movement heavily centers on awareness through social media, which is used by almost everyone nowadays. During the week of fashion revolution, you can post pictures on social media with various hashtags. These include: #WhoMadeMyClothes, which was created in 2014 by founders Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro. The purpose of this hashtag is to bring awareness to consumers about the brands they purchase and to raise awareness for ethical issues in fast fashion, especially around garment workers in factories. The hashtag #Haulternative is another popular tag in association with this movement in order to encourage people to buy and promote more sustainable types of clothing by wearing used clothing rather than new clothing. The main goal is to encourage the purchase of used clothes which lessens the harmful effects of fashion manufacturing on the environment.
Change is the center of this movement, and there are a few other ways that supporters of the fashion revolution enable it:
- Raising public awareness and educating people on the impact of their clothes and how they are made
- Inspiring others to consume less fast fashion and value quality in clothing
- Donating directly on the Fashion Revolution website to help fund more educational resources.
Fashion Revolution Day is a time to stop and really take a look at your clothes; think about where they came from and how you can prevent wasting the material. If you have stacks of clothing you don’t wear anymore, consider donating. And if you are in need of a new shirt, consider buying from a thrift shop. Take this day to think about being more sustainable and remember the labor that goes into the making of your clothes.