If not now, when?

Dear friends of FEMNET,

In the Bundestag elections on Sunday, voters will decide whether Germany is embarking on the path to a climate-neutral and fairer society or whether it is continuing to pursue politics at the expense of our future.

One of the biggest climate killers is the clothing industry. It contributes significantly to global CO2 emissions. We are already feeling the effects of man-made climate change here in Germany. In the coming years, it will become clear whether we can meet the 1.5 degree target and thus avoid more serious effects of the climate crisis.

We have the choice - not only next Sunday, when we decide which future federal government we trust with an active and credible climate policy. Already on Friday we have the chance to draw attention to the connection between climate and clothing: In the global climate strike, countless people will take to the streets, demonstrate for their right to a livable future and make it clear to the next federal government that climate protection measures must be implemented instead of weakening them.

Where the softening of ambitious draft laws leads has been shown in the negotiations on corporate due diligence. We are so happy that this Supply Chain Act We see some shortcomings, such as the lack of civil liability, which was decided in this legislative period. The future managers in Berlin will not only implement the law, but will also have to make improvements.

Join us in shaping the future. On the streets and at the ballot box!

A stimulating reading wishes

The FEMNET team

© Nyan Zay Htet

In the fight against the military and the pandemic: Myanmar's textile workers continue to face extreme hardship

The situation in Myanmar has calmed down. However, the country and its population are suffering from the coronavirus pandemic, but above all continue to suffer from the violent reprisals of the military. The situation is particularly dramatic for textile workers and trade unionists.

We are currently receiving news that the health of the imprisoned trade unionist Myo Aye, who is known to us personally, is deteriorating. Like others, more than 3,000 workers, she was arrested by the military junta without concrete accusation. Women are helpless in prison at the mercy of military personnel and their acts of violence.

The political and humanitarian crisis requires action by the international community. This is how they demand CTUM, part of the 16-member trade union alliance, comprehensive economic sanctions against the country and isolation of the military regime.

Update in July

Update in August

Donate now to Myanmar

© FEMNET

The pressure on the textile workers does not diminish: Factories Deduct Half the Cost of Vaccinations from Salary

The situation of textile workers in Bangladesh and India remains tense. Despite rising numbers of infections and a national lockdown, factories in Bangladesh remained open in July. Indian factories were allowed to produce again in the summer with a full workforce if they vaccinate all workers within a month. The costs for this had to be partly borne by the workers. Our partner organisation SAVE from Tirupur (India) currently mainly supports workers who are unable to work due to a COVID-19 disease and do not receive a wage.

To the report on our website

More than 50 organisations call on brands, governments and employers in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to ensure the safety of textile workers

The lives of textile workers are at risk. While the Delta virus variant is spreading in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the garment factories are working at full capacity. Textile workers are exempted from lockdown to meet orders from brand manufacturers headquartered in countries with high vaccination rates. In one of the Clean clothes campaign Initiated letter, co-signed by FEMNET, trade unions and civil society organisations from around the world address political and business leaders and call on them to take immediate action.

To the report on our website

FEMNET welcomes the new binding agreement on workers' safety

On 26 August, clothing companies and trade unions announced an agreement on a new international agreement on health and safety in the textile and clothing industry, with which the Bangladesh ACCORD the model introduced for the protection of seamstresses is preserved, expanded and expanded. This model, which has saved countless lives in Bangladesh, is now to be extended to other countries where the lives of workers continue to be endangered on a daily basis.

To the report on our website

© PayYourWorkers

Fashion brands owe textile workers over 10 billion euros

For the workers in the clothing industry, the crisis is far from over. Over 10 billion euros in unpaid wages and severance payments are owed to textile workers by international fashion companies. A new report from Clean clothes campaign (CCC) investigates non-payments and other labour rights violations, such as the suppression of trade unions. About 1.6 million textile workers from the countries surveyed lost their jobs.

To the report on our website

Watch the CCC video ‘How to Steal your Workers’ Future’

© FEMNET

Lack of transparency: Campaign for Clean Clothes calls for improvements in the Textile Alliance

Together with the Clean Clothes Campaign (Clean Clothes Campaign, CCC) criticizes FEMNET that member companies in the Textile Alliance are not obliged to disclose their supply chain. In a recent report, the CCC that very few member companies disclose their supply chains and follow the best practice standard of the Transparency Pledge. Only with this transparency can human rights due diligence obligations be effectively and credibly implemented. The campaign for clean clothing also criticises the lack of binding requirements for human rights due diligence.

To the report on our website

© FEMNET

UPDATE: FEMNET student conference now completely digital

The conference is aimed at students and lecturers from fashion and business studies as well as students from other faculties who are involved in student initiatives. The conference will focus on opportunities for action and solutions for a socially just transformation of the fashion industry – and how students can advocate for it. Thanks to the online format, everyone can now participate from anywhere without any problems. With varied formats and versatile exchange possibilities, we also enable the active participation of all participants in the digital space.

As part of the FEMNET conference, the City of Ideas take place. Are you already working on an idea or do you need more input to make something concrete? Then apply now with your project idea to share and implement it with interested parties during the conference!

To program and registration

Profile for registration for the Idea Workshop (PDF file)

© Julia Theurig and Malina Lumpp

Working together for human rights in fashion

In cooperation with committed students, we implement a variety of cooperations: Over the summer semester, we led the campaign together with Fairtrade Universities the series of themes entitled ‘Sustainability in Trade: A question of transparency’. The online series of topics was organized by the campaign's student steering groups and discussed various questions about transparency in supply chains.

Together with student initiatives Einleuchten e.V. x fairfashion and fairquer We showed the films ‘Made in Ethiopia’ and ‘Made in Bangladesh’ and were able to answer questions in subsequent discussions with the audience (last date on 24 September in Mönchengladbach). We also held a digital repair brunch on ‘Jeans’ with students from different clothing courses. The next one on ‘Knitting’ will take place at the beginning of October.

Report on Sustainability in Trade

Dates for the film screening and the repair brunch at the end of this newsletter!

© FEMNET - Stefan Klübert

Webinar series: The accumulated knowledge of consulting work on fair public textile procurement

The four-part webinar series in October and November reflects FEMNET's years of consulting work. The experience of advising numerous municipalities such as the city of Bonn, Cologne or Karlsruhe on socially just textile tenders is presented in these four parts:

08.10.2021: ‘Why is sustainable public procurement worthwhile?’ and ‘What are the legal frameworks for sustainable textile procurement?’

11.11.2021: "Step by step towards a sustainable textile tender" and "Strategic considerations on sustainable procurement"

To the registration