Fashion Revolution Week 2023 – Manifesto for a Fashion Revolution
Welcome to Fashion Revolution Week 2023!
Fashion Revolution Week is our annual campaign bringing together the world’s largest fashion activism movement for seven days of action. The theme for this year’s campaign is Manifesto for a Fashion Revolution which will run from April 22nd – 29th. To mark the 10th anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse, we are #RememberingRanaPlaza and using our 10-point Manifesto to demand a safe, just and transparent global fashion industry.
This year’s campaign is our biggest yet and is set to be an action-packed and future-focused week that amplifies solutions from historically overlooked places. Fashion Revolution is a global movement, and this year we are led by the plurality and diversity of our Global Network and will be sharing their perspectives, events and projects throughout. Keep reading to learn more about this year’s theme, find out how to get involved online and IRL, and discover ways to take action!
Remembering Rana Plaza
Fashion Revolution Week happens every year in the week coinciding with April 24th, the anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster. On April 24th 2013, the Rana Plaza factory building in Bangladesh collapsed in a preventable tragedy. More than 1,100 people died and another 2,500 were injured, making it the fourth largest industrial disaster in history. During Fashion Revolution Week, we are #RememberingRanaPlaza and demanding that no one dies for fashion. On April 24th, we will pay our respects to the victims, survivors and families affected by this tragedy, and will cease all other campaigning on this day.
As we reflect, we are inspired by and celebrate the progress made in the Bangladesh Ready-made Garment (RMG) sector by the Accord. The International Accord on Fire and Building Safety was the first legally-binding brand agreement on worker health and safety in the fashion industry and is the most important agreement to keep garment workers safe to date. This year, we pay tribute to the joint efforts of all Accord stakeholders who have significantly contributed to safer workplaces for over 2 million garment factory workers in Bangladesh, including the Bangladeshi trade unions representing garment workers, alongside Global Union Federations and labour rights groups. We welcome the introduction of the Pakistan Accord and would like to see the adoption and success of the International Accord replicated in all garment producing countries.
Manifesto for a Fashion Revolution
Back in 2018, we created a 10-point manifesto that solidifies our vision for a global fashion industry that conserves and restores the environment and values people over growth and profit. Since then, over 14,500 people around the world have signed their name in support of turning this vision into a reality. Our Global Network of Fashion Revolutionaries in 75 countries is bringing people together to sign the Manifesto and to act on their chosen points. The Fashion Revolution Week programme is a celebration of global responses to our Manifesto and will showcase the events and projects our Global Network is planning to bring our Manifesto to life. The last five days of Fashion Revolution Week (25th – 29th) are themed around 2 complimentary Manifesto points each, to zoom in on global solutions and inspire local action.
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How can I get involved?
- Think global, act local – Follow your local country team and RSVP to an online or IRL event through our global events calendar.
- Sign the manifesto, share your reason why (with these customisable templates here and here), and discover dedicated actions for each manifesto point.
- Join the conversation on the Fashion Revolution map – To mark the start of Fashion Revolution Week on April 22nd, we are launching the Fashion Revolution Map to encourage and capture these conversations. Developed by Talk Climate Change, the Map will serve as a global forum to reflect on the week’s themes and events, using our Manifesto as a talking point. Here, you can share what you discussed with your peers and explore the discussions of other Fashion Revolutionaries worldwide. We will be spotlighting submissions in daily roundups across social media; contribute to the map and make your voice heard.
- Demand living wages for the people who make our clothes by signing and sharing the Good Clothes, Fair Pay petition.
- Ask #WhoMadeMyClothes & #WhatsInMyClothes to demand greater transparency from the fashion industry.
- Share a clothing love story and make #LovedClothesLast
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Fashion Revolution Week daily themes
Saturday 22nd: Earth Day – The start of Fashion Revolution Week 2023 coincides with Earth Day. This year, the theme is Invest in Our Planet and we are celebrating by launching the Fashion Revolution Map, to encourage discussions about the impact of our clothes on people and the planet.
Sunday 23rd: A Global Manifesto – We will be sharing the reasons Fashion Revolutionaries around the world are signing our Manifesto to inspire others to join our movement and demand a safe, fair, and transparent fashion industry.
Monday 24th: Remembering Rana Plaza – On the anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse, we will be remembering the victims of the tragedy and amplifying the work of organisations that are working on the ground in Bangladesh. You can read more about Rana Plaza and the fashion industry 10 years on in our dedicated blog post.
Tuesday 25th: Dignified Work and Equal Pay – On day 4 we are inspired by points 1 & 2 of our manifesto, which demand equal pay and dignified work in the fashion system. We know that people around the world are paying the price of the industry’s exploitation. But we believe that fashion should liberate workers and empower everyone to stand up for their rights. In our vision, fashion lifts people out of poverty and puts worker safety first.
Actions to take
Sign and share the #GoodClothesFairPay petition
Write a postcard to your policy maker
Wednesday 26th: Inclusivity and Diversity – On day 5 we are looking at points 3 & 5 of our manifesto, which focus on uplifting voices and championing diversity and inclusivity. For too long, the fashion system has prioritised the needs of a few, systemically oppressing people around the world. It’s high time fashion recognised diversity as crucial to its success
Actions to take
Support your country team
Learn about waste colonialism
Support worker organisations
Thursday 27th: Transparency and Environment – On day 6, we are exploring points 6 & 8 of our manifesto, which demand greater transparency in the fashion system and recognise the devastating environmental impact of the clothes we wear. Now more than ever, we believe that anyone, anywhere, should be able to find out how, where, by whom and under what conditions their clothing is made.
Actions to take
Ask #WhatsInMyClothes
Enrol on the Sustainable Development Goals course
Read the 2022 Fashion Transparency Index
Friday 28th: Craft and Circularity – On day 7 we are focusing on points 4 & 7 of our manifesto, which celebrate craftsmanship and champion circular ways of thinking. When the global fashion and textile industry is marked by social and environmental concerns, listening to artisans’ voices is crucial for developing a society that is more in harmony with our planet. At the same time, we must radically shift our current ways of thinking around consumption and waste.
Actions to take
Join a Fashion Revolution Open Studio event
Read Loved Clothes Last
Tell a clothing love story
Saturday 29th: Consumption and Celebration – On the last day of Fashion Revolution Week, we are inspired by points 9 & 10 of our manifesto, which challenge the current fashion system and celebrate the true power of fashion. We believe that fashion is so much more than the latest trends; it is passion, skills, heritage, culture and identity. It has the power to uplift our communities, to provide comfort and joy. By signing our manifesto, you are redefining what fashion means.
Actions to take
Sign the manifesto
Read the How to be a Fashion Revolutionary guide
Read Money Fashion Power
These are just a handful of suggestions for actions to take throughout the week. Take a look at our Manifesto for even more ways to get involved and help revolutionise the fashion industry. Remember to share your activism with us on social media; we can’t wait to see how you all get involved!
