Behind the Seams: Honouring the Makers of Sustainable Fashion
Today, we appreciate the dedication of the hands behind sustainable fashion. Artisans and workers that weave eco-friendly threads, stitching the future of ethical style.
Let's salute the artisans and workers of sustainable fashion. Their dedication weaves a fabric of eco-conscious style and ethical craftsmanship.
On May 1, we celebrate 'International Workers Day'. For most of us, this signifies a welcome holiday however in the manufacturing industry, this day has a lot more meaning and relevance.
The origin of the day began as far back as 1856, with Australian stonemasons striking for the first time in their demand of an 8-hour workday. We have evolved tremendously since that day and worker's rights are generally acknowledged world over, nonetheless the fashion trade has always been riticized for worker neglect and unethical trade practices.
At B77, we strongly believe in fair practices and ethical employment, for which we are highly rated. Our workforce is always on top of our priority list and their smiling faces are testimony to this.
From reviving the art of hand embroidery through fair pay to the craftsmen, to enriching the livelihood of 5000+ women in rural India by purchasing indigenous fabrics via fair trade, we are proud to be associated with all artisans.
Happy workers in safe environments make for more productive and sustainable products, reflecting the ethos of our brand -Integrity, Empathy, and Inclusivity for all.
We believe, the pulse of any business always lies in its people, but in times when automation and technology has become overwhelming to a point that most consumers feel that designs are simply fed into a machine which magically produces a fashion product, its very important to understand the relevance of manpower.
Fashion as an industry has seen a lot of disruption in the past decade with many think tanks devising ways and means to standardize processes and automate the systems with an intention to make it zero error, but most if not, all have failed because garment construction and manufacturing is a highly specialized and technical field where the variables like basic raw materials and techniques are diverse and ever changing. It’s also an industry which needs to evolve and create new products which are different, design led and create a strong visual identity at a lightning-fast pace.
Thus, skilled labor remains crucial even in times of automation for several reasons:
- Creativity and Innovation: Designing and constructing clothing requires constant research on global trends and ideas which requires human intervention that a machine cannot replicate. While machine learning can help gauge trends but to convert that data into useful information is the skill of a human mind.
- Quality Control: Skilled workers can assess and manage quality control at every stage right from fabric, stitching, overall construction and finishing to ensure that the product meets the desired standards.
- Customization and Personalization: As consumers increasingly seek personalized and customized fashion, skilled labor can effectively cater to these demands and create made-to measure clothing that suits individual preferences.
- Complex Craftmanship: Some aspects of garment construction and surface embellishments are so unique that automation may not be capable to replicate the technique, precision and artistry.
- Sustainability: Skilled labour can contribute to more sustainable fashion practices. Workers focus on careful construction, repairs and alterations leading to an extended lifespan for the final product.
- Human Connection: Skilled fashion workers provide a human touch in interactions with customers, offering advice, guidance and understanding preferences better than machines.
- Flexibility: Adoption of new technologies and integrating them with existing workflows becomes easier combining the best of human expertise with automation for efficient production.
On International Workers Day, it’s easy to summarize that skilled labour in the fashion industry adds immense value and complements automation, ensuring the production of high-quality, innovative and personalized fashion while addressing the evolving demands of consumers.
Browse some of our beautifully crafted styles here.
