Fashion

Tasters

Senior Lecturer . Ronke Fashola & Course

Director BA Buying and Merchandising
Ethical Fashion
• What companies do you know that are ethical and Fairtrade ?

• Inside PEOPLE TREE – People Tree are a LEADING ethical brand. Here’s why.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEHAszUjiRc&t=230s
• When watching this video why are the seeds important in this supply
chain? What does this brand help the community with?

• Discover . What happens in Cotton? – https://vimeo.com/265355008

• Write down at least 4 key points of cottons journey mentioned in The

Cotton video. Add to your SKETCH BOOK . About Cotton
What Ethical Issues affect the Fashion
Business ? How will this have an
impact on your company and what will
you do to tackle these situations. Body Image

ENVIROMENT FUR

CONSUMPTION CULTURES
Body Image

Brands / companies have a

duty to ensure they have a
healthy representation of
models within their
advertising, catwalks and
websites.
The image on the left is an
image which has been
edited. Can you see what
has been changed ?
 People for the
ethical
treatment of
animals
How does this image make
you feel?

Celebrities who wear and others

against wearing real FUR.
Think about what celebrities you use
to represent your brand.
 FUR
Do you know how your fur coat was made?

Investigators at PETA China have just released bone-chilling

footage of workers violently ripping rabbit fur from the animals
bodies as they scream in pain, to fuel the growing angora
industry. In a campaign launched just as the super consuming
day of Black Friday is about to descend upon us, PETA reveals
the grim footage in hopes to curb the sale of this cruel
material. Each of the rabbits endures this horrific ripping of
their skin every three months for two to five years, until they
are put to death.
Watch this Video of how Angora is farmed.. *** please note
parts of this video may be disturbing click here – if link is not
working type in Peta Angora Video into Youtube-
Please note this video contains so disturbing images
Mindless Consumerism
• How often do you buy something new ?
• Bringing out a new line of clothing every year
encourages fashion enthusiasts to buy new
clothes that they don't really need. While
some people see this as harmless or as a boon
to the economy, others believe that it
encourages mindless consumerism.
• How can you change ?
Think before you buy…
Ethical Working
Conditions
• In recent mths SHEIN have been in the spot light for
their ethical practices.

• Garment manufacturers in China are often working

up to 18 hours a day, being paid as little as 3p per item,
with no weekends and only one day off per month, a
Channel 4 team has found.

• The tiny wages may help explain why Shein

was valued at $100bn in April and can sell dresses for
£2.49. The company is even advertising a 1p “flash sale”
of homewares beginning on Sunday. Its publicity-shy
founder, tech expert Chris Xu, is thought to be worth
£5bn.
Shein is one of the
fastest growing fast
fashion brands
globally..
How ?

Why?

Are you part of the

problem or the
solution?
Charity Shops / Vintage Shopping
What is Fairtrade ?

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent

working conditions and fair terms of trade for
farmers and workers.
It’s about supporting the development of
thriving farming and worker communities
that have more control over their futures and
protecting the environment in which they live
and work.

Fairtrade food is the most commonly seen on

food. How can you ensure your employees
are insuring their workers are part of
Fairtrade ?
RANA PLAZA
The Rana Plaza collapse on 24 April 2013 is one of the
world's worst industrial disasters and sparked global
outrage.

Extremely poor" construction materials were used in the building

and said the report identified five causes of the collapse.
The authorities say more than 1130 people died, about 2,500
people were injured in the accident and 2,437 people were
rescued.
28 brands have been linked to the factory complex including
Primark, Matalan, Benetton, Bonmarché, El Corte Inglés, and
Mango
You may watch this video to tell you more about Rana Plaza
Warning Graphic images
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Fkhzdc4ybw
 Cotton & Fabrics
Also known as Eco-Fashion, sustainable fashion is a growing
design trend in the fashion and textile industry wherein the
goal is to create environmentally friendly and socially
responsible clothing.
most common used material is cotton, Organic cotton is
considered to be the fibre of choice.

Some eco-fashion designers also use Jute, Flax, Hemp,

Ramie, Abaca, Bamboo (used for viscose), Soy, Corn, Banana,
Pineapple, Lyocell (wood pulp), Polylactic acid (corn starch,
tapioca and sugarcane fibers) and Beechwood (used for
rayon).

