Over the years there have been many ethical choices offered to consumers hoping to improve the environment we live in and, just as importantly, improving the environment of the people who produce our consumer goods. Just as with our foods, fashion is slowly but surely making a shift towards ethical clothing. But with Scarlett Johansson and Bono behind a massive global campaign called Red, ethical clothing is hoped to become far more mainstream on the high street.
Fashion has in the past teamed up with some charitable causes with the odd celebrity-endorsed T-shirt here; the occasional piece of jewellery there. Red is a little different. It aims to make shopping for the clothes on our backs a social and environmental choice while raising lots of money too.
The problem with fashion as it stands is it's not exactly environmentally or socially friendly. Many mass produced fashion goods are created in terrible workshop conditions. Consumers just have no way of knowing where their goods have come from and how much the people, or even children, making them are being paid or the hours they work.
On the environmental side, even the natural fibre cotton is a polluting crop due to the pesticides used. Red's hope is to encourage more consciousness of choosing organic fabrics to reduce these pollutants.
Red's key to success is linking in with high street brands like Gap to hopefully spark wide appeal. With beautiful Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson as spokesperson, that spark is certain to ignite interest.
Around 40 per cent of profits from sales of the products created by Gap, Converse, Giorgio Armani and American Express will go directly to the Global Fund, which helps tackle AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in the world's poorest countries.
While not part of the Fairtrade initiative, Red fits in perfectly with its goals, though its ultimate goal is to raise a lot of money. Fairtrade is actively campaigning to show how a small change in shopping habits can make a real difference to poverty and to raise awareness of the ethical consumerism, and choosing to buy 'red' is one way to do so.
Harriet Lamb, Director of the Fairtrade Foundation, said, "We can get stuck in our ways but changing to Fairtrade really can help change the world.
"Fairtrade has grown faster than we could have imagined. There are now over 1,100 products from honey and mangoes to roses and cotton T-shirts."
Red's addition to this growing market draws in prominent fashion brands to promote. Some of the items available to the UK include American Express, which is launching its no-fee 'red' Amex card, promising that at least one per cent of every pound spent will go to the global fund. Gap will bring a range of 'red'-branded T-shirts made in Africa this spring, costing £14.50. The autumn will see a global roll-out of a wider range of clothing products. Fashion designer Giorgio Armani starts out with Emporio Armani sunglasses costing £92, but plans to expand into clothing, accessories, watches, perfumes and jewellery.
If you want more, Bono's wife's designer label Edun offers organic clothing including skinny jeans made from helm costing £155. Edun, like many other ethical brands, prides itself on knowing that the manufacturing staff are being treated kindly.
People Tree, one of the forerunners in ethical clothing, ensures that only organic cotton is used and that workers are paid a good wage. Their range, including a pretty pink dress for £80, is appearing in Top Shop's flagship Oxford Circus store and they are launching baby wear this spring.
