FEL Supports Leicester’s Garment Workers and Signs Open Letter to UK Fashion Brands
04-12-2024
Fashion-Enter Ltd / FashionCapital is one of several companies to sign an open letter aimed at UK fashion brands. The letter addresses workers’ rights and decent wages for Leicester’s garment workers, and reenforces the need for UK based garment production to fulfil sustainable business practices.
The letter is as follows:
A year ago, in October 2023, more than 500 garment workers rallied in Leicester with a simple demand for decent work and a fair wage. Their voices continue to echo today, as the need for systemic change in the fashion industry remains urgent.
We, the undersigned groups and individuals, add our support to the workers’ demands for UK fashion brands to commit to good jobs in Leicester. This commitment is not only a matter of social justice but an opportunity to lead the industry by example.
We know that the fashion industry operates complex global supply chains, but a simple commitment to 1% of brands’ production to be sourced from Leicester will send an important message from the leaders in UK fashion. It will show that fashion brands understand they need to adapt and to behave responsibly to the people who make their clothes, and take account of the realities of our changing climate.
Leicester has a proud history of garment production. The women and men who gathered a year ago to make their voices heard have given years to the industry and the fashion brands that order from the city. They have an important role to play in transforming the industry, and cannot simply be discarded when production moves on.
We see Leicester’s potential to become a model hub for a more sustainable industry, but in order to realise this vision, we need UK brands to step up. With the looming challenges of climate breakdown and economic pressure, now is the time for UK brands to lead the way in a new direction, putting sustainable jobs at the heart of their business model.
With decent wages, workers’ rights guarantee, and a commitment to training and upskilling the workforce, Leicester could become a beacon of ethical fashion production. By increasing local production, brands can significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with long-distance shipping, making a meaningful contribution to fighting climate change. Additionally, this shift can bring economic stability to Leicester, ensuring that workers receive fair wages while supporting the local economy and reducing reliance on unsustainable global supply chains.
From high fashion to the high street, UK brands lead the industry. Now is the time for them to extend that leadership to the realm of social and environmental responsibility. By committing to sustainable, well-paid jobs in Leicester and globally, they can demonstrate a new model of success—one that benefits workers, their local communities and the planet.
Signed:
Dominique Muller, Labour Behind the Label
Cassie Farmer, GMB Union
Farhana Uddin, IWGB Union
Tarek Islam, FAB-L
Tansy Hoskins, author and journalist
Jay Kerr, No Sweat
Rebeca Dallmaier, Remake UK
Nik Hammer, Leicester University
Hannan Majid, Rainbow Collective
Amy MacAvoy, Wesley Hall Centre
Jennifer Wiscak, Justice In Fashion
Kate Hill, Make It British
Jenny Holloway, Fashion-Enter
Pankhuri Agarwal, Bath University