Global Action Through Fashion2010 Annual Report

Global Action Through Fashion is a non- profit founded with the vision to create a more equitable and sustainable world through fashion. We provide education & informational resources for consum-ers, producers & fashion industry professionals.

consumers are the most powerful asset in shaping a better world; their decisions drive the behavior of corporations whose supply chains directly affect lives of millions and the health ofour planet. GATF works to help consumers realize that power and use it to drive positive social and environmental change. in addition, GATF seeks to equip fashion producers to respond to that demand quickly, efficiently, and effectively by providing innovative open source solutions and a database of information.

www.globalactionthroughfashion.org 11

ABOUTLETTERS PROJECTS

Global Action Through Fashion 75

352

11

BOARD ALLIESFUTURE

29

TEAM FIANCES 2011

37 40 4233

“While we may be sick of hearing about green, one thing’s for sure — it’s not going away

anytime soon. the bay area’s own Global Action Through Fashion is keeping

eco-friendly fun and relevant with fashion events... the nonprofit do-gooders offer

educational workshops and networking events as well, so keep your eye on their calendar and

know you’ve done your part to create a healthier world.”- Named “Best of San Francisco 2010” by San Francisco’s 7x7 Magazine

4

LETTERS

5

It‘s hard to believe that only one year has

passed since we started Global Action Through Fashion. We have made great strides in furthering

our mission to make the world a better place through

fashion and we have done it on a shoestring budget

of less than $20,000. We created a comprehen-

sive online database of ethical fashion resources,

brought together thousands of practitioners to

learn from each other, began working on a docu-

mentary film, and managed dozens of programs

striving to improve the world through fashion. Our

dedicated and mostly volunteer team has worked

hard to achieve our shared goals. We are deeply

grateful to them and our sponsors for their support.

We are confident that ethical fashion is the

“gateway drug” to consumer supply chain

consciousness. By opening people up to the

realities of where their most prized and fashion-

able garments come from, who makes them, and

what they are made of, people will begin to think

about the impact of their purchases on the world.

Our work in ethical fashion fosters and guides the

growth of sustainable and ethical marketplaces.

We strive to provide comprehensive technical as-

sistance regarding ethical supply chains to produc-

ers and to provide resources and information to

the fashion community and the world of individual

consumers. The number of for-profit social enter-

prises with environmental and social missions is on

the rise, but for-profits alone are not enough. In the

for-profit realm of ethical fashion, Global Action Through Fashion is the facilitator of growth and

the moral compass of the ethical fashion industry.

Endless thanks to everyone who believed in us and

continues to have faith in our work. Our success

is only possible through your continued support.

Domenica Peterson & Grant Ennis, Founders Global Action Through Fashion

Message from the Founders

The importance of networking to support, educate,

and instill the morals and values of sustainable product development to the global society are at

the core of the mission of Global Action Through Fashion (GATF). The act of getting dressed is a

process we each participate in, often several times

a day, as we change clothes between roles and ac-

tivities. Fashion is an enabling process that allows

us the opportunity to adapt to the changing world

around us. The vital importance of GATF in interpret-

ing and proclaiming the change that fashion must

make to sustain humanity and the environment is

paramount. In their first year, Domenica and Grant

have reached out and connected a global network

of followers and leaders to assist in this challenge.

Their work in 2010 has touched thousands, and

their capacity to meet their critical objectives for

next year is within reach. The website they created is

outstanding, with particular attention to the ethical

fashion resources. I am honored to be working with

Tierra, Anthony, Lynda, and Morten on the advisory

board as we support, advise and work with GATF.

Dr. Connie Ulasewicz, Advisory Board Chair Global Action Through Fashion

Letters from the Advisory Board Chair

ABOUT

7

The $450 billion global fashion industry is one

of the most important sectors of the global

economy, creating jobs and clothes for people

all over the world. Unfortunately, as of 2007, only

$3 billion or half of one percent of this

$450 billion is fair trade or environmentally

sustainable. The reality of the industry is that many

individual producers in the developing world

work long hours under strenuous conditions for

pennies on the dollar, far less than a living wage.

