Minutes: APPG For Textiles And Fashion's Meeting with Extinction Rebellion
Tuesday 10th September at Oriental Club Marylebone
CHAIR : DR LISA CAMERON MP
11:40: Meeting begins.
Tamara Cincik, CEO and Founder of Fashion Roundtable
Welcomes attendees, apologises for Bethany Williams’ absence. Asks for meeting to be respectful, positive, and to focus on opportunities and solutions.
Dr Lisa Cameron, Scottish National Party MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
Deliverts introduction and asks for all attendees to introduce themselves
Cozette McCreery Speaks instead of Rahemur Rahman
Comments on Brexit and the proroguing of Parliament
The work of the APPG for Textiles and Fashion spans across many aspects of the fashion industry, and is very valuable: the Group champions sustainable young designers, inclusion, diversity and is taking evidence from BAME and marginalised groups for the Representation and Inclusion in the Fashion Industry Policy Paper.
Fashion and world of fashion has many stereotypes, and the APPG wants to showcase all of abilities in the industry
The APPG for Sustainable Clothing and Textiles has recently launched, and will focus specifically on sustainability, conducting their own research and consultations
How can the people in this room support both APPGs and how can the APPGs support sustainable industry growth
The UK’s brands and manufacturing have an international reputation
Sustainability requires the industry to move forward, and policies need to foster growth, which is why the involvement of stakeholders is essential
The Issue of Extinction Rebellion (XR) calling to cancel fashion week requires dialogue, support and respect
Asks Sara Arnold, Extinction Rebellion, Boycott Fashion Team to outline key issues as Lisa is blown over by new designers, what they are doing and where their work will lead the industry to.
Speaker: Sara Arnold, Extinction Rebellion Boycott Fashion Team
Asks to take a moment of silence to think of people, plants and the earth: we are all here for a common cause
There is a twelve year deadline for fighting climate
Change needs to happen immediately, 2050 is too far
Increasing Carbon emissions by 10% would result in a 2 degree warming
Government needs to support stopping emissions, so that the temperature does not rise by 0.5 - 1.5 degrees, which could set off a Feedback Loop Mechanism that could not be stopped i.e. Arctic and Permafrost melting releasing trapped gases and the Amazon forest becoming a carbon producer instead of a carbon sink
Rise in 2 degrees means deaths and extinction
Only 4% of wild animals remain in the planet, we are losing fertile soil which can be completely gone in 30 - 40 yrs, there has been a significant drop in the number of insects and oceans are acidifying
A climate crisis will result in war, such as the war in Syria
Dr Lisa Cameron MP
Asks for the conversation to be focused on the fashion industry
Sara Arnold
If the industry continues under business as usual, we will not able put food on plates
Everyone here to make business sustainable but we have run out of time
The creativity in the fashion industry can be channelled to create change, but the current system does not work
London Fashion Week is a cultural hub, and if it carries on it sends the message that things are ok; XR’s call asks for culture to stand up and take responsibility
Dr Lisa Cameron MP
We are not here to continue on business as usual, and players in the fashion industry need to question how they can use their influence
The fashion industry has the potential to shape choices of the consumers
Tamara Cincik
What is XR doing to target high street and fast fashion
Agrees that LFW is a high-light event and not producer of fast fashion, which is the main culprit behind the pollution and emissions of the sector
Sara Arnold
Actions taken at/ by LFW echo through world wide network - asking to cancel LFW is symbolic
This is not an ask, it’s a protest
Dr Lisa Cameron MP
Fast fashion happens across the world
LFW is Iconic, and if it champions sustainable fashion it and can be seen as moving industry forward
Floor - Roxy Erickson, Director at Sunbeam Studios
Despite most of the people in the room conducting business in a ‘sustainable’ manner, what Sara is trying to say is that it is not enough
The industry has to manage extinction, or there will be no fashion industry
Ask Parliament to be far more revolutionary that it currently is
XR’s role is not to provide solutions, but to highlight the problem
Sara Arnold
We need to ask parliament to shut down Fashion
Karen Binns, Fashion Director at Fashion Roundtable
Shutting down fashion and LFW is not the answer, the first target has to be high street and fast fashion brands
Dr Lisa Cameron MP
Do you think consumers are aware?