Protein / Animal based fibers include:

Wool, Silk, Angora, Camel, Alpaca, Llama, Vicuna, Cashmere,
Mohair. Sustainable fashion designers prefer to use recycled
materials from old clothes. WATCH THIS VIDEO
Sustainability meets Technology
Watch this video – Natalia Allen in
youtube if link does not work

1. Which key fabrics

does she mention?
2. What did she invent
while in university ?
3. How she describe
sustainability?
4. When does most of a
garment footprint
happen?
Social

When we discuss Social issues

in fashion these include;

Child Labour – Transparency is

key. Newlook have a detailed
modern day slavery policy on
their website. CLICK HERE

Companies such as Li & Fung

help communities to build
schools and opening bank
accounts. Things which we take
for granted everyday.

Do you know who Li and Fung

are? 5 min find out.. Prize for
first 3 answers.
Why is it sold for so
much? If it is only
made for $0.60? What
factors contribute to
this?
Social Experiment

As consumers we fall into the trap

of spending money on products.
But what is something really worth?

In year 2 we will examine product

and pricing in more detail.

Is it the name we are paying for?

What are we really paying for?

Watch this video. Would you still

keep the products knowing where
they were from?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
time_continue=3&v=gJdBNYWG4a
0
Economic
The fashion
The more we buy the larger industry is set to
business expand and grow.
grow 0.27 million
Luxury brands increase sales and
continue to grow.
within 2019-
Consumption waste fuel the fashion 2020.
industry.
‘An estimated £30bn of unused
clothing hangs in UK wardrobes, and
yet still we shop for more’.

Burberry destroy £28

million worth of
product. Cartier and A new report from lawmakers proposes
taxes on clothes and tougher regulation
Montblanc brands, to force the industry to act more
had destroyed nearly sustainably. Amazon and Boohoo, as
€500m of its designer well as luxury labels like Versace, are in
Parliament’s sights.. Could a tax help
timepieces fashion brands become more
Why? sustainable?
What impact could this
have on the economy
and environment?
Environmental

Issues within the fashion industry affecting the environment

can be seen from the very start of the clothing life cycle.
One which is often spoken about the most is the amount of
water which is used within manufacturing.

Chemicals which are used to pollute the environment all

have an effect on the climate causing climate change.
A growing movement prefer fast fashion in favor of
secondhand clothing.

Challenge – Make this your personal change for the

weekend. The next time you are paid go to a charity
shop and purchase from them instead of the high
street. Is this the biggest personal change that can
be made for the environment?

Watch this video to identify key issues affecting

the environment within fashion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECkLgq2W
9RU
 Stella McCartney

Sustainable Designers Over 75% of the ready-to-wear collection is eco-

friendly, according to the label, using recycled
polyester, organic cotton and sustainable raffia.

The Spring and Summer 2020 collection is

McCartney’s first one since LVMH took a minority
stake in her eponymous brand.

Read me https://www.mckinsey.com/business-
functions/sustainability/our-insights/style-thats-
sustainable-a-new-fast-fashion-formula?cid=soc-web
Is sustainable development
sustainable?
By Andrew Blowers,Jan Boersema &Adrian Martin.
Read full article on Moodle -
https://vle.lsbu.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=51501&section=5

Let’s discuss in class..

Sustainable development is practiced now falls short in;

• Economic / Political
We look at how the economic impact can be positive and negative.
Positive – Governments are ensuring brands are held accountable
for their behaviour. An example as this is Boohoo.com, during
lockdown they continued to manufacture in Leicester, putting
1000’s of people at risk.
Negative – The tomatoe industry in Ghana and other parts of Africa
has displaced farmers by importing from China and Italy. The
demand is high, but cheaper to import, disrupting the local farming
system. Many people are left with no work. Why do the
government not do anything to resolve this?
Watch the documentary on the left for more information.
• Social – We hope for positive change on a social level. What
examples can you think of?
Some examples we have discussed in class include labor practices,
living conditions, health, safety, wellness, work-life

If workers are paid fairly and work in good, clean conditions this will
help their families and the local communities, which will help the
economy thrive.

