April 29, 2018 100% Traceability Standard. Literally.
Say farewell to the “Made in China” label. In lieu of the Rana Plaza collapse’s 5th anniversary, the Swedish brand ASKET has introduced full traceability labels on the origins of, well, everything. Including the tags themselves.
April 25th marked the 5th anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, which resulted in the deaths of 1,134 and injury of 2,500 garment factory workers. In the aftermath of this tragedy, Fashion Revolution was born, demanding greater transparency in the fashion industry.
Apparently not one for half measures, the menswear brand ASKET has taken this call to action to the level of superlative, endeavouring to offer full traceability for its permanent collection in what it hopes will become a new industry standard.
“Technically, garments are always ‘Made In’ one single country. Practically, that’s never the full story. So we’re replacing the conventional ‘Made In” labels in our garments with an entirely new label, putting the full answer to the question #WhoMadeMyClothes right where it needs to be – in our garments,” says co-founder August Bard Bringéus in ASKET’s press release.
Thus far, they have demonstrated the proof of concept with their Oxford Shirt, where conscientious buyers can follow the materials used, all the way from the cotton seed to the final garment. Their goal is to have their entire collection fully traceable by the end of the year.
“Our hope is to inspire more brands to follow. Setting a higher standard for transparency forces us to consider the true cost of the garments we make and buy,” says Bringéus.
Image: ASKET
