RIGHTS AND RESTORATION
22·04·21
It's the week of Earth Day and Fashion Revolution week. The two campaigns ask us to acknowledge the interconnected rights of people and nature, and work together to not just stop, but to restore the damage being caused to the Earth. Things we should do all year round, with this being a good week to start.
FOR THE REST OF APRIL, WE ARE DONATING 20% OF OUR SALES TO SUPPORT THE OR FOUNDATION.
The community of brands on PARO all share a common objective to create in a way that is better for the world. Anytime you choose to shop with brands like these, instead of brands who produce without care on a massive scale, your spending power is supporting a more positive side of the fashion industry.
For the rest of this month we will also donate 20% of our sales to the OR Foundation, who's work in Accra, Ghana tackles the issues caused by clothing waste and fights for justice-led circular economy. Our donation will support their fundraiser for local recycling initiatives and support for the women stuck in an exploitative cycle by the second-hand clothing trade.
Accra, Ghana photographed by The OR Foundation. Left: A Kayayo carries jeans through the market. Right: an informal dump site.
We also need to look beyond individual changes or how we can shop better, to how we can work together to force the businesses and sectors who are responsible for so much of the damage to change. If, like us, you want to do your part, but can feel a bit overwhelmed by exactly HOW to, below are a couple of tangible things you can do today. We'll continue to share these kind of things, so you can get involved throughout the year.
1. TAKE ON THE BUSINESSES CAUSING THE MOST DAMAGE. The aim of Fashion Revolution Week is to get the biggest fashion companies to be more transparent, to take responsibility for their supply chain, and ultimately to stop exploiting the planet and people for profit.
When we are presented with nicely edited images in social media and marketing, simply asking big brands publicly to address what goes on behind the scenes can have a huge impact. The #payup campaign, which focused on challenging brands on social and emailing fashion execs, resulted in $22BN of cancelled orders being repaid by big brands, securing the income of suppliers and garment workers.
To get involved in Fashion Revolution Week you can head to a brands social pages and ask them in the comments #whomademyclothes #whomademyfabric or #whatsinmyclothes - see if they have the answers for you! Fashion Revolution also have a load of resources on their site that make is easy to get involved, including a form with a pre-written email, all you have to do is select the brand you want to email from their list, add your name and hit SEND.
2. SUPPORT THE CHARITIES WORKING TO RESTORE. There are so many important causes you can support and this doesn't have to be linked to a financial donation; sharing, signing petitions and joining campaigns for collective action all make a difference.
Throughout his month we are supporting The OR Foundation. A not-for-profit seeking to catalyze a Justice-led Circular Economy. Their mission is to identify and manifest alternatives to the dominant model of fashion: alternatives that bring ecological prosperity, as opposed to destruction, and that inspire citizens to form relationships with fashion that extend beyond their roles as consumer. They work on the ground in Ghana to address the issues caused by the massive volumes of clothing waste shipped over from second-hand clothing donations, including the heavily marketed take-back-schemes initiated by many fast fashion brands that are actually contributing to, not solving, the problem.
As well as donating 20% of our sales this month we are also taking part in the TOO MUCH <> NOT ENOUGH raffle organised by The OR Foundation - you could win a €150 PARO STORE voucher with a virtual personal shopping experience. The raffle has been extended until the 30th April to allow them to hit their fundraising target. Please consider joining the raffle or sharing on your channels to help spread the word.