This Year's Trend: The End Of Fashion

Fashion trend forecaster Li Edelkoort has just used the Design Indaba conference in South Africa to announce her annual predictions for the year. In a move that's likely to shock many in the industry, she's declared that fashion is dead.

Li declared:

"This is the end of a system called fashion and we will have to invent new ideas. For now I think we are going to concentrate on clothes; celebrate clothes. As a result we will see couture coming back, [versus creation] and in fact it's a sort of relief because many people are thinking it."

Edelkoort is not a voice to ignore. Regularly voted as one of the fifty most influential voices in the field, her annual presentation is keenly awaited by trend-setters across the field. This is a bombshell, and cuts right to the heart of what's happening to the discipline she loves.

She sees fashion as a field that is eating itself. Education focusses on teaching students to become catwalk designers, individual, isolated voices rather than collaborators and team players. Fashion journalism has become, for the most part, a cosy relationship between magazines and manufacturers, with marketing budgets the major contributor to coverage. Edelkoort looks with despair at a new wave of fashion bloggers, unaware or uncaring about journalistic ethics, that are all too happy to give positive reviews in exchange for samples and a free press pass. And then, of course, there are the looming ethical issues that have brought the dark side of fashion ever more regularly to the public's attention. When people are dying to make our clothes, something has to change.

This is fascinating and provocative stuff, from a commentator that was up to now seen as part of the mainstream. It's going to be interesting to see the reaction to her presentation. Personally, it feels like a declaration of war.


For more details, check out the interview that Edelkoort did with Dezeen magazine:
http://www.dezeen.com/2015/03/01/li-edelkoort-end-of-fashion-as-we-know-it-design-indaba-2015/

T-Shirt Decisions

The t-shirt is, along with the blue jean and the sneaker, a truly iconic piece of 21st century fashion. They are so ubiquitous that we don't even really think of them as fashion items. They're just, well, there. We all have drawers full of the things. Sometimes, it seems like they just appear out of nowhere.

An item as common and everyday as the t-shirt leads us to be complacent about its origins. We simply don't think about where they come from. They're cranked out by machine, right?
Wrong. There's more to the humble t-shirt than meets the eye, and a recent pop-up in Leeds showed interested parties just how much work goes into something so simple.
Antiform, a group of activists and makers, teamed up with TRANSFER, an joint initiative set up by the Centre For Sustainable Fashion, the University of Sheffield and the London College of Fashion to build a t-shirt factory. Over the course of a weekend last month, the public were invited in to see the processes involved in getting a t-shirt to the consumer.
People were asked a series of questions, based on their buying habits. These questions formed the basis of a manufacturing docket. At the end of the day, participants could see the garment that they had unwittingly specified created in front of them: not by machine, but through the work of Antiform's skilled artisans. Cranking out four t-shirts an hour, observers were quickly made aware that the modern t-shirt is a complex garment, the end result of a myriad of different processes.
TRANSFER hope that the event, and others like it that they plan to put on over the coming months, will help people to reconnect with the fashion that they buy and wear, and that they'll realise that there are skilled, hard-working craftspeople behind those items. A fascinating idea, and one that really brings some hard truths about the fashion industry home to us.
For more on the Leeds pop-up T-shirt factory, visit the Antiform page: http://www.antiformonline.co.uk/bringing-the-factory-floor-to-your-door-a-pop-up-t-shirt-factory/

Gift Your Gear This March!

