Lisa B
Lisa Snowdon, Andrea McLean, Ali Bastian, Laura Bailey and a dozen other famous ladies have signed up to a major new Fairtrade Foundation campaign to shake up British fashion.
They are challenging Britain’s clothes buying public to help make fashion fairer to improve the lives of the 10 million West African people who rely on cotton for their livelihoods.
Today most West African growers and their communities suffer abject poverty because of unfair global trade rules. Lisa, Mica and Ali want to change that.
The plight of West African cotton farmers will be highlighted in a hard-hitting Fairtrade Foundation policy report launched at a reception in Central London in mid-November.
The report will reveal the billions of dollars in state subsidies given to rich American and European farmers enabling them to undercut the West African cotton industry which cannot hope to offer the same support to its poor farmers.
To show us all just how beautiful Fairtrade cotton can be and how easy it is to swap your look to Fairtrade, acclaimed photographer Trevor Leighton is working alongside hairdressers Darren Ambrose and Errol Douglas MBE, makeup artist Charlie Duffy, celebrity stylists Rachel Fanconi and Cheryl Konteh. Trevor has photographed the celebrities wearing part of a collection of Fairtrade cotton clothing from a range of retailers and brands. The collection of beautiful black and white photographs will be displayed at the fifth anniversary launch event in mid-November. It will then be exhibited in London after which it will tour the 500 Fairtrade Towns and colleges around the country.
Model, designer and TV presenter Lisa Butcher, who visited Fairtrade cotton farmers and will launch her own range of Fairtrade cotton T-shirts for Long Tall Sally said: ‘We live in a fast paced, sometimes superficial world where image is so important. Many of us don’t take the time to even think where the cotton in the clothes we buy comes from. But buying Fairtrade cotton is a way of ensuring everyone wins.’
The cotton campaign will also be a highlig
ht of Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 (28 February – 13 March), when millions of people will campaign to draw attention to disadvantaged West African cotton farmers. Fashion lovers can look forward to seeing the launch of many new Fairtrade cotton clothing collections, including ranges designed by Emma Watson for People Tree and a range of designer Fairtrade cotton t-shirts for Sports Relief. For more information about activities on cotton in your area, visit www.fairtrade.org.uk .
The global financial crisis has affected the amount of cotton that Fairtrade farmers have been able to sell over the last year as consumers move towards low-priced, fast-moving clothing. But without consumer support, Fairtrade farmers may have little choice but to sell cotton for whatever price they can get. This increases the chances of families getting into debt, leading to a vicious circle of ill health, incomplete education and chronic hunger.
Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation said: ‘We have all had a tough year, but West African cotton farmers have had it tougher so they need us to buy beautiful Fairtrade cotton. Fairtrade cotton puts cotton farmers first not last, setting up a whole new pattern for international trade. We are all determined that this will become the norm in the cotton industry and will continue to work towards improving the terms of trade for cotton farmers. Fairtrade shows how our little actions add up to a lot and help to change lives. Now is the time to prove it.’