Indigenous Designs Wants Fashion to Choose Life
Fashion, which often forecasts trends, seems to have fallen behind CSR and sustainability, two contemporary concepts that other industries such as services, transport, tech, and even paper, have been faster to embrace. The rise of fast fashion with its ridiculously low prices on the high streets of the developed world has been one of the factors putting pressure on the apparel industry to cut corners and outsource labor to countries that rank low on the human rights index. The "democratization" of luxury has also played a role.
The recent tragedy in Bangladesh, where a fire killed more than a thousand workers in garments factories, was a painful reminder that something needs to be done. It's also worth mentioning all the toxic waste produced by tanneries in the making of leather, a serious environmental hazard that has been documented by Greenpeace and other organizations. The return of fur in shop windows also signals a backward step for fashion in terms of ethics.
There are a few mainstream fashion houses vying for green credibility, notably Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood, but beneath the few ethical veneers, a recent reportseems to tell a different story. Why is it that the fashion industry seems so reluctant when it comes to switching to more humane and ecological business models?
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Antonio Pasolini is a Corporate Social Responsibility writer for Justmeans, Antonio Pasolini is a journalist based in Brazil who writes about alternative energy, green living and sustainability. He also edits Energyrefuge.com, a top web destination for news and comment on renewable energy and Elpis.org, a recycled paper bag/magazine distributed from health food stores in London, formerly his hometown for over a decade. He is also a happy herbivore.
