What “America First” Means for Garment Manufacturing
The fashion industry is more than models on the runway, extravagant photoshoots and designers at glamorous parties mingling with celebrities. This fame driven media is just the surface and is what most people correlate with fashion. What isn’t seen, besides in brief headlines every now and then, is the suffering of along the supply chain from materials sourcing to producing and delivering garments.
Fashion Revolution Week is coming up soon and I’ve been thinking a lot about the Rana Plaza disaster and working conditions in places like Bangladesh, and more specifically, what the future holds for them. It’s been four years since the collapse and I’m excited as we round the corner into a new era of fashion where the consumer is more aware of the human rights issues abroad. The documentary The True Cost and trailblazers like The Reformation and Everlane are changing the game and taking ethical fashion into the mainstream, but there is still a huge disconnect between the consumer and the supply chain.
Now with Trump’s “America First” initiatives, the role of our current political situation in all this cannot be ignored. Bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US is very complicated, and frankly Trump’s approach is quite naive. How does he expect American brands to be made locally at a competitive price when both him and Ivanka were unable to do so with their clothing lines?
Let’s start with a simple question, who will be making these goods? There are few skilled seamstresses in this country, this trade has not been cultivated in our communities. In large part, the people that work in American garment factories are immigrants and are now being threatened with deportation. Will Americans want these jobs?
If the America First movement takes shape like Trump claims, in my opinion there are two routes it could go 1.) more technology driven manufacturing with machines replacing humans, or 2.) sweatshop like conditions in detention centers and correctional facilities, using immigrants and prison labor to make cheap garments. There could be a niche market making higher price point items that could thrive off of a made in America boom, but overall, the companies like Forever 21, will be hurting (although maybe this would be a good thing). Their whole model relies on cheap labor in developing countries.
What about the workers in these developing countries? For many, the working conditions are less than ideal and making a living wage is not possible, but is taking their jobs away the answer? According to WTO data, in 2016 there was $84B in apparel imports. From an economic standpoint alone, shifting to American manufacturing would change the landscape of foreign trade and world economies. With 35% of apparel imports coming from China, 13% from Vietnam and 6% from Bangladesh, among other countries like Indonesia and Cambodia, way over half of these imports are coming from Asia.
Although working conditions can vary in these countries, for many women, garment manufacturing gives them a chance to earn money and potentially gain socio-economic mobility. This can be empowering when the only other options for women are selling their bodies or staying in the household. Many factories take advantage of this desperation to exploit these women and children but as the spotlight grows on this issue, the pressure is growing to create fair working conditions as well. With such a big shift in the garment manufacturing landscape, I’m concerned what this would mean for female garment workers, and what would replace these industries.
The fashion industry is holding it’s breath as we wait to see how the America First policies are enacted. Obviously, there are many uncertainties and this presidency is very unpredictable. I never would have guessed that Trump would alienate Putin and start to warm to President Xi, but here we are. I’ll be watching out for his next moves and what it means for garment workers both here in America and abroad.
Ethical fashion goes deeper than the clothes you decide to put on your back, but extends to showing compassion for those who made them. I look forward to Fashion Revolution Week (April 24th – 30th) and celebrating the beautiful people that often go unseen in the fashion supply chain. If you want to find out more or get involved, check out http://fashionrevolution.org/
Clothing Alchemy – Making Your Clothes Last
Oh the plight of feeling like we have nothing to wear even though our closets are full. It’s hard to restructure our mindset of old is bad, tired and boring. But by being mindful of our choices and with a bit of creativity, we can keep the life of our garments going strong. Through brainstorming creative styling ideas, breathing new life into our clothes or, if the garment is truly just had it, repurposing them into one-of-a-kind creations, you’ll have a closet that continuously excites.
Most importantly, extending the lifecycle of your clothes keeps the material from winding up in landfills and creating excess waste. You don’t have to partake in the “buy-buy-buy” consumer mindset that marketing campaigns and deep discount sales make so appealing when you have what you need and you have the tools to constantly recreate your wardrobe.
Rediscovering Old Pieces
I love polishing old treasures in my closet that I’ve either forgotten about or have gotten bored of. Mixing and matching and being bold enough to try something new is what fashion is all about. You can be more creative when you’re not buying fast fashion that falls apart after a couple washes, long lasting clothes grow with you. I hate to be cliché, but think Carrie Bradshaw, she was always taking a chance on innovative styling.
