Transparency in the fashion industry, or lack thereof, is what the Fashion Revolution campaign is all about. The #whomademyclothes movement runs from April 23-29 each year to combat human rights issues in the fast fashion industry, and through awareness, conversations and events, slow fashion advocates and positive change makers all around the world work together to better the industry.
As a community at The Fashion Advocate, we take responsibility for the impact that we have on our people and our planet, and our designers are at the forefront of the Fashion Revolution. We are proud of our values and ethics, and we’re more than happy to strip back the bright lights and the glitz and glam of it all, to get real at The Fashion Advocate. Through honesty and integrity, we can change the industry for the better and use fashion as a force for good, and our community of designers work towards this shared goal every day.
Lauren Trickey shares our values and views, and she's the creative mind behind Geelong based womenswear label, Lauren and Angie. Lauren is passionate about ethics, she cares about sustainability, and she's a responsible slow fashion advocate...
Why are you passionate about ethical fashion?
I am passionate about ethical fashion as I believe that everyone deserves the right to work in safe conditions and be able to live a comfortable life not worrying about where their next meal is coming from.
Why are you passionate about sustainability in the fashion industry?
The fashion industry has become such a polluting industry that it makes me sad to think about. I love clothes and I love fashion, but I don’t believe it should be destroying our planet at the same time. We can still have amazing clothes, especially with developments in fabric, without it costing the earth. Sustainable fashion to me means bringing a bit more love and care back to our wardrobes, cherishing pieces, buying quality over quantality and having that excitement you get from saying, ‘I’ve had this jacket for 10 years and I still love it.’
Why do you do what you do?
It’s simple; I love to sew. I love creating, designing and making. When I can do that and have people enjoy the pieces I make, and appreciate where it’s come from, it makes me smile!
What is Lauren and Angie committed to changing for the better and why?
I am committed to creating an appreciation for the clothes people are buying. Give a jacket a story, have people put a face to the person that made your item. I think that makes it more personal and people want to cherish that piece a little bit more. Rather than buying a mass-produced top that has no story behind it, buy from a small business like mine; you make someone’s dream come true when you do that. That is so much more important than a $10 top down the street.
You actively promote a zero waste philosophy. What steps have you taken to achieve this zero waste production target?
It’s hard to be completely zero waste. The biggest thing I’ve been trying to do is keep fabric offcuts to a minimum, laying out patterns in a way that cuts down on waste, or arranging pieces so that I have decent offcuts I can turn into something else later on. I’ve also been sourcing deadstock fabric. This is sometimes tricky to do as they might not have what you’re after, but it’s a great way of using what is already available rather than buying new. I keep stock levels low so I don’t have excess stock that’s just sitting there too. I limit packaging as well; anything unnecessary is not included, and I don’t use any plastic. I am also looking at moving to compostable postbags. It’s all a bit of trial and error to see what works and what doesn’t and I am always keeping an open mind to new ideas and the best way to approach things.
Join the Fashion Revolution and shop with your values from 50 ethical and sustainable Australian designers here, or learn more about Lauren and Angie here.
The Fashion Advocate x
