THE LO-DOWN Sustainability edition
ISSUE NO. 2 | APRIL 2017
MODERN ISSUES EXPLAINED
• THE TRUTH ABOUT FAST FASHION • • INSIDER PROFILES • • WHERE TO SHOP • #sustainabilityedition
“DON’T DRESS TO KILL DRESS TO SURVIVE” - KARL LAGERFELD -
THE LO-DOWN WHAT’S INSIDE Editor’s letter
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What’s the problem?
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Influencers
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Our top pick
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People doing it right
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Eco it girl
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Directory
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#sustainabilityedition 1
Slow Fashion book by Safia Minney / Limited Edition / Available now / 14.99
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EDITOR’S LETTER The
idea of this sustainability issue came to me during the winter. I was watching a documentary called The True Cost and I had a hard time taking it all in. I was appalled at the conditions garment workers were living and working in and I felt the message the documentary was conveying needed to be more widely spread. And so this issue was born, a whole Lo-Down devoted to educating consumers on the impact of the fashion industry and hopefully contributing to a shift in shopping patterns. It is my aim to convince you, with this issue, that there are so many alternatives to fast fashion trends. We don’t have to ruin the environment, garment workers don’t have to work in the state they currently do and just because an item carries a higher price tag doesn’t mean it’s overpriced for what you’re truly purchasing.
Maisie Coulbert. 3
Over time fashion has become one of the biggest
consumer industries in the world, with over 80 billion items of clothing being purchased every year. The ever-growing consumer demand for new trends and lower prices is having a dramatic and irreversible impact upon the workers employed in the production process and on our planet. Fast fashion is the term used to define the current fashion landscape of trends straight from catwalk to high street, that are changing almost weekly. It is the fast fashion industry that has evolved into something with serious ethical and sustainability issues.
So what’s the problem? There are over 35 million people employed in the textile industry in India alone. Garment production is also thriving in countries such as Bangladesh and China. The main selling point to companies for opting to manufacture overseas is the low production cost. Factory owners compete with each other to bag the top contracts by offering the cheapest rates, but this in turn means they pay their staff even less. Some workers earn as little as 22p an hour. It is not just the low wage, the factory conditions are poor and the working hours are long. As it stands, much of the public are not aware of the true extent the fashion industry has on these people’s lives. #sustainabilityedition 4
However, it’s not only the garment workers who are suffering. Our environment is taking a pretty big hit too. After speaking with Safia Minney, founder of ethical and sustainable fashion brand People Tree, it became apparent just how damaging the industry is. Safia told The Lo-Down that over 350, 000 tonnes of clothing goes to landfill every year, most of which is not biodegradable. These items could sit in landfill for up to 200 years, releasing harmful gases into the air. The production of textiles also damages the environment, for example growing cotton is a hugely straining process. To produce enough high quality crops, farmers treat the cotton with chemicals and pesticides which consequently damage the soil, which is irreversible. Should the farmer ever decide to stop growing cotton, the land would be barren. Environmental activist, Vandana Shiva, found that in India there is a growing number of cotton farmers that cannot afford to pay the bills for their pesticides and cannot sell their land and sadly over the last 16 years there have been 250, 000 farmer suicides. There are so many other aspects to the fashion industry than what the average consumer gets to see. There is occasional coverage of the poor working conditions in third world countries but it seems to only be in extreme circumstances. For instance the tragic story of the collapse of the Rana Plaza was reported in 2013 where over 1000 garment workers lost their lives, however after this there was no more media coverage until another tragic accident. It is our aim is to create a movement that will encourage you, when shopping, to really consider what’s behind the beautifully embroidered top or the a-line mini and ask yourself, is it really worth it? What is the true cost of fashion?