• Should we look to a new future and acceptance of Cultural there

will be less deterioration within traditional cultural practices.
Sustainable practices will help ensure traditional crafts and specialist
practices are continued.
An example of this India Handloom Waving ;

http://www.walkthroughindia.com/lifestyle/traditional-arts-crafts-
india-dying-slowly/
What is Greenwashing?

Greenwashing is a growing concern nowadays as some

companies are trying to benefit from the increasing demand for
sustainable and ethical clothes and other products. Climate
activist Greta Thunberg even said in an interview to the
Guardian last year: “Many are making it look as if the fashion
industry is starting to take responsibility, by spending fantasy
amounts on campaigns where they portray themselves as
‘sustainable’, ‘ethical’, ‘green’, ‘climate neutral’ and ‘fair’. But
let’s be clear: This is almost never anything but pure
greenwashing.”
Greenwashing?

Brands such as Boohoo.com and

“sustainable”, we found that some

were made from acrylic, a type of
plastic. While this material could
be recycled as the brand says,
there’s not much proof. In addition
to this, some of these items cost
below £10. How much are the
garment workers in Boohoo’s
supply chain paid?
PRIMARK & VINTAGE CLOTHING
• Primark’s pre-loved section is just a
drop in the ocean compared to their
vast production volumes,” says George
Harding-Rolls, Campaign Manager at
Changing Markets Foundation, an
organisation that aims to expose
irresponsible corporate practices.
• “This move reads as a greenwashing
attempt to reassure customers about
their good intentions without
addressing their wasteful business
model, and there’s little evidence that
introducing such a range will encourage
people to buy less.
ETHICS IN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

As a buyer / designer you would be responsible

for the final design on a Hoody such as this.

Having INCLUSIVE staff members to shine the

light on issues such as this is so important.
Many companies are now introducing ethical
officers to their brands to prevent such things
from happening.

The Swedish brand issued the following

statement at the time: “We have got this wrong
and we agree that, even if unintentional, passive
or casual racism needs to be eradicated
wherever it exists.” Shortly after, the company
appointed its first ever global leader for diversity
and inclusiveness, Annie Wu.
ETHICS IN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Balenciaga
"We apologise for displaying unsettling
documents in our campaign. We take
this matter very seriously and are
taking legal action against the parties
responsible for creating the set and
including unapproved items for our
Spring 23 campaign photoshoot. We
strongly condemn the abuse of
children in any form. We stand for
children's safety and well-being," the
statement read.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
PART 1. Sketch book.
Are you for or against Balenciaga ?
Explain why in a BRAINSTORM and
no more then 1 sentence..
UPCYCLING AND DEADSTOCK
The key difference between upcycled clothing and recycled
clothing is that whereas upcycled clothing brands use
whole pieces of existing garments to create something
new, with recycling, materials must be broken down before
they can be reused. There are many environmental benefits
to wearing upcycled pieces.

More examples of upcycling here

https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/nicole-
mclaughlin-upcycled-fashion/index.html
YOUR PRODUCT and Services
Added Value

Your product should stand out from the crowd..

How can you add value;

Branding – packaging

Design – unique and non other available.

Selling Price - promotion or higher end product with an

additional incentive?

Quality – service, brand you select to work with,

product and service,

Convenience- fast delivery, contacting and

communication
 Sketchbook
Establish a NEW sustainable product. How is it sustainable?

Your product must also be ethical. How is it Ethical ?

Your product must also be UPCYCLED – Identify what you product is made from and how it will be
upcycled into a NEW DESIGN.

Create 2 Moodboards to represent your NEW PRODUCT.

Board 1. Ethical and sustainable board . You must WRITE ON YOUR BOARDS TO EXPLAIN YOUR FINDINGS.
You may do your boards digitally and PRINT them out and stick into your sketchbooks. Example on slide
35

Board 2 . Upcycled story board. Your story board should show 3 parts. Example on slide 36
1. Beginning (raw materials).
2. Current product .
3. New upcycled idea – You can write on your boards and explain your concept, fabric and HOW it adds
VALUE to the consumer.
Example of sustainable
moodboard to represent
cotton shirts

But you must have writing to

discuss your board and
product.
Why is it sustainable ?
Why is it ethical ?
Story board example – Explain your product ideas in each PART..

Again discuss parts 1. 2 and 3.

Writing here
Writing here
Writing here