In my first week of Zoom calls this year, I was shocked to discover in a meeting with the very brilliant organisation, Make it British, how many 'British' high street brands continue to mislead the public as to the true provenance of their clothing.
Photo: The House of Mirelle, Hull
We all know the benefits of buying British made goods and British manufacturing could really do with as much support as possible - our prices are higher but we know that our goods will last longer.
Please sign this petition before 14 April 2022 - we need to reach 100,000 signatories by then - to get the government to debate the introduction of a carbon checker label for every garment sold in the UK.
Introduction to Carbon Checker
The fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world, accounting for up to 10% of annual global carbon emissions. To date, however, there appears to be no plan by the government to address fashion’s spiralling climate crisis.
Nieper Foundation research
Christopher Nieper is CEO of his family’s fashion and textile business ‘David Nieper’, which has been sustainably producing clothes in Derbyshire for 60 years.
The business was awarded the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development and voted British sustainable manufacturer of the year.
Research commissioned by the Christopher Nieper Foundation showed the need for the government to develop an environmental initiative that would require every UK garment to have a kitemark or ‘Carbon Checker’ that shows how environmentally friendly a garment is.
These labels would incentivise the fashion industry to work with the most sustainable supply chains and manufacturers.
Against the backdrop of COP26 in Glasgow, the research showed a clear need to educate the public about the damaging effects of the industry on which they so depend.
Research results for the pubic
Nearly half of British adults (45%) admitted that they don’t care about the impact of purchasing fast fashion despite 71% agreeing it’s one of the largest contributors to climate change.
While some people did feel that they should do more to stem their consumption of fast fashion, 79% believed that more could be done to inform them about the environmental impact of the clothing they purchase.
Seventy per cent of consumers thought they had the right to know how much carbon was created in the manufacture of their clothing.
Petition
In light of these results, Christopher Nieper OBE has launched the following Petition with a deadline of 14 April 2022.
‘Require every garment sold in the UK to include a ‘Carbon Checker’ label.
“We want legislation enacted that will require every UK garment to feature a ‘Carbon Checker’ label. This will enable shoppers to factor how green a garment is into their purchasing decisions.
The ‘Carbon Checker’ label would show how environmentally friendly a garment is, on a scale of A-E.”
At 10,000 signatures, the government will respond to this petition https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/598973
At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.
Changing the world in the way we dress - every little bit helps - please sign and spread the word if you can!
