A challenge for Fashion Revolution week

It is Fashion Revolution Week this week - why?  Because on April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed killing 1,138 people and injuring another 2,500, making it the fourth largest industrial disaster in history.

There were five garment factories in Rana Plaza all manufacturing clothing for the western market. The victims were mostly young women. This was a wake-up call to many people around the world - not just those in the fashion industry, but regular consumers.  It prompted the question, who made my clothes? And are they working in safe conditions?  Are they paid enough to take care of their family?  

Fashion Revolution started the social media #whomademyclothes to encourage consumers to call out brands on social media - asking for transparency in the fashion industry when it comes to where and how our clothes are made.  

In trying to become more informed, I am reading the book Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion by Elizabeth L. Cline.  It gives a great historical backdrop of the fashion industry in the United States and how fast fashion actually came into being.  

One of the phenomenons that Cline discusses in her book is the "haul" videos on YouTube - where shoppers showcase their shopping hauls - showing off how much they got for how little.  These young women have racked up millions of views and become virtual stars simply for shopping for cheap clothes.  These types of videos show just where we are when it comes to fashion - shopping for clothes for as cheap as possible without much regard to the quality of the product or the quality of the life of the person who made it.  

Fashion Revolution challenges consumers to a #haulternative.  You can download a detailed pdf on their website to read all about it, or just use this summary to guide you!  

What is a Haulternative?  Basically, it is a way of loving and refreshing your wardrobe without buying new clothes!  

Here are 7 ways to do a #haulternative:

1. Love Story - Share about a piece of clothing that means a lot to you. Maybe it was your grandmother's - maybe you have had it for a long time and you still love it.  Share about that item and why you love it! 
2. Broken but beautiful - Similar to love story, but this is an item that you continue to love even thought it's past it's prime - maybe a sweatshirt with holes in it, or jeans that are worn out but fit so perfectly you still wear them!  
3. Fashion fix - Find a piece of clothing that needs to be mended or fixed.  Either fix it in a traditional way, or find a funky way to patch a hole with creative fabric or stitching!
4. Secondhand - Go find some new-to-you favorites at your local thrift shop!  Share your thrifting haul!
5. Swap - Find a friend who is your size and see if you have anything they love and visa versa!  I love when people give me clothes they think I will like, and I'm planning on organizing a formal clothing swap in the fall! 
6. DIY - Get on Pinterest and find a way to transform your clothing!  You can make a reusable shopping bag or scarf out of a t-shirt quite easily - and if you are more ambitious, there is no limit to what you can do with your clothes!
7. Vintage - The best way to find a truly unique piece of clothing is to shop vintage!  Check out your local thrift stores for hidden gems, shop vintage online, or find an antique store - they often have clothing!

Once you've chosen the style of your haulternative, make a video and share your haul!!  If you aren't comfortable with a video, snap a picture and share it on social media.  If you do the #haulternative challenge, be sure to tag @libraryladylife so I can see it!