#FashRev: Changing an industry one hashtag at a time
Fashion Revolution Day: a day which brings together an international community to highlight the dangers of fast fashion.
Fashion Revolution Day was an idea born from the growing concern surrounding the unethical and unsafe methods in which fast fashion is produced and manufactured. Following the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh, the Fashion Revolution organisation encouraged a dramatic transformation within the fashion industry. They created the #FashRev hashtag to incite this revolution throughout social media and global media platforms. As quoted on their website, Fashion Revolution wish to “bring everyone together” to make an industry which values people, “the environment, creativity and profit in equal measure”.
Their most recent campaign on Fashion Revolution Day, on 24th April this year, chose to highlight the manufacturing process of clothing with the hashtag #whomademyclothes. Members of the public were encouraged to become activists for a day, taking selfies with their clothes and directly asking brands #whomademyclothes on social media. Astonishingly, the #whomademyclothes hashtag became the number one globally trending topic on Twitter on 24th April. But does this type of social media awareness campaign really make a difference? Or does the #FashRev hashtag only contribute towards social media slacktivism?
Unsurprisingly, the fashion industry has embraced ethical and sustainable movements and campaigns. Following the Bangladesh disaster in 2013 and the overwhelming international outcry, many fashion houses have transformed their production chains to value staff and the environment in accordance with public demand. The modern consumer, with the aid of social media, is becoming more aware of garments’ lifecycles and is demanding more ethical practices from manufacturers. This sustainable and ethical demand has been rising in more recent years, however the Bangladesh disaster certainly added fuel to the fire. More recently, the Australian Fashion Report, produced by Baptist World Aid Australia, highlighted Australian fashion houses and their continued efforts to abolish exploitative practices. Fashion commentators have also jumped on the bandwagon to support this campaign, with some stating that any movement which highlights to the public their general misunderstanding of how garments are made, is valuable and should be encouraged within an industry that lacks transparency. The beauty of the Fashion Revolution Day campaign is that it completely engages the fashion community, from the manufacturer to the customer. It also signals the areas of the industry that still need to be improved. Ruth Stokes, author of The Armchair Activist’s Handbook, says that if a campaign raises awareness and engages the otherwise disengaged, then it is able to provide something that is valuable and useful. However, the difficulty lies in translating this awareness into action with changes in policy and public behaviour. By participating in Fashion Revolution Day, members of the public draw attention towards the lack of regulation within the global supply chain — a problem that seems overwhelmingly difficult to tackle. By reengaging the customer to assess their understanding of how clothes are made, whilst also encouraging permanent change within the fashion supply chain, Fashion Revolution Day has brought this issue into the international limelight.
Additionally, the Fashion Revolution organisation continues to work alongside other charities like Clean Clothes Campaign and Labour Behind the Label to incite a more globally ethical and sustainable fashion movement. At an international level, Fashion Revolution Day had localised campaigns, with events across 71 countries. Within Australia, the Fashion Revolution was felt in every capital city as well as some regional areas, with free events like clothes swaps, documentary screenings, as well as guest speakers and design shows. Their media package was accessible via their website, enabling anyone and everyone to host a Fashion Revolution Day event, or else contribute towards the global movement with the use of ready-made awareness-raising posters. At a more important level, Fashion Revolution Day discussions were held within the House of Lords and House of Commons in May 2014, which is an encouraging indicator of the positive effects of this campaign.
Could this Fashion Revolution movement be the kick start that we need in order to see real and practical change within the fashion industry?
Signs within the industry say yes, with H&M, one of the world’s most notorious fast fashion houses launching a “Conscious” range in recent years, using sustainable textiles and ethical production methods. H&M also encourages customers to recycle clothing with an in-house swap program. Additionally, Zara, another infamous High Street brand, was ranked second on Ethical Consumer’s latest product guide to clothing. These are surprising results for in-demand, fast fashion, High Street brands. However, they all contribute towards the growing socially and environmentally conscious market. Perhaps the #FashRev and #whomademyclothes hashtags are just the beginning of a worldwide fashion industry upheaval, most certainly one hashtag at a time.
