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Protests in Bangladesh

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How the fashion industry leads workers to starvation


Large protests are happening in Bangladesh, where garment workers demand higher wages. Following clashes with the police, who used tear gas and rubber bullets, four textile workers have died. Sadly, they paid with their own life the demand for better pay.

Our thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives, the dozens who ended up in hospitals and also those who still protest for a decent living.

The fashion industry & the poverty wage


Low wages made Bangladesh the second largest clothing exporter after China, developing a huge industry for the country. There are about four million garment workers, mostly women, whose wages are the lowest in the world. In addition, the inflation and the devaluation of the taka against the US dollar (30% from the beginning of 2023) created unsustainable conditions for workers.

According to the government, monthly pay would rise by 56,25% to 12,500 taka – 114 USD. Basically, they want to keep workers under the poverty line. But workers want more: “Prices are skyrocketing. We are just demanding decent pay. We will not return to work until our demands are met,” one of the protesters said. Isn’t it understandable? In fact, workers ask for 208 USD a month in pay.

Fashion and workers’ rights


Specifically, garment workers in Bangladesh make clothes for large groups such as H&M, Zara, Gap, and Levi’s. Brands like Next, Asos, New Look and Inditex (Zara) say they support workers. Which is good, but words aren’t enough; they must pay more! That’s how they can back workers for real.

About ten years after the Rana Plaza collapse, garment factories packed in a nine-story building, but nothing has changed. The fashion industry learned no lesson. Beyond the beautiful facades or (fake) ethical practices, exploitation is still the most convenient pattern for capitalism to make a high profit. And so famous brands make profits on the backs of workers.

Protests for a decent living


Now let’s also consider the millions of consumers who, every day, go shopping for brands whose manufacturing scheme is well-known. Perhaps they don’t mind workers’ rights since they aren’t directly affected. Do low prices attract your attention? Do you think before purchasing a new piece of clothing whose price is so cheap it couldn’t cover any manufacturing cost? And do you feel okay supporting a vision of the world based on forced labour?

Protests are going on in Bangladesh, demanding a decent living. People lost lives, and many others are starving. It seems that brands do not question their sourcing and manufacturing policy. But what about you: how can you close your eyes when shopping?

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Ignoring Black Friday’s Impact

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Is overconsumption the only reason to live?


Despite the abundance of information available, people still ignore Black Friday’s impact.

Indeed, it’s essential to remember the truth behind it. This promotional event is a dangerous marketing trick. In fact, it leads to toxic, mass overconsumption and generates monstrous quantities of waste harmful to the environment. But our planet cannot sustain this economic and lifestyle system, so we need to stop.

As a retailer, if you participate in sales and promotions such as Black Friday, you contribute to a system that has failed.
This system does not offer a place for change and encourages you to foster the status quo by ignoring reality.

The fashion system, as well as any other industry, does not make reasonable or sustainable quantities. On the contrary, it produces large amounts in excess; the sole purpose is to maximise profits. Unfortunately, they do it at the expense of people and the planet.

Against Black Friday’s wastefulness #formodernhumans


We are unhappy with the current fashion system and choose not to participate in sales and promotions. That means no Black Friday for us.

We value consistency. So, we refuse to be part of something against our values and principles. And we take responsibility for our actions. That includes how we present our work and conduct ourselves while interacting with you. Though we understand that this might limit our audience, we believe it’s the right thing to do.

The big question is why people don’t see further than their noses. Why don’t they see the negative impact of this system? The results of Black Friday are crystal clear: mountains high of waste polluting the earth and waters are undeniable.

So, why do people ignore Black Friday’s impact? Why do most people not want to educate themselves? Do you think overconsumption is the only reason to live?

Do you know there’s a healthier alternative? Buy Nothing! Above all, stop buying pointless shit!

Share your thoughts here below or WhatsApp directly from this link!

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The Dropped Shoulder

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How shoulder construction defines the silhouette


Considering pattern design, the dropped shoulder is a construction we tend to favour.
Why? It doesn’t make you feel compressed. Moving the silhouette away from the body changes the proportion by giving a fresh, contemporary image. Moreover, this design provides a comfortable fit and an easy-to-wear versatile style. But unfortunately, some people think a drop-shoulder jacket is just a big size.

Inspiration comes from Miyake, a game-changer in fashion:

“From the beginning I thought about working with the body in movement, the space between the body and clothes. I wanted the clothes to move when people moved. The clothes are also for people to dance or laugh.”

Issey Miyake


The shape of the shoulder is an essential element as it defines the silhouette; its pattern intersects with the sleeve design, providing a functional imprint to a garment.

Dropped shoulder vs set-in sleeve: what is the difference?


The term set-in sleeve describes the armhole seam placed right on the shoulder point. On the contrary, the dropped shoulder describes sleeves where the armhole position falls on the top of the arm. But, those who don’t understand this design detail say the garment size is big.

Specifically, not sewing the sleeves of the garment at the highest point of the shoulder allows more room for movement and comfort. In fact, that pattern works particularly well for garments that require a lot of arm movement, such as coats, jackets, blousons, sweaters and t-shirts.

A set-in sleeve offers a more formal, professional look. However, it really depends on how you put together your clothes. In other words, it depends on the occasion, your usual style, and how curious you are to try something that makes your body feel less compressed.

