It is no secret that I work in development, but what you may not know is the nature of my work. For the most part I work with the most vulnerable and marginalised people in the world on issues surrounding gender, sustainable economic empowerment and human rights issues. So when Safia Minney's SLAVE TO FASHION Kickstarter campaign was launched I was intrigued to find out more about what it was and how it could truly work towards the eradication of modern day slavery within the fashion industry.
WHAT IS THE SLAVE TO FASHION CAMPAIGN & WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
The 'Slave to Fashion' campaign and book aims at highlighting the power of the consumer in eradicating modern day slavery within the fashion industry. Not only does the campaign hope to produce a publication that will profile the best ethical brands and designers within the industry, but it will also produce micro documentaries and interviews of the men, women and children who had fallen victim to slavery.
Fashion has a particular responsibility to working towards the end of modern days slavery. I say this because we have fueled the engines of fashion to work faster than it was meant to go. Fast fashion has engendered a race to get the most out of spending the least, and in doing so has looked for the cheapest labour to ignite the profit margins incline. As a result, we have to slow it down, and look at the faces behind the labels, something that we are seeing more and more within mainstream society, and not just within the niche market of ethical fashion. This is thanks to celebrities taking it to the red carpet, great social media marketing strategies lending voice to these issues, and us as a people slowly becoming more 'mindful' of how we are as consumers.
Pledge Here before it is too late. Campaign ends 30 hours
The funding will be used to research, visit and conduct interviews, write, photograph and produce micro documentaries in the UK, Europe and the developing world. They aim to publish 10,000 copies of the 'Slave To Fashion' book.
FURTHER READING
One of my previous interns has started her own ethical blog and has recently teamed up with Canadian ethical lifestyles organisation, Trusted Clothes, to interview Safia Minney on the campaign, which I would highly recommend you read. Also, check out her outfit--a gift I gave her from People Tree for being such an amazing intern.
*In the midst of writing this post, I had to leave for Washington DC, where life and work got the better of me, making it easy to forget that this post was very much time sensitive. So, apologies for the lateness