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We asked a couple of ?s #sustainabilityedition
YES 25% We asked 60 people whether Yes theyNo checked labels to see where their clothes were made NO 75%
We asked 60 people if they thought about the people who had made their clothes. SOMETIMES 55%
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YES 13%
Yes No
Some)m
NO 31%
But what can I do? “But
what can I do that will even make a difference?” is such a common and natural thought process. You’re just one person so you won’t have much effect, right? Wrong! It only takes one person to start a trend but what is the most important and useful thing you can do as a consumer is research the products that you’re into. You love that knit jumper? We guarantee it’s available in British wool. Do you buy cotton products? Because we’d put money on that fact that top can be found in organic cotton. All it takes is a little bit of digging and knowing where to look. That is what The Lo-Down is here for, to get you started on the path to ethical and sustainable fashion. There is so much choice out there and often people associate sustainable products with hippy living and people of the earth but that doesn’t have to be the case and we’re here to prove to you that ethical and sustainable can translate into fashion and trend. From our research we discovered that although some of you are concious of the origin of your clothes, a high percentage are not and this is what concerns us and many other industry experts. The key to discovering the truth is simply education. Finding out what is really going on behind the shop windows. We’ve delved into the world of slow fashion and brought together the best of the best from the crusade for ethical and sustainable fashion. Meet industry professionals, discover trade in Britain and unearth brand new places to shop. 7
Influencers...
Safia Minney ETHICAL FASHION ADVOCATE & FOUNDER OF PEOPLE TREE
#sustainabilityedition
Safia Minney has been heavily involved
and she regularly holds conferences in the fashion industry for many years and speaks at industry days around and has continuously fought for workers the world to spread her message of rights and ethical fashion production. supporting workers and protecting the Safia founded People Tree, an ethical planet. clothing company, over 25 years ago and it has gone from strength to strength, taking on bigger projects and partnering with global organisations such as Fairtrade, to promote ethical and sustainable textile production. People Tree’s opening line reads, “When you wear People Tree, you look good and feel good knowing your unique garment was made with respect for people and the planet.” This is the shopping experience Safia wants to become universal and popular with - Safia Minney in conversation with Andrew Morgan the masses. Promoting slow fashion is number one on Safia’s list of priorities
“The fashion business model is broken and we urgently need to find alternatives.”
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Influencers...
Carry Somers ETHICAL FASHION ADVOCATE & FOUNDER OF THE FASHION REVOLUTION #sustainabilityedition
Carry
Somers is on a similar quest to Safia Minney. Somers set out to challenge the current fast fashion model and through her movement, The Fashion Revolution, encouraged people to direct the question, “who made my clothes?” towards large retail companies. Many designers and celebrities jumped on board the campaign creating a worldwide buzz along the fashion grapevine. The Fashion Revolution was a product of Carry’s outrage and sadness from the Rana Plaza disaster that claimed many garment workers lives. This huge breach of ethics and workers rights inspired Carry to create a movement and make a dent in the fast fashion industry. Alongside her work with The Fashion Revolution, Carry runs a Panama hat
shop called Pachacuti in Derbyshire. All fairtrade and ethically sourced, customers can follow the journey of their hats all the way from Ecuador.
“We believe that fashion can be made in a safe, clean and beautiful way.” - Carry Somers in conversation with Lynne Dixon -
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Our top pick...
Ted & Bessie ETHICAL, SUSTAINABLE & 100% ALPACA
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Our top pick...
Nestled
into the countryside on the outskirts of Milton Keynes you’ll find the home of 10 incredibly fluffy alpacas. Each one named and with their own personality. Daydreamer for example, a few paces behind the rest of the herd just enjoying the scenery and Warrior have a little sing at quite a high pitch. It’s hard to believe that within just a few months their thick soft fleeces will be sold in the form of luxury knitwear.
“I wanted to create something that wasn’t going to just end up in landfill.” Catherine Price, a fashion graduate, from Leicestershire founded Ted & Bessie in 2015 and embarked on her ethical fashion mission with four little alpacas. In memory of her grandparents, who were called Ted & Bessie, Catherine’s aim was to run a company that produced sustainable products in an ethical manner, “I wanted to create something that wasn’t going to just end up in landfill” says Catherine, “so having something like this, where I can keep the animals means I know exactly where the products have come from.”
The main focus of this enterprise is that the products are manufactured entirely in Britain, from growing the wool, spinning the yarn and knitting the garments. For Catherine one of the main reasons she is put off manufacturing overseas was not knowing what goes on at each stage of the production process, “I think it’s not knowing their practices, so here I can keep an eye on everything and every process, so I know exactly how it is done and I know it is done in a way that’s not going to impact as such on the environment. It’s all about cutting down my carbon footprint, so keeping everything in the UK allows for that and minimises that.” Another incredibly important reason that encourages Catherine to keep production to the UK is the dying textile industry in the country, “I also prefer it because manufacturing in the UK is deceasing and I want to just keep everything going here. So many people are outsourcing to China and India but our remaining industry is so fantastic, I don’t want them to shut down!” You may be aware of the Made in Britain campaign that’s supporting British made products however it seems to be viewed as a novelty tag. People buy products and are willing to pay more for them because of the rarity of it being made in Britain. Catherine says “I think it’s good in a way because we can make products here and people will buy them because of that fact and we’ve then got a name for ourselves as a > 11
Our top pick...