We've talked about award-winning charity Gift Your Gear before, but it's always good to big up a friend of Pier32 when they're doing great work.
Let's recap, in case you missed earlier bulletins. Gift Your Gear are a charity that takes in and retasks pre-owned clothing. Not so unusual, you might think. But GYG specialise in the retasking of outdoor clothing, whether that be jackets, waterproof trousers, or base layers. They even take equipment like tents and camping gear.
These unwanted items are donated to UK community organisations, youth groups and charities working with young people in the outdoors. This is important work, especially with disadvantaged kids who might never have been out of the urban environment. These charities enable others to benefit from life changing experiences in the great outdoors, regardless of their circumstances.
Over the past few years, over 300 groups have benefitted from the gift of gear. This year there are even more organisations set to gain from your good will, and the regret at buying that slightly too-tight pair of walking shorts.
Gift Your Gear are teaming up with outdoor and travel clothing company Rohan this March to make the donation of your equipment and clothing a quick, easy and worthwhile process. If you have any outdoor gear that's cluttering up the wardrobe, you can do a spring clean and take it in to any of Rohan's shops across the country through the whole of March. You'll snag a 15% discount off anything you buy instore that day. Handily, Rohan have just launched their spring and summer range, so it's the perfect time to freshen up your walking gear as the weather starts to warm up.
Outdoor gear belongs outdoors, so why wait? Have a dig around, and this spring gift your gear to people and charities that can really use it!
For more details, check out the Gift Your Gear website: http://giftyourgear.com

(BREAKING: Gift Your Gear will also be at the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival on the 20th-22nd of March. There's a donation point at the venue, and the chance to pick up some bargains as they're teaming with the ShAFF Kit Sale. For more, go to http://giftyourgear.com/shaff-kit-sale-2015-to-support-gift-your-gear/)

What Are You Made Of?

Cancer. It's the one word that's guaranteed to get a reaction. The 21st century's greatest bogeyman. A cruel and indiscriminate enemy.
There's no such thing as cancer. If only that were true. What I mean is, the disease we call cancer is a massively complex subject that acts in different ways and needs different treatments, dependent on which part of the body it attacks.
Take blood cancer: a particularly nasty strain of the disease. Every 20 minutes, someone is told that they have blood cancer. There is a chance to survive it, thankfully: a blood stem cell donation. But currently, just half of diagnosed patients are able to find a match for their blood type.
That's where the rest of us come in. Our friends at Delete Blood Cancer have just launched a new awareness campaign, to let people know how quick and easy it is to register as a blood stem cell donor. Just 60 seconds with a cotton wool swab, using a procedure you can do at home, is enough. If you're matched with someone that needs your help, the procedure is a lot like giving blood, and is completed in 4-6 hours. Not much, when it comes to saving a life.
It's desperately important to increase the numbers and diversity of blood stem cell donors in the UK. The larger and broader the base, the more likely it is that doctors will be able to find a match.
It's quick and easy to take action. You can can sign up to become a donor online, and you'll get a pack directly to your door in days. So what are you waiting for? This spring, let's all do something worthwhile, and help make blood cancer a horror story we no longer need to be scared of.
To find out more, and to register as a blood stem cell donor, check out the Delete Blood Cancer website:
http://www.deletebloodcancer.org.uk/madeof

Welcome To Our House!

You might know Pier32 as the go-to place for charities to get their customised t-shirts, hoodies, hats and bags. We're proud that our ethical credentials have made us the first choice for organisations that need to know they're buying from a transparent and reputable source.
But that doesn't just apply to charities. We work with universities up and down the country who know Pier32 are responsible, reliable and eco-friendly.
Take the guys at Roehampton University Players Society, who have a solid rep for rep... repertory theatre, that is! They've just ordered a box of hoodies from us to help advertise their upcoming show. Our House: The Madness Musical is, as you'd expect, a riotous assembly of tunes from Britain's favourite Nutty Boys. You can expect to hear all your favourite ska-pop hits, tied into a story of family, community and the essential elegance of the pork pie hat. Here are the guys from Roehampton in their Pier32-supplied hoodies. Looking good, guys!

Our House is showing from the 1st-4th of March at the Jubilee Theatre, University Of Roehampton. If you fancy a night in the House Of Fun, contact Anna Howard for more details and to snag tickets: mailto:howarda@roehampton.ac.uk
That's Pier32 for you. Always going One Step Beyond to help our clients.


The Roehampton University Players are wearing Varsity Hoodies from All We Do Is, which are available in five sizes and 32 colour combinations. Could your society use some hoodies? Give Gerry or Ian a call, or check out the Pier32 website for more details and to order your own.
http://www.pier32.co.uk/product/jh003-varsity-hoodie/

Source Brand Preview 2015: Ready To Go!

