Trove Blog

Six years ago today, the bodies of 1,138 garment factory workers were found amongst the rubble of what was once a commercial complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh known as The Rana Plaza Collapse. The tragedy, enabled by political corruption and fueled by corporate greed, is the deadliest garment factory collapse in history. In addition to the death toll, there was more than 2,500 workers injured, most of who were women and children. 

(image by http://www.made.uk.com/blog/rana-plaza-a-year-on/) 

For the first time ever, this tragedy-shed light into a very real global problem - that fashion can be deadly. In response to the disaster and the international conversation around the social impact, two designers from the UK, Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro, founded Fashion Revolution.  

Fashion Revolution is a non-profit organization committed to enacting genuine change and encouraging transparency in the fashion industry. The organization has designated the anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh as Fashion Revolution Week where millions of people around the world call on brands to answer the question, “Who Made My Clothes,” by using the #whomademyclothes via social media.   

There has been progress made, but the same issues that caused the plaza collapse five years still exist today. Last year alone, there were 426 garment workers die in a total of 321 workplace incidents. We can’t stop our work until people stop dying in factories, and on an even more basic level, start being treated fairly. Consumers may be more critical and brands more conscious, but a genuine long-term change means continual engagement in our efforts and in long-term systemic change.

Want to know more ways to get involved? From altering your buying habits to writing your policymaker, click the link below for a more comprehensive list of ways to support this organization and the movement towards a more transparent future in fashion.