Approximately 80% of the people who make our clothes globally are women, yet how often are they left out of the International Women’s Day conversation by fashion brands?
Here are some of the ways you can support the forgotten women in the clothing supply chain today.
1. Campaigners are calling out @PrettyLittleThing for hosting an exclusive IWD influencer’s networking event called #prettypowerful to celebrate the role of women, whilst making no mention of the many women who make their clothes.
Look up the hashtag #PrettyPowerful to see how you can help by calling this out on social media today. You can also use #PayYourWorkers #PayHer.
2. Another brand accused of ‘aggressively wokewashing’ IWD is adidas. According to Clean Clothes Campaign, the company attempts to use IWD as an annual opportunity to convince consumers that their clothes support female empowerment. “In reality, the majority of workers in adidas factories are women of colour, who are having their wages stolen and their rights violated. Adidas garment workers in Cambodia are owed at least $11.7 million (USD) in unpaid wages. This is the story across their supply chain.”
To find out more about this campaign head to https://adidassteals.com/.
The hashtags to use on social media to support the campaign are #AdidasStealsFromWomenOfColour #PayYourWorkers #IWD
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3. The Good Clothes, Fair Pay campaign is pushing for living wage legislation that, if passed, would benefit women garment workers the most – but so far 90% of the campaign’s supporters are women. On IWD they are calling for men to stand in solidarity with the women who make our clothes. Support this call by sharing their post @goodclotheseu #GoodClothesFairPay
4. Far from it being about frilly ‘fits and facemasks, as many brands would have us believe, IWD has its roots in women-led labour movements. It’s about women stepping into their power and working together to bring about change.
If you want to hear directly from the women fighting for a more just fashion industry, we recommend checking out Clean Clothes Campaign’s podcast on this topic.
If you know any other campaigns or resources that aim to support women in the fashion supply chain, or raise awareness of the issues they are facing, let us know so we can add them to this list.
Wishing a very happy IWD to all women!
Stitched Up x
