Measure Up

In our personal quests to become more conscious consumers, we have found that most of the challenge lies within finding more information about the products and brands we support through our purchases.  Where are our new strappy stilettos being made?  How are the workers being treated in the factory that produces our maxi dresses and clutch handbags?  Up until now, we thought it impossible to make informed decisions based on the lack of information available to the public.

Enter MeasureUp, a small initiative started in the UK, dedicated to providing consumers and competitors with a snapshot of the production methods and conditions of various fashion goods.  What impresses us most about the effort is its influence on not only consumers, through education and awareness, but also on producers- the key players in efforts towards ethical fashion and production processes.  We are ecstatic to hear about the progress and impact the site has already made -- Eve, the co-founder of the website (and the mom of a baby boy!), clues us into the history, motivation, and future goals of MeasureUp.

it started with travel

"About two years ago my husband and I were on a four month travelling break around China and South East Asia.  For the first time, the phrase you read on most things we buy: "Made in China" started to become much more real.  This mysterious and fascinating country of well over a billion people suddenly became tangible.  It's quite hard to imagine a billion people, but if you meet a few of those billion you quickly learn what life is like for some of them.  China is geographically enormous and people move huge distances to get jobs in factories to make the things that we use and wear every day.  They live far away from their families and work long days for little money, sometimes in pretty poor and dangerous conditions.   The story is the same in lots of other countries which make our clothes."

beginnings

"This all got us thinking about what we could do to help out these tens of thousands of people - most of whom, of course, we'll never get to meet. The first step seemed to be to make sure that the companies we buy our clothes are at least treating their workers well. The problem is that there are so many fashion brands it would take you ages to find out information on all of them. We thought we'd do the job for you and put all the information online... After a year of research and building the website, the site is now live. We've now got about 50 companies on the site and are adding new ones all the time… We've heard last year from someone who works for one of the companies included on MeasureUp. They are very conscious of where they have not met the MeasureUp indicators and have identified them as key areas to focus on."

demanding transparency

"It’s great to see that the majority of companies are now sending their own staff to visit the supplier factories they use.  Having staff who have been to factories and worked with them directly on ethical issues can give a company a much better understanding of the challenges and pitfalls that can arise in its supply chain. It also helps to guard against one of the problems with social auditing: that of auditors accepting bribes in return for good audit results. On the other hand, there are very few companies who currently publish a list of the locations of their supplier factories. We think this is one of the best things clothing companies could do to help us learn more about conditions for their workers.  If a company can be open and transparent in this way it means that journalists, NGOs or anyone else with an interest in the issues can make connections to the companies involved when they hear about poor conditions in these factories.  It also makes it easier for such people to visit the factories and see for themselves. Many companies say they cannot provide this information because it is commercially confidential.  We're not convinced by this!  We have examples of both large and small companies disclosing all their factory locations.  Nike, for example, has published a complete list on its website since 2005.  And small, fair trade company, People Tree also provides a complete list of the producers they work with.  If these companies can do it, then anyone can."

on being a conscious consumer

"I love finding unusual and stylish new items… Just because we want our clothing to be ethical doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be fashionable!  I also like buy organic clothes where I can find them – I was shocked reading a report recently about the impact of conventional cotton farming on the environment.  And I try not to buy too many clothes, but to make sure the ones I buy are good quality and things I will wear a lot – the current culture of cheap, disposable clothing just doesn’t seem sustainable. We hope MeasureUp will help us to think more carefully about what we buy and where we buy it.  The aim isn't to say 'you can't shop here' or 'you must shop here'.  Instead it shows the commitments each brand has made about how they treat the workers in their factories.  Then it's up to you to decide whether you want to support that company by buying their clothes. The main thing is that what seems like a small decision - where we buy that new dress or t-shirt - can make a real impact.  If we choose to buy from companies with good ethical practices then it can mean the difference between the person who makes your clothes living on the breadline or getting paid enough to support their family.  Or the difference between her having a safe and fulfilling job or working like a slave in dangerous conditions.  It means we can make a stand for justice with the clothes we wear everyday."

support the cause

by visiting MeasureUp, liking them on Facebook, and sending Eve (& the amazing team behind the scenes) your thoughts about the site, and companies you'd like to see on it in the future.

xx