Throughout the world, only 2% of factory workers in the fashion industry earn a true living wage. The world’s fashion industry isn’t in crisis because people support unfair labor practices, it’s in crisis because people don’t know they’re supporting unfair labor practices.
More than 75 million people (mostly women) make clothing in unsafe conditions without earning a fair wage. Some communities turn their heads at these exploitative conditions and others are trapped in a cycle of poverty they don’t see a way out of.
Doing Our Part
Treating the people behind our products is important, so we’d like to highlight how we’re impacting this industry.
When we place an order for our eco-friendly styles, we pay the artisans up-front. Many of our makers don’t have access to working capital to buy or source the materials and pay other workers to help create such a large order. We never want a lack of funds to be a barrier for working with us.
We provide training and design support. In any industry, it can be challenging to find partners who are reliable, show up, and get the job done right. Our partners excel at what they do and enjoy the work they have the opportunity to receive so we want to give them a level of support far beyond what they might expect. If they are dedicated, we want to give them the tools succeed. Our US-based team will offer trainings for new product ideas as well as designs we know will be popular that will sell abundantly here.
We provide technical assistance. Many styles you see in our shop are made by using techniques passed down from generations within a community. Some pieces are made with very simple tools, other may require machines or other tools our artisans don’t have. It’s not uncommon for us to purchase equipment needed for our artisans to produce a style. We aim to have a long-term relationship with each group we partner with and want them to have the tools needed to get the job done.
Let’s be the change. Do your research on your favorite brands. Ask questions when you make a purchase. This is the best way to let retailers know what’s important to you.