It doesn't seem like any time at all since the last Source Brand Preview, hosted by the Ethical Fashion Forum. And yet here we are, on the cusp of spring, and the first major event of the ethical fashion calender is almost upon us.
The Source Brand Preview is a brilliant way for suppliers, manufacturers and designers to showcase their wares, and for buyers and writers to check out what's new and exciting for spring and summer 2015. Best of all, rather than shlepping out to one of the typical trade fair venues, the show takes place entirely online. No need to leave the office (or, if you're like me, to get out of your joggers and slippers). Top tip: use GoTo Meeting on your smartphone or tablet, and you can literally take the show with you.
Using robust and proven conferencing tech, the Source Brand Preview guys are able to bring together a dazzling, world-wide array of participants that would otherwise have found it far too difficult and expensive to attend. This year's show features designers from as far afield as Africa, China and South-East Asia. Fashion is a global business, and the broad range of participants shows that off to a tee.
There's something for everyone at this year's show, whether you're interested in atelier, accessories or good old basics. The two days of the show mean that you can drill down into a detailed look at the full spectrum of what's on offer, or dip in and out as the mood takes you. Best of all, because it's all taking place online, every session is archived so you can catch up later--especially handy if you find other business gets in the way of that one session you really didn't want to miss. That includes conversations in the chat boxes, so if you need to recontact a supplier you met during the show, it's a snap to sort out.
It's tricky to sort out highlights with such a broad range of participants, but I'd expect to see some names familiar to View readers, like Riz Boardshorts. I'll be focussing on basics, menswear and atelier, but I'm ready and willing to be taken by surprise by what's on offer.
Best of all, registration is free! Places are limited, but a few are still available if you get a wiggle on. Buyers from Liberty's and John Lewis, and writers from Vogue all consider the Source Brand Preview worth a look. If you have any interest in modern ethical fashion, you need to check this one out. I'll be around mostly on Friday: do feel free to pop me a chat if you're in the mood.
For more, hit up the Ethical Fashion Forum. See you there!
http://source.ethicalfashionforum.com/article/brand-preview

East African Playgrounds

Charities working in the developing world are doing vital work, bringing essential services to the people who need them most. We've talked in the past about how our friends in the charity sector have brought irrigation techniques, help with farming and the chance for native artisans to become independent businesses and move away from charity handouts.

But there's another, equally important benefit that one charity, with whom Pier32 have been proud to work, is bringing to the kids of East Africa.

The ability to play.

East African Playgrounds (EAP) are a UK-based charity that understand that play is an essential part of the healthy upbringing of any child. It stimulates learning, and unstructured play enables kids to develop problem-solving and socialisation skills that will serve them well as they grow up. And, after all, the UN Convention On The Rights Of The Child puts it clearly in Article 31:

Children have the right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities.

The volunteers of Team Buwenda, 2014. Nice t-shirts, guys!

EAP work principally in Uganda, investing in the development of a dedicated team of local playground builders. They're supported each summer by 150 student volunteers from places like York (where the charity was founded in 2009). The local touch is vital: it's essential that the communities that will receive playgrounds are involved in its construction from breaking the ground to the first scamper across fresh monkey bars. EAP understand that a playground isn't just for the kids: it's a clear sign of community cohesion, a meeting place and focus for the parents of the kids that use it.

EAP build playgrounds to exacting international standards, designed to be durable and long-lasting, so that they don't become unsafe over time. The construction teams spend time talking to the community and, most importantly, the kids, to ensure that the playground meets their needs and gives them everything they're hoping for. It's essential that the final build includes facilities for the four elements of play that children use to understand the world around them and develop life skills: Active, Game, Free and Imaginative play.

The colourful playground at Mustard Hill Academy, one of EAP's recent builds.

The playgrounds use recycled materials like tyres whenever they can, while ensuring a sturdy and above all safe construction ethic. They work closely with the communities and schools that will use the playground, making sure that ongoing care of the project is considered once the build is complete. The onus is on building a community resource that will help generations of kids to play, have fun and grow.

