Relatives of the victims cry as they attend prayer, paying tribute to the victims of a building collapse at the graveyard at Jurain in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Over 290 unclaimed bodies were buried / Photo Credit: Abir Abdullah EPA
On April 24th 2013, 1,133 men and women died after the structure of their garment factory crumbled on top of them. At least 2,500 were injured, along with an estimated 800 children left orphaned.
Victims were left begging for compensation, terms which still haven’t been met. And as many of the clothing companies sourcing production from Rana Plaza distanced themselves from the disaster, time passed and many were left forgotten.
An eight story building housing several garment factories became a mountain of rubble, clothing and people, and our eyes began to open. After this tragedy, One World Market began researching and sourcing Fair Trade clothing. We felt it was more important than ever to create a local market in Durham where ethical fashion could be found.
We started small with beautiful dresses that were handmade in the Congo from Mamafrica.
Then we branched out to simple separates, lovely tunics, and block-printed dresses handmade in India from Global Girlfriend, Jinja Fair Trade, and Symbology.
We instantly felt connected with the artisans who made our clothing. But even more, we felt incredibly disconnected from the “Fast Fashion” we had been wearing for so many years.
It can be so easy to overlook the tiny tag hanging in a shirt or stitched into a pair of pants. But when you’re wearing a Fair Trade garment, that tag becomes a source of pride ! Fair Trade – Handmade – it matters.
This Thursday, April 24th, we hope you will join us in asking the question:
Who made your clothes?
In cooperation with Fashion Revolution, you can choose to wear one item of clothing inside out. The idea is that then when someone asks you or points out that you’re wearing an article of clothing inside out, you can then engage in a meaningful conversation about where your clothes were made. And the horrors that occur every single day in every single part of the supply chain that creates a cheap piece of clothing.
Together we can use the power of fashion to catalyze change and reconnect the broken links in the supply chain. Wear your clothes inside-out to help start the beginning of an industry-wide transformation towards a more sustainable future.
Show us your inside out clothes on Instagram by tagging it @Fash_Rev @OneWorldMarket and #InsideOut
Join us! Join the Fashion Revolution!
