You know that vintage look on jeans, the ones people pay the big bucks for, and the baby boomer generations think we just ran here over a fence–it’s a kinda deadly process.
Fashion houses use a technique called sandblasting to get that faded look. But it’s quite a deadly process. “The process was banned in Turkey in 2009 after evidence was produced to show that 46 former sandblasting operators had contracted silicosis,” reports the Guardian.
Organizations, specifically, The Clean Clothes Campaign have been leading a campaign to stop the process–and it’s working.
Over 40+ high profile designers signed on to ban the practice, including Dolce & Gabbana and Levi Strauss.
“This is a serious industry concern. And even though we at Levi Strauss & Co. are confident in our practices, we’ve decided that the best way we can help ensure no worker – in any garment factory – faces this risk is to move to end sandblasting,” states Levi’s in a 2010 press release.
Yet, the battle for cleaner clothes isn’t over–particularly in China. As reported in 2013, by the Clean Clothes Campaign–high street is still sand-blasting jeans overseas.
A new campaign, Breathless, in China is speaking at companies like Hollister to address the dangers of the practice.
You can join workers and consumers in making fashion beautiful again and sign the anti-sandblasting techniques here.
image: Clean Clothes Campaign