Something fun to try is taking a piece of clothing used for one thing and morphing it into something completely new. Take a shirt that you can style as a skirt or a skirt that you can style as a dress. Play around with it, the options are endless. Let me know what you come up with!
Giving Your Clothes Some Love
These days we’ve been programed to throw away worn or broken items in exchange for new, but a simple fix of a hem, adding a missing button or patching up a garment is easy and oftentimes adds character. It’s good practice to keep a simple sewing kit at home, you can take one of those you get in hotel rooms, or just grab the essentials from your Mom’s sewing kit.
If you’re not a skilled sewer yourself, you could always ask a friend or take your clothes in to be altered. Instead of going to buy a new top, you can take in one you already have to be altered and update your look. This is why it’s good to invest in high quality pieces that last a long time, if you tire of the style, you can update the look with a little tweak of the fit.
Time For a Make-over!
There are endless projects you can do with worn out clothes, I started a whole business out of this when I was in Hawai’i, repurposing old textiles. Depending on what shape the piece of clothing is in, you could either transform it into something new and wearable, or completely break it down to use for something else.
I tend to get holes in my jeans in the crotch area, and one of my favorite upcycling projects is to make denim skirts. Although, there’s only so many denim skirts a girl can have, think about cutting up the fabric for other projects, such as weaving, patchwork, quilting, or even a household rag.
If you really don’t have the time make something or repurpose the fabric on your own, look into organizations to donate to, or places that recycle or buy used clothing. There are a lot of options here, and you’ll need to do your research. Not all thrift stores are created equal, and it’s important to understand how textiles will be recycled and repurposed. By donating to the wrong organization your clothes could still end up in a landfill or be sent off to Haiti to occupy a landfill there.
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If you go through this article and you still feel like you need new additions to your closet, consider doing a clothing swap with friends. Make a day of it, invite friends over for brunch and have mimosas while swapping your forgotten duds. Having a fun Sunday with close friends will be just as worth the new finds you’ll walk away with.
Conscious Fashionista – The Clean Fashion Diet
Taking the Plunge
If you’re the type of person that loves Zara, H&M, and Forever 21, I get it, I’ve been there. I started my clean fashion/conscious fashionista journey three years ago and I’m still not perfect. I have my slip ups and moments of weakness, but that’s ok. We’re all human and like any diet, you are bound to have some setbacks.
The important thing is to shift your mindset. As a consumer you vote with your dollar, and you should know what policies and business practices your money goes towards. It’s easy to ignore or be ignorant to how our clothes are made. Most brands are not transparent about their supply chain and oftentimes production happens abroad, negatively affecting communities we’re not a part of.
Many words get thrown around when talking about this alternative fashion movement, sustainable, eco, fair trade, slow, etc. It can be confusing with different labels and definitions depending on which perspective people are taking on the issue. There also tends to be a lot of blame and judgement thrown around, making it an exclusive clique where outsiders don’t feel welcome. I’m attempting to open up this world a little and define the mindset of those taking part in the movement, and the steps you can take to stand with us.
I choose the words conscious and ethical because they are not tainted by overuse or greenwash marketing…as of yet. Furthermore, words like sustainable and fair trade are only facets of the movement. I’m certainly not the first person defining the field but for me it goes beyond the clothes themselves to the consciousness of the consumer. I’ll leave you with my definition below:
Conscious Fashionista – An individual who expresses themselves through clothing that is well made and long lasting, with minimal to no negative impact on the earth and people who created them. They celebrate innovation, impeccable design, cultural traditions and craftsmanship. The Conscious Fashionista is mindful of the damage caused by fast fashion and is fighting back by sharing her ethical fashion story and standing up against fast fashion.
Sounds simple, but it can be hard to go against the grain of our consumer culture. Here are some guiding principles to help get you started and stay on track.
Track and Trace – Know the Source
Depending on the brand, this can be tricky. But if it is too difficult to confirm that the materials are responsibly sourced, or that they are treating their workers well, you probably shouldn’t be shopping there. Many brands these days have their “corporate social responsibility” blurb, which sounds really nice, but there’s usually more to the story. Take H&M for example, they are pushing a lot of sustainability initiatives and even producing with their own sustainable line, but they are still creating massive amounts of waste and producing at potentially unsafe factories with unfair working conditions. This is where you have to make your own judgement call, do the sustainability initiatives make up for everything else? It’s your call, but make sure you’re well informed and can stand behind your choices.