Here at the Pier, we couldn't be happier to help a charity who are doing such important work, and focussing on an essential element of a child's life that often gets sidelined in charity work.

To find out more about East African Playgrounds, and perhaps to get involved yourself, check out their website, that will also tell you more about the importance of play.

http://www.eastafricanplaygrounds.org/

Could You Bear To Wear Just Six Items For Six Weeks?

The uncomfortable truth about ethical fashion, at least as far as manufacturers and suppliers are concerned, is that it requires the customer to buy fewer clothes. Less clothing means less stress on the environment, less clothing going to landfill. That notion also leads to fewer jobs and diminished opportunities for developing countries to trade, so it's a tricky balance to pull.
But we could all stand to buy a little less, and perhaps rediscover those clothes at the back of the wardrobe that would benefit from a new lease of life. Maybe they just need a repair, or to be worn in a new context, dressed up with an accessory or two.
The thing is, it's easy to buy new clothes. We can always persuade ourselves that we need them. Getting into the habit of making do with less takes a little time and effort. It's estimated that you need a month to pick up a new habit successfully, like writing a few hundred words a day, or going for that morning jog. Time, and a little motivation.
Charity Labour Behind The Label, that helps to raise awareness for garment worker rights, has come up with a sharp idea to help you on your way. Their Six Items For Six Weeks Challenge, which runs for the duration of Lent, is a fashion fast that does exactly what the title says. For six weeks, you're only allowed to wear six items of clothing.
OK, let's clarify. Underwear isn't included. That would be revolting. Neither are shoes, accessories and, sweetly, pajamas. But it does mean that you have to think hard about items that work in different ways, that you can team together to create new looks and outfits. What could you do with one dress, one pair of jeans, two tops, one coat and a cardi? How would you mix things up to keep them fresh?
Rebecca Cork, LBTL's Fundraising Director, took the challenge last year, and came to some surprising conclusions--not least that, while she felt self-concsious about wearing the same clothes day in, day out, most people didn't even notice until she pointed it out.
Perhaps we have become so used to the notion of new clothes with every new season that we're almost brainwashed into going out and buying them, when there are perfectly good items hanging in the wardrobe. I think LBTL are onto something here. Perhaps it's time to pare down our choices, and think a little more creatively about the clothes we own, and how we wear them.
If you want to know more about the Six Items For Six Weeks Challenge (which starts today, so get your skates on), check out the fundraising site, which also has tips on how to pick out those important six items.
http://www.everydayhero.co.uk/event/sixitemschallenge2015

Where Do Our Charity Clothes Donations Go?

You're a responsible citizen, who believes in keeping your old stuff out of landfill where you can. You recycle your bottles and cans, and when it comes to those old clothes cluttering up the back of the wardrobe, you donate them to charity. But where do those old clothes go? The general assumption is that they pop up nationwide, in Oxfam, Helen Douglas or National Heart Foundation shops.

You'd be wrong. The majority of donated clothes in this country are shipped abroad, as part of a £2.8billion worldwide trade in second-hand garments. The good news is that as our consumption of clothes rises, the amount of clothes sent to landfill is actually starting to drop. Nearly half of the garments we throw out are going to charity instead of incineration plants or the tip. But the assumption that those clothes are going to charity shops is, sadly, mistaken. Over 70% of clothing donations are sent overseas, where they will be sold for profit.

Over 350 million tonnes of British clothing was sent abroad last year, a haul that's worth more than £380 million. Key destinations include Poland, Ukraine, Ghana and Pakistan. The clothes, which are highly prized by foreign markets, are graded for quality and sent off to market by textile merchants who, in some instances, have been doing this for decades. Author and lecturer in developmental geography at King's College London Dr Andrew Brooks puts it succinctly:

"There's a moment of magic where a gift turns into a commodity. Like many used items, on the surface second-hand clothes may appear to have very little value, but through processes of sorting and transporting - turning disorderly objects into an ordered commodity - they are reproduced as retailable assets."

