With it being Fashion Revolution Day yesterday, a large number of us have been asking #WhoMadeMyClothes and focusing on transparency in the fashion industry. Luckily for me, I was able to not only know who made my clothing, but also how well they were treated, thanks to Nomads Clothing.
Fashion Revolution Day was set up in memory of the 1133 people killed in the Rana Plaza factory collapse in India, on April 24th 2013. As a stand against the poor working conditions of others, large fashion brands are being ordered by their consumers to implement fair treatment of workers – something that will hopefully progress into a large movement. However, small fashion brands such as Nomads Clothing already pride themselves on their wholly fair trade collections, creating pieces that not only show the best production methods, but also the best quality too.
With summer around the corner, I chose this plain modal shirt to feature on Curiously Conscious as my first foray into the world of fair trade clothing – and I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how well-made the piece is. Unlike some hand-made clothes I’ve bought in the past, the production standard is really high, reflecting its justified £50 price-tag. The cotton is light and airy, and the dainty details such as the engraved buttons and sprinkle of sequins keep it interesting too. So far, I’ve worn the shirt loosely tucked into jeans to prevent it from looking too “mumsy”, and I can’t wait to try it with shorts when it gets hot enough!
Regarding Nomads Clothing’s fair trade policy, they personally inspect their factories, implementing age restrictions (16+ workers only) with equal pay for men and women that is equal to or above the national average. They have also taken a holistic approach to their social and environmental impact, caring for the communities they work with in numerous ways (you can find out more here). Nomads Clothing is also a member of the British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers, a social enterprise grouping together likeminded shops and suppliers in the UK.
On top of their fair trade clothes, Nomads Clothing also has an organic fashion collection, which reflects my sentiments on organic cotton that I expressed in an earlier post on why we should purchase organic cotton (Nomads has also been added to the list of suppliers there too!).