It helps to narrow down the main causes you care about as opposed to ethical fashion as a whole. Whether it be organic materials, locally made, fair working conditions, etc. Choose one or two that you’re truly passionate about and let that drive you.
For me, I love vintage as well as long lasting classic pieces that are produced fairly. Before I shop, I think of anything I’m missing from my wardrobe and research different types of styles and fit to see what I actually want before stepping foot in a store, or purchasing online. I have a handful of go-to brands that I’ve researched and trust, if I don’t see what I want there, I hit the vintage stores. The goal is to buy products that you will cherish.
Quality and Tradition – Know Your Fashion
Did you learn to sew with your mom? Or maybe your grandma taught you to knit? These days maybe not, but traditionally clothing was a very personal and cultural experience. You were given heirloom products from your older family members, and you’d spend hours creating and making textiles together. These traditions have largely been lost due to the globalization and industrialization of our communities. Part of becoming a conscious fashionista is to reconnect to these roots and appreciate the garment as something that should be well made and non-disposable.
This is not to say that you need to make all your clothes, but to celebrate designers and innovators. Find brands you can stand behind and understand what makes their products so special. If you appreciate what goes into making a quality piece of clothing, the better you can spot the subtleties in great, well thought out design.
Again you’ll need to decide what is most important to you, quality design means different things to different people. Some people choose to follow artisan brands preserving cultural crafts, others follow tech companies creating radical new ways of recycling textiles. Whatever you choose, just start following, sharing stories and engaging in the community, this is a great first step.
Share the Love – Tell Your Story
At the end of the day, fashion is about expression and having fun. You should feel confident and empowered when you get dressed in the morning. Being a conscious fashionista is showing pride in your clothes and being excited about their story. When seeing someone who is well dressed and confident in their style, others follow suit.
Share the love on Facebook, Instagram, e-mail, or however you connect with those close to you. Even just by talking about it when you’re out with your friends, or if a co-worker compliments you on your clothes, tell them your story.
One thing I’m wary of is how easy it is to get preachy when talking about the ethical fashion movement. Instead I hope to shine a light on how easy it can be, and how this can be an extension of what you may already practice. By training ourselves to look deeper and ask questions about how our clothes were sourced, and who made them, we are starting a slow cultural shift. Together we are becoming more aware of the damage caused by fast fashion, and the strength of being more mindful and conscious of your power as a consumer.
My First Post – It’s About Time
I’ve been meaning to start this blog since moving to New York City almost two years ago. With my two year anniversary coming up next week, and high on New Year’s resolutions I decided to get this thing off the ground.
Why I want to write this blog:
I bought my one-way ticket to New York City with the goal of becoming an ethical fashion pioneer and revolutionize the industry, sounds easy right? Since arriving I’ve gotten caught up in the fashion start-up non-stop grind, worked temp jobs at large fashion corporations, and am about to start a production job at a menswear brand in midtown. A little bit of everything. I’d like to use this place to step back and see what others are doing in the industry and ruminate on ideas of how to move forward as a more conscious and empathetic industry, and also possibly tell some funny fashion industry stories or give some advice here and there.
A bit about me:
I have always loved clothes. Growing up in Japan, I loved to see the new and creative ways people chose to express themselves. Sadly I wasn’t always the most thoughtful shopper, my mom can attest to that. Every year I wanted a new wardrobe. Once I stopped growing, I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t just throw out everything I was bored of and get new and shiny ones. It was a shameful time.
My first real epiphany of the extant of my consumerist brainwashing came in graduate school. I studied Japanese Tantric Buddhism for three years and it forced me to be introspective on my own material driven behavior, it stopped me dead in my tracks. I wanted to learn more about the inner workings of the fashion industry and started reading books like Naked Fashion by Safia Minney, and Sustainable Fashion and Textiles by Kate Fletcher, among others. I felt guilty for even stepping into stores like H&M and Forever21. My friends thought I had lost it, and didn’t understand why I was being so picky about where my clothes were made. I became so paralyzed by how little I knew about the supply chain of the clothes I was wearing. Without a budget to afford higher quality sustainable clothing, I started my own upcycling brand and committed to buying only from Goodwill for a year – I’m sure there will be a post about this at some point 😉
This experience launched me into my ethical fashion journey, and eventually led me to where I am today in Bushwick writing this post. I’m excited to have you along on this continued celebration of well-made, conscious and inspiring design.