#WhoMadeMyClothes - Fashion Revolution Week 2021

he 19th to April 25th was Fashion Revolution Week, a time to ask “Who made my clothes?” and in our case say “We made your uniforms!”. Fashion Revolution Week was founded after the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013, a devastating garment factory collapse that killed over 1,132 people and injured more than 2,500. Now in its eighth year, this accident was the catalyst for Fashion Revolution to begin the fight for environmental and ethical change within the industry.

It’s an inclusive activism movement that unifies people from all over the world through research, education and advocacy work – like its Fashion Transparency Index, an annual report ranking 250 of the world’s biggest fashion brands based on their social and environmental practices. Fashion Revolution Week is about asking the questions that matter the most, connecting the wearer to the maker behind the label.

With the aim to educate consumers on the questions to ask about their clothes and how to shop sustainably. “Buying from small businesses and thinking of longevity when it comes to what we already own can make a long-term difference,”  says Orsola de Castro, founder and global creative director of Fashion Revolution. A statement the team at Studio 104 stands behind, we create our garments with durability and longevity in mind.

In 2014, the #WhoMadeMyClothes hashtag was launched by Fashion Revolution, quickly becoming the number one trend worldwide. The cause began to gain valuable media attention, moving from its UK confines to country teams and offices across the world. Since #WhoMadeMyClothes, each year has spurred a new viral campaign, including #InsideOut, #Haulternative and this year’s #WhoMadeMyFabric.

The 2021 theme is aptly Rights, Relationships and Revolution. As the Covid-19 crisis has impacted millions of garment workers throughout the world, as major brands have cancelled or slowed down their orders many workers livelihoods are at risk. This year’s campaign will amplify oppressed voices in the fashion supply chain and shift the relationships between brands and suppliers by calling for complete transparency, not just where the factories are located, but where the fabrics and yarns are made. We are proud to have built close relationships with the mills we work with, particularly our British suppliers.

Since its inception, Fashion Revolution Week has resonated globally. Every year, the movement brings in thousands of participants advocating for change – even in a pandemic. Last year, Fashion Revolution Week boasted 489 global partnerships in 53 countries, 12,578 letters sent to brands advocating for garment worker rights and a press reach of 2.9 billion.

Studio 104 is an international uniform company, but as we are based in the UK our supply chain is mainly within Europe to be able to visit our factories and limit our carbon footprint shipping material around the world. In normal time, our team would be frequently visiting our manufacturing partners. We've been lucky to be able to visit and support our London supplier, however with the current travel restriction we have had to adapt with weekly video call to check with teams and the production. It has always been a priority for Studio 104 to know who is making our garment and our materials.
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For more info, visit the Fashion Revolution website here.

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Written by Bethan - Product Development Assistant

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