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How we will achieve systemic change A revolution in the global fashion industry will require both individuals and communities to make lifestyle changes and transformation of our economic and legal systems. This is why we are focusing on three crucial pathways of change:
Why we still need a Fashion Revolution
Industry change The industry is in a powerful position to make changes from the inside. Big brands have the resources, marketing power and moral responsibility to do so. While we recognise systemic change will not happen overnight, fashion companies - whether large or small - can and must take urgent action to be more transparent, fairly pay and protect the people in their supply chains and sustain our living planet. Fashion Revolution will influence the industry to change through consumer pressure, by publicly highlighting where the industry is moving too slowly, by incentivising the industry to do more and move faster, and by celebrating progress.
Cultural change
Policy change
To change the fashion system, we must change the culture it thrives on. We must shift the way people think about and engage with their clothes. Fashion Revolution will do this by changing consumer mindsets and creating new cultural narratives. We want people to recognise that what is stylish and desirable is also what protects human rights and our living planet. To do this, we will continue to use creative design, interesting video, beautiful imagery, clever messaging, art and poetry, provocative internet memes, and creative offline events to engage people. We believe this is the unique strength of Fashion Revolution, where other campaigns and organisations’ success in harnessing consumers to push for change hasn’t reached the mainstream. We will constantly be looking for new ways to talk about the issues, whether that’s online or in real life.
At international, national and local level, our governments have the duty to protect human rights and the environment. They can and must do more to ensure this happens. For too long, governments have allowed the global fashion industry to set its own rules, and monitor its own activities, with very little accountability. This hasn’t prevented tragedies like Rana Plaza from happening. Now it’s time that governments play a more active role in regulating the industry, better enforce the laws that already exist to protect workers and the environment and help citizens make better choices and lead more sustainable lives. We will influence policymakers and governments by activating citizens to lobby their elected officials, by meeting face-to-face with policymakers ourselves, and by providing evidencebased research to make the case for policy change.