Fashion weeks are a great way to see the collections designers have created and the trends that are coming. But did you know there is a week dedicated to the conversation surrounding sustainable fashion? 

Fashion Revolution Week focuses on those conversations and more. The initiative was created by Fashion Revolution, a non-profit and charity based in the UK as a response to the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013. The building in Bangladesh consisted of garment factories with around 5,000 employees. 

In the collapse of April 24 in 2013, more than 1,100 workers died and 2,500 were injured. According to Fashion Revolution this made it the fourth largest industrial disaster in history. Most of the victims were young women who manufactured clothing for big global fashion brands. 

In contrast to the Fashion Weeks we see in New York, Paris and Milan, which showcase the beauty of fashion design, Fashion Revolution Week brings awareness to some of the “ugly” aspects of fashion. 

This year the conversations will focus on rights, relationships and revolution.

“Now we need brands to change their relationships with each other, replacing competition with collaboration to solve the major challenges facing the industry,” Fashion Revolution wrote on their website.

“We need a shift in the relationships between brands and suppliers, so that the rights of people and the rights of nature hold more of the power wherever decisions are being made.”

Fashion Revolution, a non-profit and charity based in the UK

Who can join the conversation?

Everyone! This event is for seasoned sustainable advocates to newbies who want to learn more or see what this “conscious chatter” is all about. (No but really, there’s a podcast named Conscious Chatter go check it out) 

Last year covid-19 made this event available to more people since they had to organize it virtually. I was learning and discovering more creative sustainable content creators that resonated with me.

There are different ways to get involved, you can attend one of the many virtual events or question clothing brands on social media. Tag your favorite brand on Instagram in a post or comment on a picture and ask #WhoMadeMyClothes or #WhatsInMyClothes

I challenge you to avoid shopping for any garments, shoes or handbags for that week and to consider watching some of these films to get you hyped for Fashion Revolution Week. 

Here are some films recommended by Fashion Revolution:

Feature length films

The True Cost (2015)

River Blue (2017)

Made in Bangladesh (2019)

The Price of Free (2018)

The Machinists (2013)

Clothes to Die for (2014)

Short films

Who Made My Clothes? (2018)

Unravel (2012)

Two Euro T-shirt (2015)

La Libertad (2017)

Catwalk to Creation (2019)

Made in Mexico (2019)

Tears in the Fabric (2014)