A Handmade Revolution: A personal reflection on responsible fashion

We all need clothes, and we all use our clothes to express something about ourselves. But what do our clothes say about us and the world around us? Have you thought about the miles your clothes have traveled, and the people who spent hours making them?

Fashion Revolution is a movement that evolved from the outrage caused by the Rana Plaza disaster, where 1,138 people, mostly young women, died in a Bangladeshi factory due to unsafe working conditions. The Savar building housed five factories and was reported to have large cracks in the walls in the days before the collapse. Despite this, workers who refused to enter due to safety concerns were forced to enter the building by paid gang members who beat anyone who refuse. Many of those who survived suffered life-changing injuries which have left them unable to work while others were never found.

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I can now say #imademyclothes nearly every day. The @fash_rev movement has made me aware of the impact of fast fashion on the world around us, and particularly on the people who make our clothes, often in poor conditions. Sewing my own clothes has created an awareness of the time and labour involved in creating a single item and with it, a sense of responsibility towards the anonymous worker who makes clothes for others. I wrote an article for @amaliah_com on this subject last year, I will put the link in my bio if you want to read it. Thanks to @inthefolds for organising #makersforfashrev

A post shared by Atia (@thebrightblooms) on Apr 24, 2018 at 12:46pm PDT

What does this have to do with fashion?

The workers in those factories were there to provide cheap labour to make the clothes that eventually end up in high streets in Britain and America. The drive to provide consumers with cheap clothes leads manufacturers to look for ways to cut costs. Safety and the welfare of already poorly paid workers is low on the list of priorities for unethical companies. The only way to end the exploitation is to demand that high street shops and fashion labels are transparent about the standards in the factories they use . Fashion Revolution urges us all to be aware of where our clothes comes from and to ask companies ‘who made my clothes’?

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Looking forward to my first night out in ages with @samiyahk! We are going to @halalfoodguy’s private dining event at Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley . I am wearing my @sewoveritlondon Lizzie Skirt and an Aime Comme Magellan top both in @fabworksmillshop fabric. In fact I am also wearing my Sapporo coat so it’s a Fabworks kind of night 😁

A post shared by Atia (@thebrightblooms) on Feb 26, 2018 at 10:02am PST

It can be a challenge to buy ethically, and of course none of us have an unlimited budget to buy clothes. One solution is to buy fewer, better quality items that last,

and to look after and mend our clothes rather than being ready to replace them with new ones too quickly. Buying secondhand clothes is also a great ethical option which prevents waste. For a few years, like many others, I have also made my own clothes, both as an enjoyable hobby and an ethical alternative to fast fashion. 

Beautiful high-quality natural fabrics are much less expensive than ready-made clothes, clothes made with the same materials. #Makersforfashrev is a spin-off movement started by @inthefolds on Instagram, and demonstrates how sewists and makers can be part of the change in global fashion.

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So happy with this @megannielsenpatterns Sudley dress! I initially planned to make this for @pilar_bear and @timetosew’s #makeyourstash challenge but on investigation I realised the fabric hasn’t been in my stash long enough. I’m sure I can find something older for another project though. I love the @riflepaperco fabric. I only just managed to squeeze out long sleeves by reducing the width of the skirt a bit but as there is a lot of volume it’s not obvious. It has a very similar fit to the I Am Cassiopee dress and is a quick project except for the fabric ties which took me forever to turn right side out! The keyhole back detail isn’t that practical for me but I enjoyed trying a new technique and the bias facing gives a neat finish.

A post shared by Atia (@thebrightblooms) on Mar 18, 2018 at 4:57am PDT

A simple dress or t-shirt can be made in a few hours, and I know exactly how much time and effort went into making each item. With more time-consuming items, such as a buttoned shirt or pleated dress, it makes me wonder how little a worker in a country like Bangladesh or Vietnam is being paid, if the final product can be sold for only £10-15 on the high street. The next challenge for me personally is to be aware of where my fabric comes from, and to try and buy organic and ethically produced fabric where possible.

I know not everyone can make their own clothes, but if Fashion Revolution can make one more person question how much they buy and where from, then disasters like Rana Plaza may be prevented in the future.