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Catherine and Luke wearing Ted & Bessie hat (£74) and scarf (£158)
Our top pick...
Luke is a natural in front of the camera
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Our top pick... Top right: The alpacas live outdoors for most of the time, they have free range of numerous lush green fields. They grow their coats for a full year before shearing starts. Below are the alpacas three months before shearing, there is still much growing left in their coats.
country of manufacturing good products but also the fact that we aren’t getting as many UK consumers buying as many UK products, that’s the problem. I think it’s great that other countries are buying from us but it would be nice to have consumers in the UK realise that it’s a good thing to buy in the UK.” Ted & Bessie are greatly received by America and make lots of sales overseas but the number is slightly lower in the UK. Catherine speculated that because consumers might not be fully aware of the problems that come with the fast fashion industry and she would be correct to assume this. The Lo-Down conducted a survey, which revealed 60% of people didn’t know the meaning of the term fast fashion or the impact it is having on the environment and to human beings working in manufacturing. Something else that concerned Catherine is that often
organisations such as PETA try to educate consumers but often it turns into scare mongering as they present information that isn’t fully researched. For example, they recently did a feature on wool and how bad the production of it is and persuaded many to boycott wool products, however there are hundreds of companies that produce wool products that have been ethically and sustainably produced. The great thing about alpaca wool is that it is completely sustainable and in fact the shearing of the animals is entirely necessary for them to maintain a healthy life. “If you left the alpacas for any more than one year they’d have all sorts of problems. They’d overheat, get matted and smelly, get mites and become really sick and because it is so heavy on them they’re just really uncomfortable, so you have to shear them” said Catherine. And why would you waste such perfect material?
Bottom right: a close up of an alpaca’s fleece. You can clearly see the fibres and imagine the feeling of the wool. They are fluffy and soft just like the knitwear that is made from their coat. During the carding process the fibres are cleaned and any vegetation is removed.
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People doing it right...
The Organic Textile Company ORGANIC, NATURAL & FAIRTRADE
There
are many ways in which companies can be sustainable and maintain ethical production chains. Many choose to use organic materials therefore reducing their carbon footprint and protecting the environment. Other’s focus on their production chain and ensure workers rights are being upheld and the process is ethical. One company that strives to ensure both factors are met is The Organic Textile Company. Based in Wales, The OTC has been focused on organic production since 2005 with the owner Phil and his wife Ann having been trading in textiles for over thirty years. Phil was enthusiastic about sharing his thoughts on organic materials saying “I feel more peace of mind knowing my materials have been responsibly produced.” Over the years Phil has worked hard to build and maintain a close relationship with his main supplier, Genesh in Kerala, India. “We care very much about each others position, so he has an interest in my future, and me in his future. Plus I like him and it is a creative partnership.” This is a perfect example of awareness of the production chain. Phil knows exactly where his materials are being made, he knows that nobody is working in poor conditions and that minimal damage is done to the environment. The fabrics are dried out in the sun, Genesh hand prints the fabrics and most importantly, the cotton is grown organically. This means that no pesticides are damaging Genesh’s land, the health of him and his family is not compromised and it is 16
People doing it right...
more cost effective. These impacts are what promoted Phil to go organic in the first place, “I have sold fabrics for many years, and it was only when I found out about how conventional cotton growing kills and impoverishes many people that I decided to make a change.” This is the same change The Lo-Down would like to encourage. Phil is hopeful that eventually with enough people making small changes, there can be one huge positive impact, “It is by every little thing that we each do, that makes a change to the world possible” says Phil.
“It is by every little thing that we each do, that makes a change to the world possible.”
It’s not just organic cotton that Phil promotes, almost Identical benefits can be applied to bamboo cotton. Soft and silky, bamboo cotton feels different to normal cotton but holds much of the same advantages of production. Bamboo does not need as much water to grow nor does it need the aid of pesticides. The list of materials is never ending for The OTC. They source natural silks, cotton, bamboo, linen and wool and each is available in various colours and designs. #sustainabilityedition
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People doing it right...
