Fanfare: The fashion house on a mission to end slavery
The Gospel of Luke records how Jesus announced his ministry in Nazareth, the town where he grew up: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”[1]
A conversation about widows and poverty follows before the religious elites of the day drive Jesus to the top of a cliff where they hope to push him down. Very few cultures in history have reckoned with the reality of oppression in their structures - and in the past, some appeal to ignorance might have been possible. But not now.
A quarter of all human trafficking and modern slavery victims are children.
It’s a sad fact that there are more people in slavery today than at any point in history. According to the most widely accepted current estimates around 40.3 million people are enslaved[2] Over 70% of those who are trafficked are women and girls[3] and one in four of these are children[4].
Jesus’ choice of words is of course a quote from Isaiah 61, speaking as-one with the Father who goes on to say “For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong.” This issue is in the eternal heart of God, it formed a signature statement of Jesus’ mission and for that reason, it should also be a priority for investors following him.
Slavery is ubiquitous with industries which rely on labour intensive supply chains to prop-up artificially low margins. Whether it be the making of bricks that built pyramids, the harvesting of sugar cane on plantations or the manufacture of armaments in concentration camps - margin in industry is too often created by human cost.
One of the worst oppressors of our day is the fast-fashion industry - it turns out that the price of the latest trend really is too good to be true. Our “wear once, throw away” attitude is only possible because of the slave labour it exploits. Women and children, bought and used as commodities are often tricked into a system from which they can’t escape.
Many garment factories rely on slave labour to manufacture materials and products for well-known brands.
In Tamil Nadu, the garment making hub of India, over 90% of mills producing yarn for western brands use slave labour[5]. The US Department of Labour has identified 24 countries where forced labour is implicated in the manufacture of garments or cultivation of cotton[6]. Alongside the corruptions of slavery, these supply chains have often got appalling environmental records.
Collecting and sorting clothing for reuse and recycling can be a particularly hazardous task.
Authorities on the global stage are starting to become aware. For example, at the G7 summit in Cornwall (2021) commitments were made to address forced labour in global supply chains and in the digital economy. But as with the established corporates in the fashion space, these large and cumbersome entities will struggle to implement the transformation needed.
In response, a new generation of impact start-up businesses is rising up to lead the way. These present an alternative for investors who want to generate financial returns and at the same time feel more confidence that their capital is working to solve social or environmental problems in direct and measurable ways.
One such example, contending for transformation in the fashion industry is Fanfare Label - Founded by sustainable fashion expert, Esther Knight. Having previously worked at top London fashion houses, Esther became intimately aware of the fashion industry’s endemic problems and founded Fanfare Label to exemplify a multi-faceted solution.
Motivated by her Christian faith, Esther worships at a church in South London and has a vision to transform the way that we buy, wear and discard clothing - Fanfare’s environmental credentials are as impressive as its human rights impact. The denim collection, for example, is made from material which would otherwise have gone to landfill.
Speaking of slavery in the industry, Esther said:
For too long businesses have built supply chains that drive profits at the expense of people and the environment. In the fashion industry, most clothing on sale is just too cheap in price to give margins enough to pay people fairly and protect the environment. Too often corners are cut, with devastating consequences for people and the planet.
To ensure no trace of slavery in its own supply chain, Fanfare only works with ethical suppliers who guarantee fair wages and good working conditions. Fanfare also supports anti-trafficking charities to eradicate slavery globally through raising awareness and generating financial sponsorship.
One of these is International Justice Mission (IJM), a global organization that protects people in poverty from violence, focusing on combatting trafficking and slavery, violence against women and children, and police abuse of power. IJM has worked with authorities around the world to bring survivors of slavery to freedom, including exploited workers in the garment industry.
Chandramma is a survivor of bonded labour in the silk industry. Since being found and brought to freedom by IJM and local authorities, she has rebuilt her life and now acts as an advocate for others affected by exploitation. Photo credit: IJM
“Combating injustice and abuse - for the human beings in our supply chain and our natural environment - is why Fanfare Label exists as a business,” explained Esther. “We all have the power to shape how our economy works. Customers can choose products that align with their values and investors can allocate capital in line with the impact they want to see.”
Jesus’ manifesto at the beginning of Luke echoes the hope for nations that Christianity contains and in the heart of God, a never-ending motivation for compassion finds its spring. Previous generations have done battle with the evils of slavery in their age - and we in turn must heed our call to do the same.
Fanfare Label’s sustainable fashion collections have been featured at London Fashion Week two seasons in a row and have recently achieved stocklistings in several top UK retail spaces. Now the business has has plans to expand to the United States. If you’d like to learn more about Fanfare Label and discuss how to invest, schedule a call with Chorus Network or contact Impact Foundation today.
[1] Luke 4:18 (ESV)
[2] Arise Foundation - available at: Slavery today | Arise Foundation (arisefdn.org)
[3] UNODC - available at: Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2020
[4] International Labor Organisation - available at: Global Estimates of Modern Slavery
[5] India Committee of the Netherlands - available at: Fabric of Slavery
[6] US Department of Labor - available at List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor
