Fight, mend, release: Advocating fashion activism

ON April 24, 2011, Rana Plaza, an eight-story building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, collapsed, taking with it the lives of over a thousand garment workers in just 90 seconds. This building, which housed several garment factories, was kept operational despite structural failures and safety violations. Corners were cut to keep the cost of clothing down — a rather huge sacrifice for a shirt that someone would probably just wear once and then throw away.

The Rana Plaza collapse fueled fashion activism profoundly, birthing organizations like the Fashion Revolution, a global movement that seeks to end human and environmental exploitation in the fashion industry. Fashion Revolution Week is an initiative that they have every year around April 24, not only to remember the lives that were lost in the name of fashion but to encourage all fashion stakeholders, i.e., those who make clothes, those who wear clothes, and everyone in between, to do better.

As Fashion Revolution Week begins, I can’t help but reflect on how much our relationship with clothes mirrors our relationship with people. Here are a few relationship lessons that I have learned from fashion activism:

Some things are worth fighting for. The world we live in today values employee well-being. In management classes, we talk about how employee satisfaction is not only a moral obligation but also an economic investment. However, many garment workers today remain underpaid and mistreated. Fashion activists like the Clean Clothes Campaign are instrumental in advocating for the rights of garment workers by calling on big fashion brands to pay their workers a living wage. The intention is not to antagonize but to arrive at a win-win situation.

In any relationship, whether professional or personal, it is OK to ask for what you need, what you want, and what you deserve. As fashion activists fight for garment worker rights, we must stand up for what truly matters in our relationships — mutual respect, equality and fairness, and transparency and honesty.

Some things are worth mending. In a time where brand new clothes come cheap, we have become so quick to dispose of things at the first sign of imperfection: a missing button, a ripped seam, a tiny tear. But we probably have a needle, some thread, and a bit of sewing skills that we picked up from elementary or high school home economics classes. Maybe we just need to be reminded how it’s done.

Similarly, we ought not to throw away a good relationship just because it is imperfect. Just as we mend clothes to prolong their life and significance, relationships require effort and commitment to repair and strengthen over time.

Some things are meant to be released. We sometimes keep holding on to clothes for sentimental reasons even though they no longer fit or serve us, but that would be a waste. Wouldn’t it be better to give it up and pass it on to someone who can put it to good use? Bonus: this also opens space in your closet for clothes that fit your current body and lifestyle!

We can outgrow relationships in the same way we outgrow clothes, and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s OK to let go of a relationship, professional or personal, that has run its course. And we can release them while still honoring the part they played in shaping who we are today.

This Fashion Revolution Week, I invite you to ponder these things with me. If you would like to get involved in fashion activism, Fashion Revolution Philippines is also hosting several workshops and events this week. Workshops like “How to be a Campaigner” on Thursday, April 18, and “How To Be A Storyteller” on Friday, April 19, can help empower you to raise your voice and fight for garment workers’ rights. They are also hosting a Clothing Swap, an embroidery workshop, a weaving workshop, and Mend in Public Day on Saturday, April 20.

Liza Mae L. Fumar is a PhD in Business student at De La Salle University, where she also teaches management courses, including corporate social responsibility and governance. Her research interests include consumer behavior and green consumption. She is also a volunteer for Fashion Revolution Philippines. [email protected]