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People doing it right...
PRODUCERS IN BRITAIN WHERE TO FIND THEM
#sustainabilityedition
Purchasing products that have been
manufactured in the UK is one sure way to reduce your carbon footprint and help reduce the impact of fashion production on the environment. There are no air-miles clocked up and the UK have strict rules on the use of pesticides that are not put into practise in countries such as India. Working hard to promote production in the UK are organisations such as Made in Britain and The Great British Exchange. The Great British Exchange acts as an online catalogue of all companies that produce their products entirely in Britain. It is a great place to begin your search for local based companies and it makes buying local products easy. It is also a great way to contribute to the British economy. They are constantly updating and adding new businesses to their contact list. Another similar organisation is Made in Britain, which also acts as an online directory of all things British. You may see the logo attached to the businesses that are registered with the movement.
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People doing it right...
Hainsworth Mill, Leeds
Hainsworth Mill is a historic feature, not
just of Leeds, but also of Britain and has been manufacturing textiles since 1783. This family run business has survived numerous set backs including fires, flooding and possibly more damaging than anything else, recessions. However, more importantly, the mill is a reminder of what was once a thriving industry in Britain: The Textile Industry. The Lo-Down met with Managing Director Adam Hainsworth to discuss where he believes the future of textile production is heading. Adam said, 20
“We’d like to make Leeds a fashion centre to create wealth in the area.” To do this they must convince the public that buying in Britain is better. “We are trying to get to a society where you don’t throw away your clothes” said Adam, “With £1.50 t-shirts, there’s no labour in that. They are mass-producing, maybe 60 pieces an hour. That’s not the market we should be looking at.” It’s quite clear that Adam is a keen advocate of slow fashion and has little interest in what is produced overseas due to its low quality and unethical means of production.
People doing it right...
As well as promoting ethical and sustainable means of textile production, Adam believes that creating local wealth is just as important. “We need to start thinking of our economy. We are making things with added value so we can pay wages. 60% of our products are exported so we are bringing in foreign money whilst creating jobs over here.� This is what needs to be done to maintain the British textile industry, improve our markets and in turn reducing the damage to the environment and societies in countries such as India and China. Current clients for Hainsworth Mill include The Ministry of Defence, Scarlett and Argent and various American companies that value high quality British production. #sustainabilityedition
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People doing it right...
Wool fibres beginning the carding process
#sustainabilityedition
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People doing it right...
Once the wool has been made into yarn it is spun using these machines
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Our eco it girl ...
Blake Lively
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Designing a collection for sustainable clothing company, Amour Vert, Blake makes our list of eco it girls.
AN ESTIMATED 350,000 TONNES OF
CLOTHING GOES TO LANDFILL IN THE UK
EVERY YEAR, WHICH IS
350,000 TONNES TOO MUCH!
RECYCLE, SWAP AND DONATE WHEN
YOU CAN
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Directory...
THE LO-DOWN’S Directory Made in Britain and The Great British exchange are great websites for finding local products of all kinds, from clothes to pots, they have an extensive catalogue of British businesses. So The Lo-Down has sourced the best places to shop for top quality clothing. Sustainably and ethically of course! Happy responsible shopping!
Bo Carter - A Leeds based company
producing only two collections per year using ethically sourced materials. They also produce vegan garments.
Della
- A vibrant collection of clothing all of which are handmade by a community in Ghana.
#sustainabilityedition 26
Directory...
Everlane - A company who spends months sourcing the right factories for each collection. Only available online.
Gather and see - This online store
is home to a selection of ethical clothing companies, each one carefully selected by the owners.
Patagonia - A large company who
are making a conscious effort to reduce their carbon footprint. They work with recycled fabrics and source organic materials.
People Tree - Run by Safia Minney, this company does great things for the communities overseas who are producing the garments. All fairtrade, ethical and sustainable.
#sustainabilityedition 27
della .com
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THE LO-DOWN MODERN ISSUES EXPLAINED ISSUE NO. 3 - FAKE NEWS | OUT MAY 2017 General enquiries: sayhey@thelodown.com Press and media requests: press@thelodown.com Advertising: advert@thelodown.com Submissions: s ubmission@thelodown.com