The products they make are often produced us-

ing unclean energy sources and environmentally

damaging materials and processes. Lack of con-

sumer awareness and insufficient industry know-

how allow these problems to continue and worsen.

Global Action Through Fashion is a 501(c)(3)

non-profit organization that strives to facilitate and

catalyze an ethical fashion movement in or-

der that consumers and producers alike become

a driving force in achieving global, sustainable

development. Consumers are generally unaware of

how the clothing they buy hurts the environment or

how its production exploits the laborers who made

it. The fashion industry needs increased access to

tools and support in using them, and consumers

need to know what they are buying. By promoting

consumer awareness and providing technical as-

sistance to producers in the industry, we can bring

about a shift in the way the world works by making

production and consumption more ethical. Through

education, industry building, and consulting, we aim

to provide producers and consumers with best prac-

Global Action Through Fashion (GATF)

tices and resources needed to make global change.

GATF provides education and informational re-

sources for consumers, producers, and fashion

industry professionals as well as lectures, e-re-

sources, videos, international conferences and

state of the industry reports. These programs

and workshops serve to build the ethical fashion

GATF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization financed

entirely through tax deductible donations of gen-

erous donors such as yourself or others you may

know. This is both a challenge and an opportu-

nity. We do not sell clothes, run profitable fashion

shows, or compete in the industry for market share.

While this means it is often a struggle to finance

our work, we do not face the conflicts that arise

from following profits and a bottom line. Instead,

we are able to focus one hundred percent on our

mission to make the world a better place and pro-

vide an honest and unbiased perspective about the

state of the industry and best practices. Fashion and

consumerism create waste. Ethical, recycled or fair

trade goods do not always have a positive impact

and there are serious challenges to associating “buy”

with positive impact to the world. We address these

concerns as a non- profit and aspire to serve as the

industry’s barometer for conscious consumerism.

industry and allow it to grow its impact in the

world. Large retailers and brands, through their

sheer scale, have the greatest capacity to improve

the lives of workers and protect the planet. By mak-

ing their businesses more sustainable, they can

create models for best practice in the fashion in-

dustry and have a positive impact on our world.

Global Action Through Fashion, a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization

While the industry currently advocates ethical

fashion through a number of pioneering blogs,

magazines, and organizations, GATF goes a step further

to serve as the hub for key information and resources

regarding ethical fashion. Furthermore, the content

delivered by most ethical fashion industry advocates

often unquestionably praises the growing ethical

fashion community of for-profit companies. GATF

maintains an objective and critical posture, serving as

the moral compass and information hub of this emerg-

ing industry and providing producers and consumers

with valuable knowledge and best practice guidelines.

ABOUT

10

2010 PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

2010 PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

A first in San Francisco, GATF’s First Bay Area

Ethical Fashion Night brought together 400 key ethi-

cal fashion stakeholders under one roof to learn from

each other, connect, and foster a community. Indus-

try professionals and consumers came together for

the ultimate night of networking and learning at the

Hub SoMa in the San Francisco Chronicle building.

Participants learned first- hand about the intricacies,

complexities and opportunities in ethical fashion,

from fair trade apparel production in Peru to refash-

ioning hospital scrubs into stunning couture gowns.

Every detail aligned with the values of ethical fash-

ion. Sponsors generously provided organic, local

and fair trade food and beverages, including VeeV

Vodka, Alter Eco Chocolate, Mate Veza Beer, Adina

Beverages, FairHills Wine, and Stacy Scott Catering,

Seventeen for-profit ethical fashion companies, non-

profits, and academic institutions networked and edu-

cated participants about how their work positively im-

pacts the world. Visual media discussed the challenges

and opportunities of ethical fashion, fair trade, social

entrepreneurship, and more. The goal of the night

was twofold: first, to educate people about the many

approaches one could take as a consumer or a

producer to have a positive impact on the world

through fashion; and second, to create a com-

munity where these companies and institutions

could work together to create change. Participants

had the opportunity to speak with industry lead-

ers one-on-one to learn, network and collaborate.