 Is this such a bad thing? Does it really matter where our clothes end up, as long as they're doing some good somewhere on the planet? It's a tricky subject. Brooks argues that cheap foreign imports are stifling local production in developing countries that need it the most. In Uganda, over 80% of clothes sold at market are second-hand. In Nigeria, the textile workforce has effectively disappeared: that's 200, 000 people forced out of work. But many charities, including those are set up to help the deprived in these countries, depend on the cash they get from sales of donated clothing to continue their good work. Talk about a vicious circle...

In response to the problem, some organisations are cutting out the middlemen and starting up their own recycling schemes. For example, Oxfam now has its own recycling plant in West Yorkshire, which allows much more control over where donations end up, and has set up a scheme in Senegal employing locals to sort and re-distribute exports at fair prices back to the local economy. It's a drop in the bucket, admittedly, and no-one's naive enough to claim that this will end the trade overnight. It's also worth bearing in mind that the trade in second-hand garments has benefits up and down the supply chain, providing employment and, of course, keeping these valuable resources out of landfill.

But awareness of where your clothes go after they go into the chute of the hopper outside your local Tesco has to be knowledge worth having. The truth is that your old shirts and coats are much more likely to end up in a street market in Uganda than an Oxfam in Uxbridge.

Get Paid To Play Nice

We bang on about supply chain here at the Pier, but with good reason. The global fashion industry is a broad church, taking in worshippers from all sides. Your new shirt could be made from Indian cotton, sewn in Bangladesh, with buttons and fixings coming from China. There are dozens of different processes in a piece of modern clothing, that can mean it travels thousands of miles before it makes the final trip from the shop to your wardrobe. 

With that, of course, comes the potential for abuse. It's incredibly difficult for a big-name brand to guarantee that all the steps in the production of a given garment are carried out ethically and responsibly. Inspections, checks and contractual obligations can only go so far, and can be easily abused. It seems an impossible task to have a transparent and accountable supply chain if you're a global player. 

That's a situation that one of the biggest names in fashion, Levi Strauss, is trying to change, and they're doing it by using their significant financial clout. Quietly announced last November, they are making an offer to their suppliers that will be pretty hard to resist. 

Levi's have brokered a deal with the World Bank that allows them to offer low-cost funding to their suppliers from the International Finance Corporation if they sign up to and promise to abide by the brand's CSR: the sweetly named "Terms Of Engagement". These are some of the most worker-friendly guidelines on the market, using internationally recognised human and labour rights standards, like the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights. 

The rates offered by the IFC are some of the most competitive out there, and are highly attractive to players in markets like South Asia, where competition is fierce and funding is hard to find. In early meetings with suppliers in Bangladesh and Pakistan, all Levi's vendors expressed interest in taking up the scheme.

The program has been very cleverly put together. It uses Levi's existing audit program, so no extra training or new processes are required. Vendors can simply sign up and carry on. 

But the smart bit comes with the terms of the deal. It's been designed on a sliding scale, that isn't weighted towards a particular benefit--that is, you don't get a preferential deal just for allowing your workers to unionise. The more boxes on the list of Terms Of Engagement you tick, the better your score. More importantly, there are penalties for non-compliance. Meaning that if you comply with the TOE completely and provably, you get bonuses and discounts. In short, it's in a supplier's best financial interests to do the right thing. Levi's call this "the race to the top". Rewarding suppliers for doing the right thing is a surprisingly radical move in fashion, but there's evidence that it could be the lever needed to get solid compliance to a set of labour, human rights and environmental terms that would otherwise have been unthinkable.

Levi's take no prisoners in their CSR record, losing out only to Patagonia in sustainability, and scoring off the chart when it comes to auditing their suppliers. This is good news for those who wonder how accountable Levi's factories will be once they've signed up. 

Levi's record in some areas, such as indigenous rights in Cambodia, are less stellar, but this new program shows a company that is willing to admit its mistakes and show that it has learned from them. Are we about to see a situation where factories in the global supply chain compete to see just how ethical they can be? It'll be fascinating to find out!