The proportion of the drop-shoulder garment creates a modern balance of volume when paired with slim-fit trousers or skirts. But even a full boyfriend silhouette looks cool.

Drop shoulder pieces tend to be oversized, so they are way more comfortable and look good on everyone. Furthermore, they’re versatile, meaning you can dress them up or down, depending on the occasion.

On a last note, the dropped shoulder works well for the layering style, which offers the perfect solution in times of unstable weather (and climate change).

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Stop Killing Innocents!

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Nurturing seeds of peace in a polarised reality


Protesters march in the major cities to demand a cease-fire in Gaza: stop killing innocents! Even Jewish activist groups are demanding it. Tavi Gevinson is among the Jewish writers who signed an open letter: Critiquing the State of Israel is not antisemitic. These voices are like seeds of peace, attempting to overcome divisions.

On October 7, Hamas perpetrated a brutal attack on Israeli towns and kibbutzes, killing 1400 people – innocent civilians; an immense horror strongly condemned. But the consequent massacre of Palestinians by Israel is even worse. The revenge is genocide: Israelis killed thousands of people. In Gaza, about half the population is under 18. 

The matter of Palestine and Israel is complex. Also, it hides layers of prejudice, taking this or that political side and polarizing the debate, dumping the consequences on innocent people and children.

“During times of conflict and suffering, we can only hope that outsiders who are not immediately affected will nurture seeds of peace. The job of intellectuals, artists and scholars is to try and go deeper. To try and see the complexity of reality, especially in today’s climate of post-truth. It feels intellectually and emotionally lazy to just pick a side.” – Yuval Noah Harari (historian and author).

On both sides, there’s so much pain and grief. To understand what’s going on, we found illuminating Doctor Gabor Maté’s video. Gabor Maté is a Hungarian naturalised Canadian physician, best-selling author and speaker. Renowned addiction expert sought after for his expertise on trauma, addiction, stress and childhood development. Also, he is a Holocaust survivor.

Indeed, his personal life experience lived the brutality of the Nazis, and such a horrendous trauma impacted him as a child. So, we share his latest video here below.


How far does Israel want to go with revenge? Furthermore, to what extent can the international community accept infringements on the Geneva Convention?

When we read about the Nazis, one of the questions is: how could people remain silent? Silence equals passive complicity, so we cannot make the same mistake now.

Above all, we need to overcome divisions by nurturing seeds of peace. So, we stand with those who demand to stop killing innocents!

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PFAS: An Invisible Enemy

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Environment, pollution and fashion


There’s a scary, invisible enemy: PFAS chemicals. Found in everything from your favourite outdoor jacket to the drinking water you consume, these chemicals pose a serious threat to both the environment and human health.

To better understand this threat, we attended a Greenpeace meeting at Arci Bellezza with Fashion Revolution, Mamme NO PFAS, CNR, IRSA, and Consorzio Italiano Detox.

We were familiar with the topic thanks to “Dark Waters” – a remarkable movie with Mark Ruffalo. Indeed, contamination is known worldwide: read more on Le Monde.

What are PFAS chemicals?


What are PFAS chemicals?
PFAS (poly and perfluoroalkyl compounds) are a large group of synthetic molecules (over 10 thousand) produced only by human activities. Also called forever chemicals, meaning once released into the environment, we’ll never get rid of them!

What are the health risks?
They are dangerous for health and associated with numerous pathologies, even serious ones, including some forms of cancer. Several European states asked to ban them.

Where are PFAS used for?
Industries have used PFAS since the 1950s to produce numerous commercial products: fabric waterproofers, carpets, leathers, insecticides, firefighting foams, paints, food container lining, non-stick pans, floor wax, detergents and beauty products.

Fashion industry and PFAS
From outdoor garments to water-repellent materials, raincoats, jeans, and undies. The fashion industry uses these chemicals throughout the manufacturing cycle.

The contamination in Lombardy


Greenpeace detected PFAS in the waters of many Lombardy municipalities, including Milan. Carried out on a sample of data – by an independent accredited laboratory – the analyses highlighted the presence of PFAS in 11 drinking water samples out of the 31 collected. In four cases, the PFAS concentration is higher than the limit of the European Directive 2020/2184. In seven cases, the results show variable total PFAS concentrations.

Among the speakers Greenpeace has invited, Michela’s words, a member of “Mamme NO PFAS” – was really powerful! A mother from the Veneto region, the most impacted area, found out her daughter’s blood contained a high quantity of these chemicals. So, she joined other mothers to make their voices heard by politicians, inspiring others to do so.

PFAS: An invisible enemy – How can we protect ourselves?


Being informed on contaminated areas, filter the tap water. However, some articles say to limit the use of products containing chemicals. Which sounds like “take your poison, but take it responsibly!”
But, given that PFAS are an invisible enemy, can we really protect ourselves from them?

We believe addressing single fields, such as fashion, agriculture or others, is relatively effective because there is a major cause we need to address. And this major cause is our economic system, capitalism, which sucks life out of the planet as well as out of humans.

Furthermore, how can we humans consider ourselves intelligent when we pour pollutants into the water, poisoning our own environment?

Donate to Greenpeace to support their investigations!

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