As part of an international week to look at the sustainability of the fashion industry, an upcoming one-day festival looks at what is happening on the island. ELENI PHILIPPOU finds out more

Fast fashion needs an intervention. In fact, it has had several as activists around the world try to put a stop to its toxic chemical footprint, exploitation of labour and environmental pollution by promoting its antidote – slow fashion.

A global fashion revolution movement has been in the works since 2013 when the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh, which housed several garment factories, collapsed. More than 1,000 workers were killed and another 2,000 injured, all working to manufacture clothing for some of the biggest global fashion brands. It was marked as ‘the fourth largest industrial disaster in history’, awoke activists and gave rise to the official Fashion Revolution movement. Cyprus is not too far behind as local campaigners support the movement with events and pop-ups and this April will offer them some time in the spotlight.

Every year towards the end of April a Fashion Revolution week is held. Across seven days, April 18-24 this year, events take place to commemorate the Rana Plaza incident and call communities to co-create a fairer fashion system. Just before the week launches, a Fashion Revolution Festival is taking place in Cyprus as part of the global movement of events.

On Saturday designers, creatives and the public will meet at Limassol’s Juicy Bar for the first-ever physical festival organised by Fashion Revolution Cyprus. The movement has been active on the island since April 2019, when it hosted its first event with other artists at the Agora project in Nicosia’s old municipal market. Since then, the team has organised more small-scale events and even online festivals.

“In 2020 and 2021 the festival was held online as part of Fashion Revolution Greece’s Raise Your Voice Festival. Our movement has grown significantly during that time with our team actively participating and learning from the Fashion Revolution Greece,” says Eleni Soraya Oronti of Fashion Revolution Cyprus. The goal now, she added, is to create a visible shift in the fashion ecosystem of the island towards ethical and sustainable design practices and shopping habits.

Their latest festival will be a one-day event highlighting local producers and designers to raise awareness about sustainable fashion. The festival will open its doors at 3pm and will host a market with local second-hand shops and brands. Beyond just bringing attention to the issues of fast fashion and suggesting solutions, the festival also aims to be a cultural and art happening, giving local artists the chance to exhibit.

“We wanted to offer everyone the opportunity to express themselves,” adds Eleni, “while making a statement about sustainability and ethical fashion, educating the Cypriot audience.” As such, an exhibition will be housed along with performances and a workshop with Evita Brolisa, co-founder of DostouChance. Alongside the events and during a closing party, Juicy Bar will be playing funky tunes while Oronti Homemade Pizza will be providing free pizza for all.

On a global scale, the events of the Fashion Revolution Week aim to educate and shift mindsets on the real value of what consumers buy and wear. In a nutshell, that means to understand what we buy, how it is made and the impact clothes have on the people that are making them.

“We know that both people and nature are paying the price of the fashion industry’s unregulated exploitation and waste,” the Fashion Revolution Movement says. “Brands are avoiding the realities of climate breakdown by continuing to pursue extractive business models and greenwashing their way to sustainability.

“In 2022,” they add, “we need brands to radically reduce their environmental impact by shifting their focus. Small businesses and independent creatives around the world are already enacting these ideals; their courage and wisdom will lead the charge. Currently, there is a lack of understanding and appreciation of the true cost of clothing. Price tags fail to reflect the social and environmental cost of production, while as consumers, we don’t always care for our clothes in the way we should. We need to scrutinise what it is we’re really paying for.”

The Cyprus team too hopes to contribute to making that change and their upcoming festival is one step on the way. “The goals we have set regarding the Cypriot market,” explains Eleni, “are to educate the public on the invisible damage our shopping habits have on people and the environment, to ask #whomademyclothes from the brands that we purchase from and demand transparency. We come as facilitators for small transparent brands, local initiatives and shops that promote healthy purchasing patterns.

“We wish to present alternatives and celebrate the incredible grassroots work that is happening on the island. Our festival,” she concludes, “our events and actions are a communal effort to promote discussion and education on all levels, be it the consumers themselves or the brands to take the leap and move towards ethical and sustainable products, making them, in turn, more current and competitive.”

Fashion Revolution Festival Cyprus

One-day festival with second-hand markets, local designers, performances and an exhibition. Organised by Fashion Revolution Cyprus. April 16. Juicy Bar, Limassol. 3pm. Facebook event: @FashionRevolutionCyprus