Get involved
Are you a student working with fashion and textiles?
As the fashion buyers and designers of the future, you have the power to make a huge positive impact on how the fashion industry works. Choosing Fairtrade cotton can directly improve the lives of people growing the cotton used in the garments that you design and sell. Download our
Fashion Projects Fact Sheet (244.72KB) containing information and tasks to put Fairtrade Fashion at the heart of your studies.
Students
All across the UK, students are doing fabulous things to make their campuses more ethical. One of those is raising awareness and availability of products with the FAIRTRADE Mark. If you want to get more involved, find out about the Fairtrade University and College scheme
here.
People & Planet is a student campaigning network on environmental, poverty and human rights issues. Their new
Buy Right campaign is calling on universities to make their £8bn worth of purchasing decisions in an ethical way - including Fairtrade certified cotton products such as uniforms.
The Wear Fair campaign is targeting schools and their uniform suppliers to makeFairtrade cotton uniforms and sports kits the norm for school pupils..
For students wishing to buy Fairtrade cotton fabrics to make garments, you will be able to purchase fabric from
Bishopston Trading Company that you can
request cloth samples from.
Teachers
If you teach fashion or use cotton materials on your course, we've produced a guide to incorporating Fairtrade cotton into courses. Download it today and start working towards your college getting Fairtrade status by sourcing Fairtrade cotton products for your course work and wear.
By teaching students about Fairtrade cotton as part of the curriculum and changing your uniform to Fairtrade cotton, you can help your school acieve this award. There's lots of help at hand on our Fairtrade Schools website.
Organising an event
Find out how you can help to get Fairtrade cotton on the catwalk with our new
fashion action guide for Fairtrade Fortnight 2010:
The Big Swap. It's packed with everything you need to know to organise a Fairtrade cotton event, from the important reasons as to why we need Fairtrade cotton to tips on where to buy it. There's a profile of a producer of Fairtrade cotton in Mali, West Africa and tips on planning and publicity. Find out more about
becoming Fairtrade certified. If you want to see a Fairtrade cotton event in action, don't miss
The Fairwear Fashion Show happening in Bristol on 25 February 2010.
Businesses
As well as helping people in developing countries to work their way out of poverty, working with Fairtrade certified cotton has specific benefits for your business. Aligning your brand or business with Fairtrade’s dynamic movement for change means being part of one of the UK’s most trusted independent certification marks - 72% of the UK population recognise the FAIRTRADE Mark. New marketing and PR opportunities are available including
Fairtrade Fortnight exposure and full transparency of Fairtrade cotton in your supply chain can be provided - an opportunity for staff motivation and engagement.