Statement of the Clean Clothes Campaign on the Green Button Wuppertal. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) plans to introduce a state metaseal for socially and ecologically produced textiles. This metaseal is to be awarded under the name ‘Grüner Knopf’ on behalf of the BMZ for clothing and other textile products. Details Published: 15 July 2019 Read more …
© IndustriAll Historic anti-violence and anti-harassment agreement adopted Governments and businesses are now required to implement the Convention in practice On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the member states adopted the new International Convention No. 190 against Violence and Harassment in the World of Work by an overwhelming majority at the end of June 2019. This legally binding international treaty, which was supplemented by a recommendation for concrete implementation by the member states, is a historic victory for workers and their representatives: Details Published: 09 July 2019 Read more …
OECD Review of the Textile Covenant - Opportunity for Improvement Bonn/Berlin. The fashion industry celebrates Berlin Fashion Week – but questions about social and environmental consequences are, as every year, neglected. The Alliance for Sustainable Textiles, founded in 2014, has begun to gradually eliminate the grievances in global textile supply chains. So far, the balance sheet has been meager. A study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recommends adapting the review process. The civil society in the Textile Alliance sees the reform now planned as an opportunity to make the alliance more effective. Details Published: 01 July 2019 Read more …
© Textile alliance First Conference of the Alliance Initiative Tamil Nadu, India On 6 March 2019, the first major conference of the multistakeholder initiative - Tamil Nadu (MSI-TN), which is supported from Germany by some members of the Textile Alliance as part of an alliance initiative, took place in Coimbature. Around 130 representatives from the government of Tamil Nadu, business associations, trade unions and NGOs took part. They came from Germany: Representatives of BMZ, Hugo Boss, Brands Fashion, FEMNET and the Alliance Secretariat of the Textile Alliance. The theme of the conference was: Better Compliance – Better Competitiveness. The question was whether compliance with social and environmental standards would lead to a higher competitiveness of spinning mills, as the German representatives argued, both on the economic side and on the part of FEMNET. A paper on the topic was also prepared by the MSI-TN. The participants discussed the topic vividly in mixed groups and each group developed recommendations. Further information on the website of the Textile Alliance Details Published: 28 June 2019 Read more …
© charles deluvio - unsplash.com Cobblers, treat yourself to new lasts: Stuttgart's pilot project for sustainable work shoes Civil society has long called for more sustainability and the Council and the administration are also clearly positioning themselves: Stuttgart wants to play a special pioneering role in improving global living and working conditions through public procurement. The city no longer wanted to remain ‘at the groin’ and consciously use the considerable purchasing power of municipalities to strengthen fair production conditions and the supply of fair products. FEMNET accompanied the municipality in the successful pilot project for the procurement of sustainable work and safety shoes. Details Published: 12 June 2019 Read more …
© charles deluvio - unsplash.com Cobblers, treat yourself to new lasts: Stuttgart's pilot project for sustainable work shoes Civil society has long called for more sustainability and the Council and the administration are also clearly positioning themselves: Stuttgart wants to play a special pioneering role in improving global living and working conditions through public procurement. The city no longer wanted to remain ‘at the groin’ and consciously use the considerable purchasing power of municipalities to strengthen fair production conditions and the supply of fair products. FEMNET accompanied the municipality in the successful pilot project for the procurement of sustainable work and safety shoes. Details Published: 12 June 2019 Read more …
100 years of the ILO: Time for laws #Violence against women textile workers! In 2019, the International Labour Organization (ILO) celebrates its centenary. With its highest body, the International Labour Conference, the member states of the United Nations meet every year in Geneva to decide on international labour law. This year, the conference will be held from 10 to 21 June and will address the issue of violence and harassment in the workplace. So far, there are no effective regulations at the international level. Details Published: 11 June 2019 Read more …
Photo: © Saskia Wulfinghoff Strike in Ethiopia Since 7 March 2019, thousands of textile workers have been on strike in Ethiopia's largest textile park, Hawassa. The unorganized workers (trade unions are banned in Hawassa Park) demand higher wages, safe working conditions and a stop to sexual violence in the workplace. The textile park with 52 factory halls has been made available by the Ethiopian government to foreign inverters since June 2017. Companies such as H&M and PVH (Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger), but also producers from India, China, Sri Lanka and other countries have low wages produced there. The park is one of five parks, with a total of 30 industrial parks planned by the government by 2015. Currently, export revenue from clothing production from all industrial parks in Ethiopia is $145 million. Details Published: 05 June 2019 Read more …
The future multipliers for fair public procurement. © FEMNET Ahead with new strength - team of experts grows for more sustainability in public procurement The important market power of the public sector is increasingly becoming the focus of public attention: In NRW alone, public authorities and municipalities consume for around €50 billion per year. Other municipalities want to make sure that the products they buy are not produced under inhumane conditions. In order to accompany them in the individual steps, FEMNET has Education and training of multipliers Continued this year as well. Details Published: 29 May 2019 Read more …
FEMNET at Messe Fair Handel in Stuttgart The FEMNET project consultants Marijke Mulder and Anni Korts-Laur at the fair stand at Fair Handel Stuttgart. Photo: © FEMNETThe Fair Handel trade fair took place in Stuttgart from 25 to 28 April 2019. FEMNET was present on site to present the first results of the current studies on working conditions in the workwear industry in Tunisia and India. Marijke Mulder, FEMNET Project Officer, presented the results during the panel discussion ’The fashion revolution. Opportunities and challenges in textile production”, including SethuLakshmy Chakkenchath, a member of the Fairtrade Producers Network NAPP (the Network of Asia and Pacific Producers), Rapha Breyer from TransFair e.V. and Deniz Köksal from Reutlingen University, who presented his research results from Vietnam and Indonesia. Details Published: 20 May 2019 Read more …