Discussions ranged from the complex, such as how fair

trade supply chains can help thousands of producers

get themselves out of poverty, to a simpler explana-

The First Bay Area Ethical Fashion Night

PROJECTS

April 4th, 2010

tion about how used plastic bottles can become new

clothing. Attendees had the opportunity to handle

environmentally responsible fabrics and learn about

the detrimental impact many conventional textiles

have on the environment. A few participants included

Indigenous Designs, Escama Studio, PACT, Vagadu,

Stuart+Brown, VIE PR, Eco Citizen Boutique, Medium

Reality, Teens Turning Green, Blank Verse Jewelry, The

San Francisco Academy of Art, California College of the

Arts and San Francisco State University. Participants

left with a greater understanding regarding the im-

pact of their fashion choices on the planet. Profession-

als left with increased understanding of the opportu-

nities available to improve industry practices with the

knowledge that the support network was in place

to follow through and implement those changes.

The location in San Francisco was ideal.

San Francisco is a recognized hub for the

Green movement, social initiatives, and socially

and environmentally responsible design. The prob-

lem facing San Francisco is that there is no support

network for the ethical fashion community and no

united movement. There is very little opportunity for

different actors to network, collaborate, share best

practices, and work together to have significant im-

pact on improving the global apparel industry. At the

First Bay Area Ethical Fashion Night, we achieved

producers together to meet and collaborate. We cre-

ated the opportunity for leaders to meet on a large

scale and, as a result, new partnerships formed.

GATF is particularly passionate about empowering

students who are the future of the fashion industry.

It was our goal that students would not only learn at

our event but also feel ownership of it. University of

the Pacific researched and created a display on Social

Entrepreneurship and Fashion. San Francisco State

University created an interactive map for participants

to learn about what part of the world their clothing

came from. California College of the Arts and San Fran-

cisco Academy of Art featured innovative designs and

educational tools created by fashion design students.

The overwhelming success of this endeavor

established GATF as a leader in the community. Four

hundred participants left engaged, inspired, and

empowered to take action in making the world a

better place through fashion.

14

Reconstruct, Reincarnate, and Re-cool your T-Shirt with GATF. June 24, 2010

PROJECTS

Global Action Through Fashion reminds the world

that they indeed can reuse, repurpose, up-cycle and

recycle. That is something you are unlikely to hear

from a for- profit company interested in their bot-

tom line. According to the U.S. Environmental Protec-

tion Agency, the 2.5 billion pounds of postconsumer

textile waste in the U.S. represents 10 pounds for

every person, most of which goes into landfills. The

idea that dressing ethically is not only about con-

scientious buying but also about combining waste

and creativity to make new things served as the

inspiration for our second project on June 24, 2010.

Everyone owns t-shirts, usually many. They are

staple items, worn as undergarments, given as gifts

at events, and used to convey messages ranging

from what musicians one likes to messages advocat-

ing ethical fashion choices. The social-environmental

statistics on t-shirts alone are shocking. It takes about

a third of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers and up

to 10,000 liters of water to produce just the cotton

to manufacture a single t-shirt. This is not even tak-

ing into account the chemicals and water poured

into the dyeing and finishing process, the carbon

Reconstruct, Reincarnate, and Re-cool your T-Shirt with GATF. June 24, 2010

15

footprint of shipping that garment around the world,

the human labor required to sew it together, and the

impact of all those chemicals on the people along

the production line. An overwhelming 1.2 million

brand new t-shirts sell every day in the U.S. alone.

At Reconstruct, Reincarnate and Re-cool your T-Shirt,

a team of tailors and printers helped participants up-

cycle their old t-shirts into something exciting and

new. Participants who had never before used a needle

and thread learned to turn old t-shirts into new shirts,

scarves, dresses, hats and more. Participants cut fabric,

wove fabric, embellished, and silkscreened “Global

Action Through Fashion” onto t-shirts along with the

GATF logo and an image of the globe as a heart, mak-

ing old clothes into something new. This workshop

was much more than a fun evening of arts and crafts.

