WHAT IS FASHION TRANSPARENCY?
Fashion transparency is used to describe how much information a brand discloses about their supply chain regarding policies and practices. Here at KEEPER Denim transparency is at the heart of what we do.
When did people start to look for transparency of fashion brands?
RANA PLAZA COLLAPSE
On the 24th April 2013 the Rana Plaza building, located in Bangladesh, collapsed killing 1,134 people and injuring over 2,000 others. The 8-storey building housed 5 garment factories that manufactured clothes for popular global fast fashion brands. It is one of the worst industrial accidents to date.
FASHION REVOLUTION
After this tragedy, the Fashion Revolution was formed, an organisation and global movement that aims to change the way our clothes are sourced, produced and consumed. Every April, the Fashion Revolution runs ‘Fashion Revolution Week’ and the #whomademyclothes campaign, which serves as a reminder for consumers to demand transparency from fashion brands.
Each year Fashion Revolution also releases a report called the Transparency Index, where they review 150 of the largest global fashion brands and rank them based on how much they disclose regarding their social and environmental policies, practices, and impact. Check out the fashion Revolution’s website here to see the latest Transparency Index.
It is important to remember that according to the Fashion Revolution “Transparency does not equal sustainability.” A brand may be disclosing a lot of information around their supply chain, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are acting both ethically and sustainably. There is a lot of greenwashing out there with some brands using clever marketing tactics to make their products appear to be more sustainable than they really are. However, at least if a brand is transparent, consumers can assess the supply chain for themselves and decide if they want to purchase clothing from them and support their practices.
TRANSPARENCY AT KEEPER DENIM
When we started KEEPER Denim we knew transparency was one of the key things we wanted to focus on, as we wanted to be as open and honest with you as we possibly could be. We have consciously chosen the suppliers we work with, ensuring we minimise our impact on the environment and the people involved in making our jeans. That is why we have a page on our website dedicated to the transparency of our supply chain, check it out here. We list each of our suppliers and manufacturers, their locations and further information behind each company. By sharing our supply chain with you, we hope you can be confident in knowing who made your jeans and where they were made.
Remember, you as an individual have so much power to create change within the industry as you can vote with your dollar. Whenever you make a purchase from a transparent brand that has ethical and sustainable practices, rather than one that does not, you are advocating for change. By doing this, we can create the future that we want, a fashion industry that is safer for both the people who make our clothes and our planet.