by Nick Pecorelli, Founder

The fashion industry is very good at producing beautiful things, but it's not so good at thinking about the consequences of how they’re made. At Little Green Radicals we believe that nothing is truly beautiful unless it is made with respect for people and planet. 

We play a small part in the Fashion Revolution movement, always changing, learning and working towards a better future for the fashion industry. We are delighted to be joined by many other small, socially conscious brands but sometimes it feels a bit more like evolution than revolution.

What is Fashion Revolution Week?

Fashion Revolution Week is a campaign designed to highlight the shortcomings of the textile industry. 

It was founded by Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro in the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster in 2013 and is now the world's largest fashion activism movement, mobilising citizens, brands and policymakers through research, education and advocacy. In their words;

"We love fashion. But we don't want our clothes to exploit people or destroy our planet. We are coming together as a global community to bring our manifesto into reality."

How does organic and Fairtrade cotton production contribute to the Fashion Revolution?

Farming is a tough life, even in this country, and cotton farmers are some of the poorest of the poor. Fairtrade guarantees a minimum price and a social premium where farmers decide what it’s spent on. Pesticides are also a worker issue because, sadly, there are still thousands of deaths caused by their use and misuse each year and it’s often only after many years that the real health impacts come to light.

And issues with the treatment of workers exist throughout the supply chain. Long shifts, poor pay and obvious gender issues, like the sacking  women who become  pregnant. Often, it is just a flagrant disregard for health and safety. In the Rana Plaza tragedy it was found that fire exits were blocked. The suppliers we work with are long-term partners who are audited and regulated via the Fairtrade Foundation and GOTS organic certifications to monitor working practices. 

What is the environmental impact of clothing production? 

Oil is often used to make fabrics like polyester and I think should only be considered for performance products that need to protect you in some way from the elements, like rainwear or swimwear. Given the quantity of plastic available, recycled is surely what brands should be doing. Our rainwear and swimwear is made from recycled materials that have been given a second life. 

Or has the fabric’s material been grown naturally? Of course, the term natural is used very liberally. Natural has to mean no chemical pesticides or insecticides and the easiest way to be sure of this is organic certification. Since the very beginning, all the cotton we used in our collection has been organic. 

Environmental impacts extend throughout the supply chain, including the dyes used, energy consumption, transport and packaging. We keep working on these areas to reduce our environmental footprint and we are making progress but have more to do. 

One underestimated impact on the environment is how long something lasts. Often cheap products are designed to be throw away fast fashion and that means more landfill and more environmental degradation because more products have to be produced. We work hard to make products that last and can be handed along to other families. Buying second hand and repairing are also great ways to reduce environmental impact because they also extend the life of clothing that’s been produced. 

Who made my clothes?

Part of the Fashion Revolution campaign encourages shoppers to reach out to their favourite brands and ask "Who made my clothes?" in an effort to increase transparency. Find out about our amazing producer partners here. 

When is Fashion Revolution week?

15-24 April 2024

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