Social Responsibility Report

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Labour Behind the Label

The non-profit cooperative Labour Behind the Label, supports garment workers’ efforts worldwide to improve their working conditions.

Issues they work on:

Gender - women represent 80% of the garment workers. The global fashion industry is build on the exploration of women workers.

Homeworkers - thousand of women workers are working from home to produce clothes for the UK high street. These workers, are the most exploited workers in the industry.

Conditions - Systemic human rights abuses pervade the global garment industry.

Wages - poverty is one of the major problems underpinning the global garment industry.

The type of work being done by this organisation is very important for our society and we ALL should take action.

Most brands sell a false sustainability logo. We all should look more closely into these brands to see if it is false advertisement. 

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What’s the difference between Fast Fashion and Slow Fashion?

Fast fashion is a term used by fashion retailers to represent the trend that quickly leaves the catwalk into shops. These trends are shortened because consumers demand new designs every week. With that mind, clothes are designed to be disposable, being discarded after few washes, filling up our landfills.

On the other hand, we have slow fashion or sustainable fashion. The opposite of fast fashion, is a growing design philosophy and its goal is to create a eco friendly and social responsible trend.

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Stella McCartney

1) Does the brand have information available for their customers to show how they positively contribute to being a socially responsible company? Where is it?

On Stella McCartney’s website, when you click on the menu Stella’s World, there is all you need to know about how Stella encourages sustainable fashion.

2) Have they been involved in news reports for good and/or bad practice for sustainable and ethical approaches to running their business?

Yes. Stella McCartney is well known for being eco-friendly and vegan. In her products, she cannot accept the use of leather, fur or any exotic animal skin.

3) Using the 10 points from the TED TEN(www.tedresearch.net/teds-ten-

aims) select 3:

Design that Explores Clean / Better Technologies: Stella McCartney is committed to running an environmentally conscious business and creating products that do not use leather, fur or exotic skins.

Design Activism: Documentary films, conferences, articles. Stella is a spokesperson for Fashion Sustainability, she strongly encourages it.

Design to Reduce Energy and Water Use: from Spring 2015, Stella McCartney collections feature the Clevercare logo – a simple reminder to consider the environment when washing and caring for your garments.

4) Create your own top 3X goals for the future of what you would like every Fashion Brand to sign up to for good practice.

Design to Reduce Energy and Water Use

Design to Reduce Chemical Impacts

Design to Minimise Waste

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Zara - Inditex

1) Does the brand have information available for their customers to show how they positively contribute to being a socially responsible company? Where is it? 

Looking at the Zara website, there are no show of being socially responsible. However, there is a link to Inditex website for more information on that brand.  According to Inditex website, the brand is concerned about sustainability overall. The company demands health, quality and sustainability standards. Additionally, on their website, Inditex say their shops are also eco-efficient.

2) Have they been involved in news reports for good and/or bad practice for sustainable and ethical approaches to running their business?

Yes, Zara is often accused by designers to copying their styles. In addition, there are many articles about Zara’s informal workers.

3) Using the 10 points from the TED TEN(www.tedresearch.net/teds-ten-aims) select 3:

Design to Reduce Chemical Impacts: according to Inditex website, the company has materialised in the Global Water Management Strategy, which includes a zero discharge of hazardous chemicals.

Design to Reduce Energy and Water Use: on the website, also says Inditex and its suppliers guide the efforts to use this vital resource in a more sustainable way.

Design that Explores Clean / Better Technologies: according to Inditex website, all their garments go through health and safety standards (Clear to Wear, Safe to Wear and Green to Wear).