March 28, 2010 by Hatty
Earth Hour 2010 took place yesterday and, as 8.30pm approached, I for one felt a growing sense of determination to become more vigorously involved in securing a sustainable future for the world’s population and for generations to come by taking action now.
And it’s heartening to see that Earth Hour’s call for action on climate change is having a greater impact with every year that passes. Not only did this years event have more participants than in previous years, it’s hugely gratifying to see the beautiful and poignant images posted on the Earth Hour website demonstrating the growing responsibility that individuals, communities and organisations throughout the world feel in making it their personal business to take action against climate change by engaging in this momentous event.
Although switching off my lights felt like a very small thing to do in my day, it was such a positive and rousing experience which connected me to the many others out there who are unwavering in their resolve to proactively tackle this issue, a task we all know will prove far more difficult than simply flicking a switch, but that is seeming ever-more achievable as a result of events like Earth Hour.
by Hatty
The CSF blog will be inactive for the next few days due to site maintenance. Keep checking in with us regularly though – we’ll be up and running again by the end of the week!
by Hatty
April is almost upon us which means it’s time for the long-awaited Alternative Fashion Week!
With an emphasis on recycled textiles, ethical souring and all things sustainable this is a major event in the eco-fashionisa’s calendar. Exciting, new designers from across the globe will travel to East London to showcase their original, awe-inspiring work to an expectant crowd of fashion industry bigwigs, press and all of us devoted followers of fashion.
Want to be part of the fun? Alternative Fashion Week runs from 19th – 23rd April, is held in the Spitalfields Traders Market, Crispin Place, Brushfield Street, E1 6AA, and is free to attend – see you there!
by Hatty
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) have recently launched a new online database in a bid to make the process of setting up a complete organic supply chain as transparent and easy as possible.
GOTS is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.
It is hoped that the new database will dramatically reduce the obstacles facing the 1,500 companies, certified to the organic apparel and textile standard in 2009, in the global supply chain and result in an even greater increase in certifications, and thus certified products for consumers.
The public database contains almost 400 dyeing facilities, more than 200 spinning, knitting, and weaving units, and approximately 140 printing and manufacturing facilities and will create a co-ordinated supply chain and aid businesses in working efficiently. The database is highly accessible and easy to use – check it out now at the GOTS website.
by Hatty
This summer an amazing, multi-layered exhibition capturing Margiela’s unique aesthetic and vision spanning the past 20 years will make its London debut at Somerset House. Incorporating installations, photography, video and film the exhibition is set to make waves throughout the capital.
Working as a design assistant to Jean Paul Gautier until the late eighties, Margiela became famous for his radical ‘deconstructivist’ approach to fashion and inspired some of the world’s most eminent designers.
Long known for his penchant for recycling Margiela launched his ‘Artisanal’ collection in 2009, featuring vests made of vintage gym shoes, a dress of vintage silk head scarves and a jacket created using recycled hand luggage, and saw him fly the flag for sustainable fashion.
At the end of last year Margiela confirmed he would be leaving the fashion house he founded in Paris in 1988 prompting the curation of this exciting exhibition celebrating 20 years of his hugely influential and unique design works.
Maison Martin Margiela ’20’ The Exhibition opens on June 3rd 2010 – one more reason we can’t wait for summer!
More details at the Somerset House website
March 27, 2010 by Hatty
March 26, 2010 by Hatty
The Centre for Sustainable Fashion is on the look out for a part-time Administrative Assistant to join our fantastic team. This is an incredible role – exciting, challenging, inspiring, varied and fun (and I should know!) so check out the job description to see if you’re up to the challenge!
Job Description
With your proven administrative skills, you will help us keep our Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF) running like clockwork. Teamwork is vital and you will play your part by tackling a range of tasks: preparing reports, maintaining our website, handling correspondence and filing. You will also be the first point of contact for enquiries, especially those from industry. You will provide businesses with information about our support programme, while helping to market and organise it.
The role offers the chance to liaise with many outside organisations, develop databases and assist the CSF Director. With a degree or equivalent work experience, you will share our passion for sustainability.
An excellent administrator with a genuine interest in the work of CSF, you have experience of the fashion and lifestyle sector and ideally, of Higher Education or the public sector too. Excellent IT, communication and interpersonal skills are essential.
In return, we offer a competitive employment package including a salary that reflects working in London; generous annual leave; a final salary pension scheme; and a commitment to your continuing personal and career development in an environment that encourages creativity, diversity and excellence.
