Fashion x Feminism Unite

As women we are coming into our power more than ever, and with it a growing courage that we want to show and share with the world. And the fashion industry is following our lead, churning out slogan tees like “Feminist” and “Girls Rule” to support–and also monetize–our values.

But ladies there’s a dichotomy between our professed values and what our clothes actually say about us. “Feminists Rules” tees made in Bangladesh forget about the women who actually bring those tees to life and continue to often toil in unsafe working conditions.

For graphic tees made in Sri Lanka, we just went behind the label for our upcoming documentary. It’s a country where women told us wages are 5x lower than what she’d need to make living wage as in afford rent, eat healthfully and get to work safely. Wages in the fashion industry overall are ½ of a living wage.

In our recent trip to Sri Lanka we met women working in factories who because of a simple unexpected life event – a toothache, a death in the family, fell heavily into debt and had to take up precarious sex work on the side. So while the future is female maybe a bestseller tee, what about the future of the women who made that for us?

As feminists it’s been an exciting time with models, celebrities, actresses and everyday women standing up and saying #Metoo. We all want to end misogyny, want equal pay for equal work. To stop being harassed at work and to end assault on campus.

But in this fight lets not forget our sisters at the other end of the fashion supply chain. Women working on factory floors are routinely fired for being pregnant. Are also up against harassment and abuse at work and on her walk home. Where is the #metoo movement for her?

Fashion has always been a signal of our voice, and our values. The good news is beyond the slogan tees, we can actually wear our values.

Here’s how:

1. Download the wallet guide you see in our video. Woot woot!
2. Spread the love and share our video with friends.
3. Check out brands that are truly pro-women. The brands we filter commit to the wellbeing of their makers and our planet. Now that’s a slogan we can all get behind.