Cozette McCreery, Brand Ambassador for Iceberg
Cancelling LFW is not the answer
If Jamie Oliver is able to get Sugar tax through Parliament, the fashion industry can propose a similar measure
The industry need to change structure, so that consumer pays for items knowing their real cost
From a PR perspective, it is important to think of how to convince customers that making an outfit for £20 is unfeasible, and the costs are usually cut by poor working conditions and pay below minimum wage
Tamara Cincik
Fashion Roundtable are working with Baroness Lola Young to address these issues
The Environmental Audit Committee made 18 recommendations in their Fixing Fashion Report, and none were adopted by the government
Feels that the government should introduce tax incentives to encourage transparency and good practice
The aim of these sessions is to formulate policy asks and put them forward to Parliament
Floor
Why are Bristish Fashion Council (BFC) not here?
Tamara Cincik, clarifies the BFC were invited and are invited to all APPG meetings
Jodi Muter-Hamilton explains that XR have met with BFC
Tamara Cincik
We need to create a positive and inclusive sector, but the sector still follows a 20th Century model
Bernice Pan, Founder and Creative Director at DEPLOY
Brands, manufacturers, consumers, press and government are all working against each other, and the system has been failing for a long time
BFC needs to work with the Department of Education and educational institutions to deliver a coherent fashion education
As consumers, we have power to affect change
When designers and creatives make something, they need to remember who the products are being designed for, rather than assume and invisible consumer
Mindset needs to change
Fashion business needs to change structurally through education so that professionals are aware of what they are designing: fabric that are toxic, and how they are made
British education is better than most
Rebecca Munro, Communications Director for the London College of Fashion
In the last 10 years, LFC have worked on providing a well-rounded education to students, but have seen resistance from the sector. Currently, students are required to take a module on Ethics and Sustainability
We are teaching the next generation of students that they need to make money responsibly
BFC needs to look at how and where they invest their resources
Bernice Pan
Notes it’s great Burberry is present, but where are creative directors and designers in the room?
Creative directors and designers need education on the environmental and social repercussions of fashion - pollution and human exploitation in the supply chain
Floor
Consumers are getting fashion information through the media, which has the purpose of incentivizing consumption. The impacts of fashion are not taught in school or university.
Anecdote: an attendee met a geologist who was ignorant of the environmental impacts of fashion
Big brands have a lot of money, and should have a responsibility of educating consumers, but instead play a role in perpetuating the lack of information
Bel Jacobs, Extinction Rebellion Boycott Fashion Team
Fashion should be a cultural vehicle for change
XR is not calling for the end of creativity or creative expression, but the end of the fashion industry
The creativity of those in the fashion industry should be used to come up with climate change solutions
Karen Binns
There is little benefit in shutting down LFW and its brands and doing nothing to target high street brands and fast fashion, which have the biggest due to their size: agriculture, workforce, supply chain, production.
Bel Jacobs
Overproduction is damaging to the environment
Dr Lisa Cameron MP asks Burberry team what they think their role is
Cecilia Coonan, Corporate Relations Director at Burberry
Burberry takes a transparent approach to their production and supply chain, and has set transparency and sustainability targets, e.g.:
Transparent supply chains 2030
Transitioning to circular supply
Tracking carbon footprint of fashion shows
Dr Lisa Cameron MP notes she is unaware of Burberry initiatives and asks for them to be looked at by APPG
Tamara Cincik notes the importance of gathering opinions from the attendees to formulate concise policy asks
Bernice Pam
Rather than asking for changes in taxation, made it required for brands to disassemble unsold stock. This will push brands to re-evaluate production quantities and produce clothes using fibres that are easier to recycle.
Recycling is not the solution - we cannot recycle plastic fast enough to address the problem
Dr Lisa Cameron MP asks attendees to be pragmatic in their asks: what can we take back and things we can push
Marko Matysik, Founder and Creative Director of Marko Matysik
Tax toxic materials - but this would require a review of what is considered toxic, as plastic and certain dyes are toxic for the environment but are not considered to be
Rewards and incentives for brands that adopt ethical and sustainable practices
Dr Lisa Cameron MP asks for attendees to submit examples of best-practice
Roxy Erickson
Look at the end of life of products
Certifications for SMEs is so difficult needs to be free
Ban fabrics and dyes dangerous to humanity
Education and information to be made available on tags
Dr Lisa Cameron MP
Block chain technology can used to track the products that make a garment
Highlights the potential usage of a system such as Traffic light system, similar to what is in use for food items
Jodi Muter Hamilton
States she has been working on a garment traffic system for several years and there are many challenges of constructing a traffic light system for clothing:
Accuracy of data, as many times the brands do not know what happens in their supply chains. The information/rating is only as good as the data
There are many certifications and organisations that have created their own ratings that would need to be included, a collaborative approach is essential
A lot of information to aggregate, technology can help. Brand can be verified operationally, but then each individual product would be certified
Dr Lisa Cameron MP asks if London can champion sustainable fashion?