It addressed some of the solutions to the larger fashion

threats facing our world. It taught participants to use

less for more. Instead of disposing of an old garment,

participants learned to make something new with it.

This keeps old garments out of the landfill and

makes something new without using more

resources. Through the reconstruction

process, participants learned how to sew, en-

abling them to repair, alter, and prolong the lives of

many more garments to come, saving thousands

of gallons of water, and reducing the use of harmful

chemicals. Along with cutting, sewing, and refash-

ioning, ethical fashion designers Joui Turandot of

Vagadu and Dustin Page of Platinum Dirt spoke,

educating and inspiring participants. They are

leading Bay Area ethical fashion designers who cre-

ate their lines out of postconsumer waste and dis-

carded fashion. Turandot refashions fabric scrap and

old clothes to create couture garments of the high-

est quality for both men and women including vests,

shirts, and dresses. Page creates his line of high-end

leather jackets from salvaged leather from the car

seats of luxury vehicles he buys at the junkyard.

Both designers prove that used materials, which

many consider waste, can indeed be made into

high-end new products that are competitive with

any conventional luxury product. Participants net-

worked and met designers, producers, industry

professionals, and academics working in the ethical

fashion arena. Once again, this GATF event left con-

sumers and industry leaders empowered to have

a positive impact on the world through fashion.

16

“Amid sowing machines, cutting tables and silk screens, the hipster fashion crowd is

enthusiastically ripping, braiding, printing and appliqueing their t-shirts into new looks. stopping only to dance a little and flirt (a lot) they listen to speeches

from designers from sustainable lines Vagadu and Platinum Dirt, who encourage and

inspire the fervor with details of the reconstruction techniques they utilize in their designs.

Maybe it was the Veev, but in that moment i wondered if i’d been transported to a

marvelous green utopia from the future. and it was a brief shining spot

that won’t be forgotten by any of us that attended.”– Rowena Ritchie, Eco Salon

PROJECTS

18

Conventional cotton cultivation uses large amounts

of toxic chemicals and wastes massive quantities of

water. It is vital that we find alternative methods to

grow cotton — one of the world’s most popular fi-

bers — which are not harmful to the environment.

This project supports that future by providing an

educational tour of sustainable cotton farms in Cali-

fornia’s central valley. Hosted by GATF, GAP Inc and

the Sustainable Cotton Project (SCP), participants

experienced grass roots sustainable cotton grow-

ing. The tour included industry professional speak-

ers, university professors, and discussion facilitators

who introduced participants to the growing and

critical field of sustainable fabrics. Current consump-

tion of cotton is higher than ever before, with annual

demand over 25 million tons. Ten percent of all

chemical pesticides and 22 percent of all insecticides

go into growing cotton. The World Health Organiza-

tion estimates at least 20,000 farmers die each year

from agricultural pesticides. Developing countries

withstand the worst of pesticide’s evils, making up 25

percent of the world’s pesticide use and experiencing

99 percent of pesticide-related deaths. Cotton is re-

sponsible for the release of at least $2 billion dollars

of chemical pesticide spraying each year, at least

$819 million of which is classified as mortally haz-

ardous by the World Health Organization. In India,

home to over one third of the world’s cotton farm-

ers, cotton accounts for 54 percent of all pesticides

used annually despite occupying just five percent

of land under crops. This is an enormous problem.

With organic products and practices, less chemicals,

and improved watering systems, a solution is in sight.

On the Sustainable Cotton Farm tour, participants

visited farms, cotton growers, ginning facilities,

watched cotton harvesting, and heard local doctors

speak about health issues related to cotton grow-

ing and pesticides. The two full buses of participants

ranged in backgrounds. There were small-scale

fashion designers, representatives of large clothing

manufacturers like Banana Republic, representatives

of interior goods companies like Restoration Hard-

ware, fashion students from California College of the

Arts and San Francisco State, government officials

from the USDA, journalists, fabric suppliers and more.

