Why sustainable fashion is a women's issue 💮✨🧵

Choosing sustainable and ethical clothing isn't just a fashion statement - it's a feminist choice. Let's explore why.

Women's hands create 85% of the world's fashion

Starting my own eco-friendly polewear brand pushed me to confront some uncomfortable facts about the fashion industry. Here are 3 facts that truly shocked me : 

• only 2% of garment workers worldwide are paid a living wage - source
• 85% of the world's garment workers are women, and 80% are women of colour - source
• ALL CLOTHING IS HANDMADE. It's impossible to make clothes without the help skilled garment workers, Yes, even those £4 or £5 clothes sold by ultra-cheap Chinese platforms have been sewn by a human being. (Most likely an underpaid woman of colour, as the stats above show). This IG post explains it beautifully.

Why sustainable polewear matters

Pole dancing (and aerial arts in general !) is such a powerful way to express femininity. Studios worldwide have become safe havens where people of all backgrounds can show up as their true selves, wearing what they want, and moving however they feel called to.

So shouldn't the outfits we wear reflect those same values ? It only makes sense to choose ethical polewear that not only empowers customers with flattering designs, but also honours the skilled women whose hands sew each garment.

The challenge of finding ethical partners

The fashion industry is notoriously lacking in transparency. That's why finding genuinely ethical manufacturers (who work with certified recycled fabrics!) has been a huge challenge.

But with persistence, determination, and a little help from the universe, Ciel Aerial managed to find great like-minded people to work with. We're proud that our manufacturer guarantees ethical and fair trade manufacturing. They offer fair wages, good pension benefits and generous paid holiday policies. And ensure a safe working environment for all their employees.

Want to learn more about this topic ? Here are some great resources : 

• Why fast fashion is a feminist issue  - survivorsnetwork.org.uk
• Fast fashion and the gendered reality of exploitation - Fabric of change