Do these words sound familiar? If so, it’s not for good reason. Spectrum, Ali, Tazreen and Rana are the names of overseas clothing factories where some of the recent deadly tragedies have taken place. What usually happens is that these events (and places) stay on our minds for a while, slowly fading away as new news fill their spaces.
Goodlifer contributor Amy DuFault wanted to prevent these tragedies from being forgotten and decided to do something about it. “I was so mad after Bangladesh that I was trying to find a more activist route of making a difference,” she says, “something besides writing another story and I came up with the idea of an iconic T-shirt design inspired by Experimental Jetset’s Beatles-themed tees.”
The Spectrum&Ali&Tazreen&Rana tees are intended to create awareness of the growing fast fashion epidemic and the garment factories where workers push clothing and accessories out at breakneck speeds under inhumane conditions.
“Each of the four garment factories listed on the T-shirt have contributed to roughly 1,618 deaths, DuFault says, “an equal amount of injuries and daily, serial maiming that goes beyond human recognition. With little regulation and protection of garment worker’s rights and safety, these tees are a call to #StopFastFashion and to show support for worker’s worldwide that deserve better treatment, wages and a new level of human respect.”
Fashion can be done right. These tees are manufactured in the US, in an entirely traceable supply chain, by TS Designs in Burlington, North Carolina. Made of 100% North Carolina grown, super-soft ringspun cotton, each is certified “dirt to shirt,” and has a code the wearer can use to see every member of the supply chain that made his or her product. The printing was done with water-based inks.
The limited edition tees are available from DuFault’s shop for $30. 100% of proceeds go to the Clean Clothes Campaign to help with continued coverage and monitoring of working condition in the global garment industry.
