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 The collapse of an eight-storey garment factory in Bangladesh last
April that killed more than 1,100 people drew global attention to
the perilous conditions endured by many workers in Asia's garment
industry, which supplies big Western retailers.
Since then, labor unrest over working conditions has plagued the
sector in Bangladesh and Cambodia.
The fashion industry has also been the target of vocal campaigns
from environmental groups like Greenpeace. They have piled pressure
on global brands to stop using chemicals which they say can pollute
rivers near factories and threaten the health of workers and
consumers.
Awareness of these issues has helped ethical fashion start to shake
off its reputation as a niche sector, said Olaf Schmidt, organizer
of the Ethical Fashion Show in Berlin.
The growing consumer interest is underlined by the number of brands
showcasing their wares at the trade fair this year — 116, up from 36
when the show launched two years ago and 85 last year, he said.
"It shows how important the topic is among consumers. But it is
primarily about fashion. Being 'green' is in the background. The
days of itchy jumpers are long gone," he said on Tuesday.
The January 14-16 show, part of Berlin fashion week, features brands
which use organic cotton, wool and bamboo or alternative materials
such as recycled leather and plastic, and pledge to improve pay and
conditions for farmers and garment workers.
While the rapid rise of fashion discounter Primark <ABF.L> might
suggest otherwise, recent market research by Mintel shows consumers
seek quality over price when shopping for clothes in Britain,
France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
Mintel said ethical and environmental concerns are strongest in
southern Europe.
SUPPLY CHAIN
"We don't want to go with a wagging finger to the customer. They
should find us cool, and socially and environmentally friendly,"
Juerg Braendli said in Berlin as he launched men's casualwear brand
"Outfitters of Change".
"We are not green fashion in the classic sense ... We want the
collection and the price to appeal to the mass market."
The brand is marketing a range of men's T-shirts, sweatshirts and
jackets costing 39 to 149 euros ($53-200) in Germany, Switzerland
and Austria. It offers an online tool to allow customers to trace
the full supply chain of each item.
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Sebastian Gluschak, co-founder of Berlin-based Kancha, is pursuing a
similar strategy for embroidered felt and leather laptop and
smartphone sleeves made in Kyrgyzstan, each featuring a label signed
by the craftsman who made it.
"We don't just want green customers. We want normal design-conscious
consumers. That is the only way to make change," he said in front of
a big photograph of Kyrgyz craftswoman Elniza.
Consumer concern on ethical issues has also been recognized by big
brands like Hennes & Mauritz AB <HMb.ST> and Marks & Spencer <MKS.L>
who have been trying to improve their green credentials by offering
to recycle unwanted clothes, while also making commitments to
improve factory working conditions.
Mintel retail analyst John Mercer said mainstream retailers should
also provide more information on the origin and ethics of their
garments either through labeling or online.
"Retailers need to work together as an industry to make the clothing
supply chain more transparent to prevent the government imposing
legislation upon the sector," he said.
Emmanuelle Leveque says she was driven to set up fair trade clothing
brand Origines Nomades by her experience as a buyer for the
mainstream garment industry in Bangladesh and India.
"I was asking the supplier to work day and night and I realized you
can't ask people to work 90 hours a week when in France we work a
35-hour week," Leveque said, modeling a hand-woven fitted jacket
with embroidered edging made in Bangladesh that retails for 129
euros.
"People are still looking for a cheap price but if you give them a
reason why, they are prepared to pay more," she said. ($1 = 0.7324
euros)
(Editing by Pravin Char)
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