Fashion Revolution Week is here!

It begins today on the anniversary of the Bangladesh Rana Plaza factory collapse on 24 April 2013, which tragically saw the loss of 1138 lives. This week is all about seeking more transparency in the fashion supply chain, and thinking about the story behind our clothes. 👗

To mark the occasion, this week I’ll be sharing 7 pieces from my wardrobe that I love, and delving into the story behind them.
You can take part in the @fash_rev Fashion Love Story challenge too, by celebrating an item (or several) that you already own, rather than focusing on buying new.

You can also take an image of your clothing turned inside to reveal its label, then tag the brand and ask #whomademyclothes.

If you haven’t already seen it, we highly recommend watching The True Cost film, which sheds light on the realities of the modern fashion industry. It’s a truly powerful and enlightening movie! ✨

Always, let’s choose compassion for people, the planet and animals in our fashion & lifestyle choices. 💚🌏🍃  xx Henrietta

Follow along with my 7 Stories From My Wardrobe Fashion Love Story challenge on Instagram + Facebook.

Update post-Fashion Revolution Week: here's what I shared on social media during the week (24 - 30 April 2017)

1st Story From My Wardrobe: Orgotton Infinity Dress

Who made this dress? 👗The first of the 7 stories from my wardrobe I want to share with you this @fash_rev week is my @orgotton infinity dress.

✨The story behind it is of 2 sisters in Philadelphia who are truly embracing the meaning of slow and sustainable fashion. 🍃Their garments are made locally in Philadelphia, using an eco blend of fabric made from organic cotton, bamboo & spandex (also made in the US). My favourite part though is that the dress can be styled and worn infinite ways (it has long thick bodice straps that can be tied & twisted however you can think of)! (Check our Orgotton feature on the blog for some examples). 

I love the wonderful way that this inspires and encourages us all to seek more simplicity & minimalism in our wardrobes 🌱👏

2nd Story From My Wardrobe: a Necklace That Does Good by Saught

A necklace that does good. 💖The second story from my wardrobe to share with you for @fash_rev week is about a necklace gifted to me by my mum (& other half of FKQ) for last year’s birthday.

It’s made from repurposed artillery shells, recovered by de-mining organisations in post-conflict Cambodia.

This @saught necklace, like all of their jewellery, is handcrafted by artisans in fair working environments - providing employment and training opportunities in developing countries like Cambodia.

It’s such a beautiful story, taking something stemming from pain & suffering and turning it into a thing of beauty and hope. The necklace is without doubt my favourite piece of jewellery, and I feel moved every time I wear it and am reminded of its story. ✨❤🙏
Do you have a fashion love story from your wardrobe? Share it and tag #lovedclotheslast, and ask your brands #whomademyclothes this Fashion Revolution Week.

3rd Story From My Wardrobe:
Eco-Friendy, Vegan & Ethically Made Shoes From Pineapple Leaves (Pinatex)

Can you guess what material these boots are made from? Hint: it’s eco-friendly, vegan and might make you think about Pina Coladas… 🍃🍹It’s pineapple leaves! Pinatex is an incredible new sustainable material and alternative to leather. Its pineapple leaf fibres are a by-product of the pineapple fruit harvest, which means no extra land, water, fertilisers or pesticides are required to produce them. 💚🍍The material also provides extra funding to the local Philippine farmers who harvest the pineapples. 👏

This image is of my new @boboheme boots from @veganstyleoz, and is the third of the 7 Stories From My Wardrobe I’m sharing for @fash_rev week. I must say that I’m very impressed with them and the Pinatex material so far. They’re really comfy and I even wore them in the rain last week, and they were fine. ☔️👍And regarding #whomademyshoes, these boots are made under ethical working conditions in Portugal.

Thanks @boboheme for helping to create a #fashionrevolution

4th Story From My Wardrobe: Handbag From Upcycled Seatbelts

Giving new life to discarded and unwanted objects is a truly wonderful thing

👏Once upon a time these seatbelts were used to keep people safe & secure, and now they do the same for my possessions. 💚 This upcycled seatbelt bag is handmade in Melbourne, Australia by Interrobang and is the fourth story from my wardrobe to share with you for @fash_rev Fashion Revolution Week.

Thanks Interrobang for making my bag, and thanks @velvety___ for introducing me to it ❤🍃

5th Story From My Wardrobe: an Old Campanion

This @countryroad jacket has been a companion and a staple in my wardrobe for 7 years now. Clearly it was made with quality, because it’s still in great condition. For the fifth story from my wardrobe for @fash_rev Fashion Revolution Week, I’m sharing a piece that’s been in my wardrobe for a long time, because ethical fashion is also about loving and valuing the clothes we’ve already got.

I would like to know though, #whomademyclothes @countryroad ? Were they protected with fair working conditions and living wages? Where was the fabric sourced from, was the cotton grown laden with pesticides, and were the farmers treated fairly

It’s #FashionRevolutionWeek, so I would love if you could answer my questions and help to create a more transparent fashion industry. 🙏🌱🌏

6th Story From My Wardrobe: Yoga Leggings Made in Melbourne

Colourful pants make everything more fun ✨🌈 These yoga leggings are handmade lovingly in my city of Melbourne, using Australian sourced material, and are the sixth story from my wardrobe to share with you for @fash_rev Fashion Revolution Week.

They represent my love of yoga, and the mindfulness and strengthened sense of compassion that this practice gives us. 🙏I always feel so happy and full of life when I wear these leggings too ☀️ Thank you Alissa from @protea.life for making my clothes.

As #fashionrevolutionweek reminds us, let's always strive to know the story behind our garments and to ask #whomademyclothes 👏 // P.S. you can get Alissa's handmade leggings for $30 off if you'd like them, by using our code FKQ95.

7th Story From My Wardrobe: Fashion Made Fair Trade From Seed to Garment

As well as considering where and how a piece of clothing is made, it's also important to look into the story of the fabric itself. Who made it? Were they treated fairly? What about the farmers who grew the plants the material is made from (e.g. cotton farmers)? 🍃
For the final story from my wardrobe feature for @fash_rev Fashion Revolution Week, I want to share with you one of my favourite ethical labels that considers all of these things.
@kowtowclothing - the makers of this dress - make fashion that is fair trade from seed to garment, using organic cotton. They're very transparent about their production processes, and on their website you can see a video showing you the whole story behind their garments, from the cotton plant growers, to the material manufacturers, to the cut and sew team in India. Thank you @kowtowclothing for making my clothes.