Google Earth is tracking the effects of climate change following a collaboration with the UK government, the Met Office and British Antarctic Survey.  The hotspots highlight various aspects of the planet’s changing climate and aims to help people to understand what climate change means for them and for the world we can mobilise the commitment we need to avoid the worst effects by taking action now.http://earth.google.com/outreach/kml_entry.html#tClimate%20Change%20In%20Our%20World 

Labour behind the Label, the anti-sweatshop coalition have released a report looking into the fashion industries plans to ensure its workers in the factories who are making the high-street clothes are being paid a ‘living wage’. The findings from the report, which is the third survey to be conducted by Labour behind the Label, highlights the commitment that retailers have actually put into place.  The findings are not good, over half the retailers that responded to our survey were not able to cite specific actual or planned projects that are aimed at raising worker’s wages.  To find out how the high street breaks down please follow this link to read the report in full http://www.labourbehindthelabel.org/images/pdf/letscleanupfashion2008.pdf

RITE 2008 Final Programme

R e g i s t r a t i o n

09.00 – 09.30: Registration, refreshments and exhibition.

S e s s i o n 1 Session chair: Richard Blackburn, University of Leeds, RITE Group

09.30 – 09.45: Richard Blackburn, RITE Group

Introduction to RITE Conference –update on RITE

09.45 – 10.15: Abi Rushton, Tesco Clothing (UK)

Supply chain transparency – maintaining product and ethical integrity

10.15 – 10.35: Pat Nei-Woo, Sustainable Fashion Business Consortium (Hong Kong)

Tackling the environmental approach to textile production in Hong Kong and China.

10.35 – 10.55: John Frazier, Nike (USA)

The minimization of water use through the textile supply chain.

C o f f e e

10.55 – 11.40: A selection of coffee, tea and other refreshments served. Exhibition.

S e s s i o n 2 Session chair: Manos Sifakis, Intertrad, Greece

11.40 – 12.00: Doug Rushing, Monsanto (USA)

Genetically modified cotton and sustainability

12.00 – 12.20: Matthew Parris, The Times (UK)

Harnessing the Earth’s natural resources for sustainable living

12.20 – 12.40: Orsola De Castro, From Somewhere (UK)

Recycling and upcycling fashion apparel

12.40 – 13.00: Phil Patterson, Colour Connections (UK)

Eco-metrics – measuring sustainability along the textile and clothing supply chain.

L u n c h

13.00 – 14.00: Hot buffet lunch served. Exhibition.

S e s s i o n 3 Session chair: Lee Holdstock, Soil Association, RITE Group,

14.00 – 14.20: Ben Lyons, Australian Wool Innovation, (Australia)

Challenges of Life Cycle Analysis of a natural textile fibre

14.20 – 14.40: Peter Gregory, on behalf of Huntsman, Clariant, CHT and others (Switzerland)

Cleaning up our act – the past 50 years of the European textile dye and chemicals industry

14.40 – 15.00: Karen Ho, World Wildlife Fund (Hong Kong)

Low carbon textile manufacturing in Hong Kong and China

15.00 – 15.20: Andrew Lunt, T-Shirt & Sons (UK)

Development of screen printing techniques for organic accredited clothing.

T e a

15.20 – 15.50: A selection of tea, coffee, and other refreshments served. Exhibition.

S e s s i o n 4 Session chair: Dorothy Maxwell, DEFRA

15.50 – 16.00: Mark Sumner, Marks & Spencer, (UK)

Plan A – quick update and thoughts moving forward

16.00 – 17.00: Question Time session with a panel of selected speakers from the day.

17.00 – 18.00: Grand Hall foyer, a chance to browse the exhibition and network

Estethica the exhibition which runs during London Fashion Week, promotes the best in eco-sustainable fashion.  Estethica established its reputation for raising awareness and promoting the concept of ethically-minded fashion within the industry.  The exhibition showcases both long-established ‘green’ brands alongside emerging designers who are concerned with sustainability.

The eco-sustainable initiative celebrates designers who choose to work with either recycled materials, organic and sustainable fibres, or who adhere to being fair trade, by producing their work in a safe and social environment. estethica is offers a network of like-minded labels to come together during London Fashion Week. Its sponsor, the organically grown brand Monsoon, is a founder member of the Ethical Trading Initiative and the importance of fair-trade and ethical fashion has been integral to its business heritage.

This season sees fourteen new labels joining the estethica exhibition including Elena Garcia, whose couture designs are made from a mixture of organic and recycled materials, and Revamp, a charity led project that creates original one off pieces by putting together a co-operative of young designers with stock from and in collaboration with Cancer Research UK. 

This weekend (6th & 7th September) marks the beginning of the Soil Assoication’s Organic Fortnight, with a two day extavaganza at Bristol harbourside, there will be a host of activities available for the public to partake in to help celebrate all things organic.   Log onto www.soilassociation.org/festival to find out more…

Clothes exchange ‘Visa Swap’, recently held in london for 3 weeks reported that it received 12,716 garments and accessories for the event held in a temporary store in Covent Garden.Ideas like this are great especially as a million tones of textiles are dumped annually into landfill and that’s just the UK!  Visa Swap Clothing Events encourage sustainable fashion through ethical swapping activity www.visaswap.com 

During Organic Fortnight (6-21 September) the high street chain, Jigsaw is offering Soil Association membership for £10, down from the usual £24.Anyone signing up for the membership will also get a free organic cotton bag plus all the benefits of SA membership.  The recent support from Jigsaw comes ties in with its recent announcement of its new certified beauty range that is due to be launched called Jigsaw Organics.  Watch this space for more details…

1kg of beef produced emits the same co2 as the average car driven for 155 miles! 

The Soil Association website www.soilassociation.org was voted website of the week in ‘You’ Magazine’, Daily Mail.  Sarah Stacey recommends finding out more about organic health and beauty products by logging on to the helpful informative site.