Putting fashion into fair trade

Feb 18 2008 by Hannah Davies, The Journal

Vicky Pepys finds first rate fair fashion

WE’RE very much aware of fair trade within fashion these days thanks largely to the past and current efforts of designer Katharine Hamnett and Safia Minney, the founder of People Tree.

We’ve started to look at labels to see how many fashion miles our clothing is travelling. We’re aware that our hunger for new trends has in the past instigated, and may well be continuing to fund, sweatshop and child labour production methods.

Terribly depressing, but doesn’t it make you think? There’s change afoot. Of course, it can’t go on, and there are now government and environmentalist pressures, and indeed pressure from the fashion industry itself to ease up on our demands taking such a toll. The fashion industry has to help reverse the situation more than anyone. But endless offerings of plain T-shirts and jogging bottoms, however soft and colourful and lovely and fair traded, are not going to make it happen overnight.

We demand fashion that looks like fashion and the new collections, launching mostly online during Fair Trade Fortnight starting this coming Sunday, are finally showing the results of designers taking the whole concept onboard and applying their creative minds and techniques.

Just one ethical choice in the wardrobe this spring will start a ball rolling. Its increased momentum will change lives.