This tour is a powerful way to educate and advocate

to large apparel companies to switch to better cotton.

These tours have informed large companies which

now use better farming practices and serve as a great

tool for educating employees and management

about the importance of reducing water and chemi-

cal use in cotton cultivation and the fashion industry.

The Future of Cotton Farm TourNovember 4, 2010

19

cotton is responsible for the release of at least two billion dollars worth of chemical pesticide spraying each year.

PROJECTS

20

Online Resource and News Source

Throughout the course of this first year, the online

presence of Global Action Through Fashion has

expanded immensely. The website now provides

the most comprehensive critical resources available

for producers and consumers, as well as blogs and

reporting on the news in ethical fashion. A team of

professionals, academics, and writers meticulously

update the site, the blogs, and news articles regularly.

The fashion industry is not evil. We believe fashion

retailers, large apparel companies, producers, and

consumers do want to have a positive impact on

the world through fashion but, most of the time,

lack the technical know-how. Complicating mat-

ters further, ethical fashion is not a black and white

field. The many sources of available information are

often conflicting and difficult to filter and understand.

There is no single other resource available

that helps consumers, fashion retailers, and

manufacturers make educated decisions about fash-

ion. For example, what is the best fiber with which to

produce a line of t-shirts? What certifications are

available for fair trade supply chains stretching from

India to the US? What companies produce ethical

blue jeans? GATF’s online resource is the solution.

Resources for producers include information about

how to reduce their impact on the environment and

be fair to people working along the entire produc-

tion supply chain. The resources include informa-

tion about fiber production to spinning, weaving,

dyeing, cutting, sewing, finishing, shipping and

more. This detailed resource outlines the defini-

tion of ethical fashion, information about textiles,

a guide for all types of social and environmental

certifications, resources for sourcing ethically, and links

to other great organizations and companies in the field.

Resources for consumers include educational

articles about the issues and a guide on how to be

an ethical consumer. Many consumers are over-

whelmed by what they read about sweatshops and

are largely unaware of the environmental impact

fashion has on the earth and workers. The web-

site lays it out for them in an understandable way

and provides consumers with the information they

need to dig deeper and learn more. Also provided

is a guide for how consumers can make a positive

impact through fashion. This resource covers how

to care for your garments (2/3 of the environmen-

tal impact of a piece of clothing happens after you

buy it!), how to recycle and reconstruct used cloth-

ing, and ethical decision-making for shoppers.

The news and blog sections cover issues ranging

from the real impact of fur and faux fur on animals

and the environment to recent apparel labor ri-

ots in Bangladesh and related government poli-

cies. Also included is the Week in Review that elo-

quently sums up the top news each week to keep

everyone current with the global fashion industry.

A team of industry professionals and academics

maintains the news section. The online resource

guide addresses one of the biggest obstacles fac-

ing consumers and producers: the lack of informa-

tion and education. This guide provides visitors

the opportunity to be educated and empowered to

make choices that will positively impact the world.

The Website

PROJECTS

22

PROJECTS

23

In order to foster a local community of ethical fash-

ion producers, Global Action Through Fashion

co-founded the 25th Street Collective, an Ethical

Fashion and Sustainable Business Incubator in

downtown Oakland. Many of the greatest innovations

in sustainable design come from small indepen-

dent designers and recent fashion graduates that

have the freedom to risk, to test and to play beyond

the limits of the current market. Unfortunately, it

is difficult to establish a small design business and

it is even harder to sustain one. GATF has teamed

up with Hiroko Hurikara Designs to establish a

collective studio space and storefront for small

sustainable businesses in the Bay Area. This

collective will bea center for ethical fashion

design and production, and will provide employment

opportunities to many throughout the SF Bay Area.

