Ethical Fashion Forum Task

The Ethical Fashion Forum aims to develop a collaborative movement which will transform social and environmental standards in the fashion industry within a decade.

Vision And Goals:

The eradication of exploitation, hardship and environmental damage from the supply chains to the fashion industry and the practices of fashion businesses
The creation of a movement led by the fashion industry, for the fashion industry, which upholds and practices more than doing no harm- actively striving to add value for people and the environment, across the entire industry sector
Industry training and resources freely available which ensure that every single UK fashion business is aware of how they can become more sustainable, why it is important, and where to find the tools to do so
The raising of consumer awareness in relation to sustainable fashion.
The creation of a clear and consistent system for communication of ethical standards by fashion businesses
A system of standards and regulations ruling out exploitative practices in the fashion industry
Broad and fundamental change towards better practices in the fashion industry within the next 10 years
The creation of a model and precedent for industry change which can be drawn from and built upon by other industries.

Unfortunately I missed the ethical forum day, but nevertheless I made a research and tried to fulfill the task. I visited recommended websites, found out about ethnical fashion and business and looked at the companies that work in this area: local and international companies, exhibitions, trade shows, fairs, ect.
Here are few examples.

1. Fashion Capital
Fashion Enter is an industry based specialist that offers support and advice for today’s talented designers and manufacturers. Available is full guidance and networking opportunities combined with an online presence and two retail boutiques.
Fashion Enter was established to continue the work of a five year initiative that was funded by the LDA – The London Fashion Forum expired in March 2006.
Fashion Enter has various commercial opportunities for designers and manufacturers to engage with that actively promotes their business.

2. Organic Exchange
Organic Exchange (OE) is a charitable organization committed to expanding organic agriculture, with a specific focus on increasing the production and use of organically grown fibers such as cotton.
OE’s long term goal is to grow the amount of certified organic land farmed for fiber production by 50% per year.
OE brings together brands and retailers with their business partners, farmers and key stakeholders to learn about the social and environmental benefits of organic agriculture, and to develop new business models and tools that support greater use of organic inputs. In addition, OE raises consumer awareness about the value of organic farming and the availability of products containing organic cotton.

I decided to explore the meaning of the world organic, that we use so much these days in food and now in fabrics, yarns, ect. I tried to find out what is organic and organic materials used in clothes.
Organic clothing is clothing that is made from materials that are raised or grown without the use of chemicals in the form of pesticides - herbicides or other chemical. Cotton covers 2.5% of the world's cultivated land yet uses 16% of the world's insecticides, more than any other single major crop.
There are no laws in the UK with regards to level of compliance with these standards and one item declaring itself as organic may still contain many thousands of inorganic chemicals.
Many highstreet retailers who market organic clothing ranges that contain many chemicals from dyes to bleaches and other chemicals to aid transportation many thousands of miles from their manufacture in places such as China. It can take almost a 1/3 pound of synthetic fertilizers to grow one pound of raw cotton in the US, and it takes just under one pound of raw cotton to make one t-shirt.
Turkey, India and the US produce organic fibers.
Authentic organic fabrics and clothing can help the environment in a number of ways, such as:

-Manufacture of chemicals is not required.
-Chemical residues are not entered accidentally into the environment.
-Humans and animals are not exposed to chemicals.
-When the fabric is finished with chemicals are not returned to the earth in landfill, or enter into recycling process.
Raw Organic materials:
Research has proven that natural, chemical-free raw materials—pure wool, organic cotton, natural rubber, untreated wood—provide the best sleeping environment for health and longevity.
The elasticity and breathability of these natural materials, and an ability to regulate moisture and heat, create products that offer durability, superior temperature control, exceptional support and a healthier, restorative sleep for both body and mind.