If this sounds like the job for you, visit the LCF website and fill out the online application at: http://jobs.arts.ac.uk/ViewJob.aspx?id=70be43ba-69f8-4eec-b91a-1853850bd164
This is a truly wonderful opportunity and the closing date is coming up – 6th April 2010 – so apply now!
by amucklow
Feliz Dia Internacional da Mulher
As celebrations were taking place around the world for International Women’s Day, a small team of women in Jardim Santo Andre an area of the megalopolis that is Sao Paulo were celebrating the end of a 10 month programme, sponsored by Avon Cosmetics, that had enabled them to access technical training, equipment and the chance to learn how to work in a sustainable way. The group named Retece, works in a ethical way using embroidery, fabric scraps and innovation to produce garments and accessories. The group project was run, supported and intiated by Ecotece a Brazilian organisation that emphasises the need for a concious clothing movement (more about their work soon).
Despite the language barrier (thankfully there were a couple of people speaking Ingles) I could just about follow the procedures of the day and the experience was a success for all involved – it was easy to see the emotion and feel the positive energy from the experience for the women taking part so language did not matter so much. During the 10 month project the women involved had also received support and taken part in workshops about self-esteem, gender relations, worked through domestic issues and explored ideas relating to team work.
The graduation ceremony was a celebration of all that the group had learned. I joked afterwards that I was too British to express how I felt about the experience in a truly Brazilian way as I had struggled through the presentations, keeping my emotions in check. The pride and sense of achievement could be sensed all afternoon as family and friends of the women involved joined the celebrations.
Before the ceremony
The experience for me was inspiring and heart warming, it was great to see lots of children there too, and the example it shows to them is such a positive one. The celebration signalled the end of the funding, which now means this group of women are out in the world of business for the first time. I certainly wish them luck.
More about the Retece Project, Ecotece and Brazil soon.
March 19, 2010 by Hatty
The fantastic Fashioning an Ethical Industry (FEI) conference: Fast Forward took place in London on the 2nd and 3rd March 2010.
This was an amazing and inspiring event and a great testament to the dedication of the wonderful organisers – Hannah Higginson and Liz Parker – who succeeded in bringing together so many incredible people from different countries, offering unique perspectives, to share their experiences and ideas about how we integrate ethics into the teaching and business of fashion.
Fashioning an Ethical Industry, an education project of Labour Behind the Label, works with tutors and students of fashion-related courses to give an overview of how the fashion industry positively and negatively impacts on working conditions in garment manufacture and to inspire students – as the next generation of industry players – to raise standards in the for garment workers in the fashion industry of the future.
The work of Fashioning an Ethical Industry in the UK, Mein Design, Meine Verantwortung in Austria, Fair Fashion in the Netherlands and Modnie i Etycznie in Poland is part of growing movement exploring how we can transform the current fashion model so the rights of workers are respected.
If you weren’t fortunate enough to attend the FEI conference, or if you just wanted to refresh your memory of the event, selected presentations made at the conference are now available online at:
http://fashioninganethicalindustry.org/conference2010programme/
Further information on what is happening in fashion education in Europe and resources in English, Dutch, German, Polish, French and Spanish can be found at the new FEI European website.
The European Commission funded Fashioning an Ethical Industry project, which has been run by Labour Behind the Label (UK), Schone Kleren Campagne (Netherlands), Südwind Agentur (Austria) and PAH (Poland) will be coming to an end in June 2010.
However, the final few months of the project will be very busy so why not keep up to date with what is happening at:
Austria: Mein Design, Meine Verantwortung www.mode.cleanclothes.at
Netherlands: Fair Fashion
www.fairfashion.org
Poland: Modnie i etycznie
www.modnieietycznie.pl
UK: Fashioning an Ethical Industry
http://fashioninganethicalindustry.org/static/sewingmachine.html
by Hatty
The London and South East Section March Talk
Wednesday 24th March 2010
Chris Thierry
MD, UK Retail Connect Ltd
“Wool is probably the best renewable, sustainable fibre on our planet, having many attributes which to protect the user from many of the elements which surround us and is perfectly placed for the future.’”
Chris is the former UK General Retail Manager of The Woolmark Company / Australian Wool Innovation and over a career spanning some 40 years has gained an extensive knowledge of Merino wool from the raw material, through spinning, knitting and weaving to the finished article, be it a garment, carpet or for other interior use. Tonight he will speak of the benefits of merino wool and particularly for today’s Fashion Designer.
4th Floor, 5 Portland Place, London, W1
Nearest Tube – Oxford Circus
6.30pm for 7pm
Members (including SDC) and Students free
Non-members £5
http://www.textileinstitute.org/
