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"There must be more to life than having everything!" ~Maurice Sendak
At this time of the year we are bombarded with messages to "Buy! Buy! Buy!". To that, we respond, "Buy quality pieces that last! Buy with a conscience! And "buy" with a barter!"
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 What's Your Fashion Footprint?
The social and environmental impacts of the fashion industry are many, from unfair labour practices to improper waste disposal, from high energy and water use to life threatening toxic chemicals.
But there are alternatives. If we each make simple daily actions to Resize Our Fashion Footprint, we can change the Fashion World — one pair of jeans and a load of laundry at a time!
Take our Resize My Fashion Footprint Pledge to discover some of the many ways you can make a difference. Set goals that you can reach — with a little stretch.
Please help us spread the word. Share the Pledge with your friends, colleagues and customers. We're on Twitter @FTAorg!
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 Got a dream for a fashion business?
Fashion Takes Action invites you to join us in our work to transform the Fast Fashion industry. Biz Camp is our way of providing tools and networking support emerging and innovative designers launching their own fashion business. Wednesday Night or Saturday Sessions Available.
Benefits include: $100 budget to create a sustainable design for your portfolio, feedback from fashion industry professionals, & career mentorship! Apply before end of day January 12, 2012!
Cost: non-members $125, members $100
See the Program Summary for benefits, eligibility, & session descriptions.
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Introducing the FTA Showroom!
We're excited about moving at the end of December! The studio space we will be sharing with FTA Member, Lara Bazant, will become our new HQ and Showroom.
The beautiful Distillery District of old Toronto is a destination for tourists and locals alike. The cobbled streets, artisan shops, galleries and restaurants also make it the perfect location for FTA to showcase the amazing work of our Members to the public via casual drop-ins, Trunk Shows and invite-only industry events.
Come and visit us in the Case Goods Warehouse, 55 Mill Street, Building 74, Studio 202!
Renting display space in our Showroom is just one of the many benefits of becoming a Member of Fashion Takes Action. Find out more by visiting our Membership Page.
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 Beat the Lines, Find Great Gifts, & Support FTA!
Did you know you can help fund the work of Fashion Takes Action when you buy our Members' pieces on Ehical Ocean? As we are a non-profit, the work we do to advance the sustainable fashion movement in Canada is funded by grants and any other creative ways we can generate streams of income. We especially love it when the bounty can be shared with our partners, like Ethical Ocean and our Members.
Until January 16th, when you purchase our Members' garments and accessories through OUR SHOP on Ethical Ocean, 8% of the commission goes to us! Just enter the site through this unique link. Any purchases you make within 30 days counts. FTA gets 8% on purchases of our Members' items, and 4% on anything else you purchace on the site. So please consider doing some of your Holiday and Boxing Day Shopping with FTA!
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 A Successful Swap, Shop and Pledge!
Even though the evening was cold and rainy, many came out to Shop Sustainable to beat the November Blues in our pop-up boutique. FTA and Swapsity produced a sucessful event with over 700 quality and designer items swapped, 300 donated to Goodwill, and an estimated savings of over $19,000! Included in the items to swap were donated items from our members, Laura Chenoweth, Elladora, Device, Miik, Meemoza, Local Buttons and Yes World Boutique. We were also lucky to recieve three items from H&M's Conscious Collection to add to the hidden "treasures". Other vendors included FTA Members, soleRebels, Ecocessories, as well as a jewellry fundraiser for Children of Hope.
The evening also included a visit by the Barter Babes Project, free make-up demos by Green Beauty, and promotions by Live Green Toronto, and Ethical Deal.
While hanging out in the lounge enjoying munchies donated by Milestones, with organic wine or beer from Southbrook and Steamwhistle, the newly frocked had an opportunity to take Fashion Takes Action's Resize My Fashion Footprint Pledge highlighting practical ways to use fashion as way to live more sustainably.
We also want to acknowledge the amazing work of our FTA Interns, Jackie and Tianna, as well as all the Swapsity volunteers. We couldn't do it with out them!
Stay tuned for another Shop Sustainable event in Spring 2012!
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 Subscribe to a Great Modern Eco Mag
One of our favourite online magazines is Bamboo. They loyally shout-out all our events, so now it's time to return the favour!
Launched in spring 2010, Bamboo writers and stylists are authories on contemporary, urban living for the fashion forward and the forward thinking. Bamboo is a consumer destination that covers beauty, fashion, design, food, lifestyle, entertaining, celeb culture, travel and more.
Their features show us that there is no need to compromise lifestyle, beauty and fashion in order to be conscientious. You can subscribe for FREE today!
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 An Inside Look at H&M's CSR
On November 16th, FTA was at the 2011 Retail Energy and Sustainability Symposium hosted by the Retail Council of Canada. During the lunch hour, FTA's Founder, Kelly Drennan, interviewed Emily Scarlett of H&M's Communications and Press Department. H&M had a lot to share on their sustainability and employee engagement initiatives (Corporate Social Responsibility), or "7 Conscious Actions". Scarlett expanded on what each of these Actions meant to H&M as a philosophy, as well as with facts and figures. There were great questions from the audience afterwards, and the conversations continued on into lunch. We are sure H&M's story will inspire other retail & apparel brands in their own trailblazing! Download H&M's Conscious Actions Sustainability Report 2010 for more details.
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Browse the links below for the latest perspectives on the value of a Triple Bottom Line approach!
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People
Appetite for Fast Fashion pushes workers to starvation.
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Profit
Sustainable packaging can actually SAVE businesses money.
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Interested in pitching a story for the Triple Stitch? Or is there a topic you'd like us to write about? E-mail us at studio@fashiontakesaction.com
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What's a Triple Stitch?
Our newsletter name is a play on “the triple bottom line” - a phrase often used to describe what an approach to sustainable business is all about. Conventional businesses usually focus on one bottom line: profit. But at Fashion Takes Action, we’re aiming for a smarter bottom line: one that makes profit, engages and cares for people and uses the planet without depleting or damaging the resources that make it possible. Our vision is that every garment, shoe and accessory will have sustainability stitched in, from fibre to finish. To do that, we empower our members with the tools, ideas and community to create prosperity through positive social and environmental change.
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