The large, well-lit warehouse space will provide the

tools and workspace designers need to support

their own sustainable businesses. Part of the space

will be a shared commons, including a conference

room, a collective sewing space equipped with cut-

ting tables and industrial sewing equipment, a store-

front, access to marketing and business services,

and a collective set of people with shareable skills

and knowledge. The first Friday of every month,

the sewing collective will open its doors for the

Oakland Art Murmur where thousands of social

activists and artists venture through the spaces while

providing collective members an opportunity to

share their work. Rental space will be available for

private workshops in 5x10’, 10x10’, and 20x10’ stu-

dios. This space will house small sustainable fash-

ion designers like B Spoke Tailor and Platinum

Dirt. The collective will also provide non-prof-

it office space in addition to GATF’s office.

The mobile walls of the space will permit a spacious

open area for large workshops and events. GATF will

host workshops at the 25th Street Collective on a

regular basis, ranging from ethical fashion reconstruc-

tion, to environmentally friendly dyeing, methods of

evaluating fair trade supply chains and much more.

The grand public opening of the space is scheduled

for April 2011. It is our goal to empower small fashion

designers to have greater impact and create a repli-

cable model for ethical innovation and collaboration.

The 25th Street CollectiveOctober 5, 2010

The future of the fashion industry is currently in the

classroom, in fashion design and merchandising

programs around the world. It is vital that students

are empowered and provided with the tools they

need to integrate sustainability into their studies and

future work. In an ideal 2020, ethical fashion will not

be a separate class, but it will be an integrative part

of every class and everyone’s life. GATF promotes

the innovative designs of students developing the

field of ethical fashion. The future of ethical fashion

is dependent upon sustainability as an integrated

part of fashion. In order for this to be the case, it must

begin while future fashion designers and industry

are in the classroom. GATF works to empower and

educate fashion’s future leaders by working with

university students and academic institutions.

GATF energizes students through presentations

and lectures on Ethical Fashion, and assists fac-

ulty to create integrated curriculum on ethical

fashion. GATF also provides students with vol-

unteer and internship opportunities. GATF

provides internships to students and recent

graduates, giving them professional experience and

knowledge in the field. Interns take ownership of

specific projects and give significant creative input.

In 2010, GATF presented at the following Universi-

ties: (i) University of the Pacific, (ii) San Francisco State

University’s (SFSU) Apparel Design Merchandising

program and its Graduate Business program, and (iii)

California College of the Arts (CCA). GATF founders

served as judges in the California College of the Arts

sustainability critique for fashion students’ de-

signs. GATF collaborated with the University of

the Pacific Integrated Development Program to

create the ethical fashion company database. Pa-

cific students researched social entrepreneurship

in the fashion industry and helped hands-on at

the First Bay Area Ethical Fashion Night. In the pro-

cess, they learned about how fashion can be a so-

cial entrepreneurial industry and related it back to

their studies. SFSU students created an interactive

educational display at GATF’s First Bay Area Ethical

Fashion Night that educated and engaged partici-

pants about clothing production around the world.

University Collaboration

PROJECTS

The GATF team lectures on ethical fashion and the

role of fashion in making the world a better place.

Along with the multiple university lectures, GATF

has participated in lecture series and conferences

including the Net Impact Lecture series and the

Start’s With You (SWU) conference in Sao Paolo Brazil.

GATF is an active participant in the Net Impact

lecture series. On May 13th, 2010, GATF founders

Domenica Peterson and Grant Ennis joined Heather

Franzese of Fair Trade USA (formerly TransFair USA)

and Meghan Connolly Haupt of C5 Jewelry Company

for a panel discussion titled “Ethical Supply Chains in

Luxury Goods: Exciting, Green and Fabulous“ in San

Francisco. The four speakers discussed sustainable

supply chain complexities and the challenges of start-

ing ethical fashion companies. Participants included

apparel industry professionals as well as profession-

als from all industries interested in sustainability.

GATF presented at the Starts With You Global Sustain-

ability Symposium in Sao Paolo Brazil the weekend of

October 9-11, 2010. At SWU, GATF connected with

other specialists, thinkers, politicians, business-

people and representatives of NGOs to discuss

the main themes of sustainability that affect the

world in the 21st century. This Concert-Symposium

featured 60 high profile bands including Dave

Matthews Band, Incubus, Kings of Leon, Linkin

Park, Os Mutantes, Pixies, Rage Against the

Machine, Regina Spektor and many more.

