Its Freedom of Information Day - Its a time to tell fashion: "STOP the green-washing !"
The 16th March is Freedom of Information Day, it is a date dedicated to reflecting on the concept of transparency of information. That every citizen has the right to public information. It comes from the belief that knowledge is power to make informed decisions. This quote sums it all up beautifully "The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty." (Madison), and I would like to add; the only guardian to good choices.
Today, this fashion rebel is demanding full transparency of information by ALL fashion labels. If any fashion label claims to be ethical, with-out full transparency, they are, simply not ethical and are guilty of green-washing. Because, the key action of ethical is about being, truthful and defining to the customer what ethical means, and how they are doing it. It’s a verb, not just a word.
If a business is in the pursuit of being ethical, they would be 100% transparent about their policies and practices, particularly the ecological and social costs involved with production. Why? Because they would be so darn proud of it. If they don’t know that information, or do not share it, then they don’t care about it.
My opinion is validated by The Fashion Revolution, an activist group dedicated to exposing the ugly truths of fashion with empirical data. In a recent study, they have highlighted the issue of fashion transparency. Their research involved analysing 200 of the world’s largest fashion retailers, it found that:
- ‘The average score for all brands and retailers is 21%’.
- ‘The highest scoring brands this year are Adidas, Reebok and Patagonia, who each score 64%’.
- ‘70 brands are publishing a list of their first-tier manufacturers; 38 brands are disclosing their processing facilities and 10 brands are disclosing some of the facilities or farms supplying their fibres such as viscose, cotton and wool’.
- ‘Only 6 brands disclose a method for isolating and calculating labour costs in their price negotiation with suppliers and only 4 publish percentage of supplier payments made on time’.
It’s not good enough! Particularly during in these times. We need to produce and consume to make a difference, now more than ever. The world is being shattered economically and physically. And those whom will suffer the most are the ones whom are the most vulnerable, the poor, our environment and the socially disadvantaged. As companies scrabble to save a dime, it will be at the cost of someone or something. We need to demand information on consumer products (particularly in fashion). Only then can make informed decisions, so our dollar can help build our global society back, in a way that helps the most.
Lots of love,
Yvie xo
#FreedomOfInformationDay #Moreimportantthanever #transparencyiskey #fashrev #prosumer
Note: The attached image was sourced from : https://www.fashionrevolution.org/about/transparency/