Floor
There are many positive/ sustainable/ ethical fashion initiatives in London, but these are smaller and fragmented
Initiatives and events do not have the same visibility as the Copenhagen Fashion Summit
Sara Arnold
Wants the BFC to engage in conversation, so that LFW can be used as a platform to champion solutions
Actions happening over fashion week please join us
Focus on XR’s 3rd ask, that government use citizen’s assemblies
Dr Lisa Cameron MP: introduces speakers
Cozette McCreery will be talking about:
Designers in LFW working with artisan skills
Government supporting UK manufacturing, as government support is vital but severely lacking
Support and recognition to give them voice
Fashion not taken seriously, it is seen as a hippy idea so policy makers and institutions think it is coming from bad standpoint
Discussions about manufacturing center around cars, fashion and textiles is mostly overlooked
Cozette McCreery
We need to look at our image
Creative directors - know their responsibility and it is difficult using celebrity to promote positive change
There is a change from people within the industry but this is different to having a voice
There is discrepancy Marketing and support noting in the best interest of BFC
BFC - not working and they need to get into conversations
Dr Lisa Cameron MP, industry, consumers and policy makers should be more aware of sustainable fashion initiatives, such as those outlined by Burberry. Another example are trainers made using ocean plastic.
Speaker: Patrick McDowell, Founder and Creative Director of Patrick McDowell
Works with waste fabric from Burberry, but this has come from financial rather than sustainable considerations
Important to have more designers in the room, as designers have a responsibility, it is easy to become lazy
Education is very important
Creative Directors play a huge role, they are very rarely denied what they want for shows
Designers should adopt the mentality of using what already exists: lots of waste fabrics
The fashion system that currently operates was started by Worth in late 19th Century and has not changed since
Life without plastic and with less production is possible; mentions this was his GRandmother’s reality and she is still alive
Dr Lisa Cameron MP
Packaging has to be addressed
Sustainable Education as part of the curriculum
Floor notes the power of marketing, and that things need to appear cool and attractive to the individual
Cozette McCreery
Suggests using Edward Enninful at Vogue to promote sustainability
Claire Lissaman, Director: Product and Impact at Common Objective
Need to devise a strategy to clean up the industry
Media and industry has to share stories about what is happening - positives and negatives
2020 has sense of emergency
Burberry has looked at science and revenue, but all of their initiatives are all voluntary
Current pace is not fast enough, we need to take it up 20 notches
Floor - Not seeing designers and journalist successfully communicating environmental implications of fashion to the consumers, magazine titles not interested in what we are saying
Tamara Cincik reads Bethany William’s statement:
'I believe that London is a place of growth and change. I'm part of a design community which really is trying to find sustainable solutions and this community needs to be protected and supported. We need positive critique and positive solutions so we can all move forward together'.
Dr Lisa Cameron MP
Policy can use nudge theory, tactics that make it more convenient for the consumer to make the ‘right’ choices. E.g. Football violence fell by changing games from Saturdays to Sundays
Sara Arnold
We are facing a climate emergency: if global temperature rises by 2 - 3 degrees we will not be able to put food on our plates, and yet we are talking about clothes
We do not want fashion to end, but the fashion industry is over and we need to understand how to transition from that
Dr Lisa Cameron MP final remarks and thanks attendees
13:07: Meeting ends.
Statement by Rahemur Rahman, Creative Director of Rahemur Rahman, who was originally attending at a speaking capacity but was unable to make the meeting:
“Fashion is a huge industry, and one that supports many people who aren’t as privileged as ourselves. Talking about sustainability is a privilege we can’t take lightly; the majority of the people I work with and grew up with were sustainable because of the lack of economic freedom. Sweeping comments taking out London Fashion Week show the lack of research done by the people supporting it. Around the table sit designers, who like myself, are creating new systems of fashion that aren’t anything like fast fashion. Our beliefs and ethics overlap. I hope you can see that cancelling London Fashion Week also cancels how my business works, which upholds sustainable practices and supports the lives of weavers and artisans in Bangladesh who otherwise would be working in fast fashion. London Fashion Week supports a lot of people and businesses and unless we find a sustainable way to create new jobs for all these people to go to, we have to work more sustainably in its current system, which I think a lot of new and established designers are achieving. I agree that the industry needs to change, but it won’t be like this. It has to be through policy making and fashion being in political spaces where decisions are had. We are stronger together, because our aims are the same, so why create more divides when we are constantly surrounded by them.”