Lecture Series and Converences

26

PROJECTS

27

Workshops are essential to creating permanent

consumer habits. They teach best practices and

show how individuals can take action in their own

lives. Workshops provide people with the skills

and knowledge they need to have a positive im-

pact individually and collectively. In 2010, GATF

conducted two ethical fashion workshops in ad-

dition to our large t-shirt reconstruction event.

These included an ethical fashion jewelry-making

course and an ethical fashion workshop for kids.

At the “How to Make it Eco” ethical jewelry making

class, GATF collaborated with Do Good Lab to show

how global change can be made through local eco

fashion. Co-founder Domenica Peterson managed

a recycled jewelry-making workshop on June 26

with proceeds donated to the kids of the Kenyan

non-profit Champions in order to purchase a school

building in Nairobi, Kenya. Champions works in

Mathare, the oldest slum in Nairobi, second larg-

est in Kenya, and with a population of 700,000 and

growing. Thirty participants created jewelry out

of waste, including old electronic waste, yogurt

containers, and old jewelry pieces. The event took

place at Press Club in downtown San Francisco.

On November 20, Domenica Peterson taught a

class for young girls aged 10-14 on Ethical Fashion

in San Francisco. The class began early in the day

with a presentation, videos and a question and an-

swer session about what ethical fashion means,

what the fashion industry is like, and how to be an

ethical fashion consumer. The second part of the day

consisted of a trip to purchase environmentally friend-

ly fabric and a sewing class in which the girls realized

designs they had prepared and illustrated ahead

of time. The purpose of the course was to empower

people to integrate sustainability into their fashion

consumption habits from a young age while provid-

ing them with skills to make their own creations and

enabling them to refashion and repair used clothes,

extending their life and keeping them out of landfills.

Workshops

FUTURE FOR GLOBAL ACTION THROUGH FASHION

29

FUTURE FOR GLOBAL ACTION THROUGH FASHIONGATF plans to go beyond what we have

accomplished in our first year. We will continue to

host educational lectures and workshops. We are

also in discussion with large apparel companies to

provide fellowships for recent college graduates

to develop innovation in sustainable design that

is applicable to large supply chains and retailers.

International Ethical Fashion Conference

This first ever ethical fashion conference in alliance

with San Francisco State University and California

College of the Arts will bring together all of the key

local and international actors in ethical fashion. It

will be a participant-led conference with plenary

and breakout sessions with participant speak-

ers. As an outcome of this conference, GATF is

drafting an Ethical Fashion State of the Industry

Report. This document will work to unite the

ethical fashion community through shared,

documented, best practices and increase in

the impact of ethical fashion on society and

the environment worldwide.

Ethical Fashion State of the Industry Report

This comprehensive document aims to unite the ethi-

cal fashion community through sharing documented

best practices, increasing the impact of ethical fash-

ion on society and the environment worldwide. It

will thoroughly outline the social and environmental

challenges and opportunities of the fashion industry

exhaustively in a format easily accessible to consum-

ers, while staying useful to producers and designers.

As a non-profit in a field of for-profit social enterprise

fashion companies, we are the likely and ideal candi-

date to produce this report. Maintaining an objective

stance on the issues, we have the knowledge, staff, and

expertise to make these documents and others like it

centerpieces for the growing field of ethical fashion.

Ethical Fashion Documentary Film, for Release in 2012

The medium of film enables GATF to educate the larg-

est audience possible in order to change perceptions

about fashion and consumerism. This documentary

will positively inspire and empower the fashion indus-

try, consumers, and hopefully governments to take

action through fashion and consumerism. This is a cul-

ture of fast fashion, where clothing is readily available

as something that is cheap, trendy, and disposable.

In October 2010, GATF began filming with cin-

ematographer Mark Leibowitz at London and Milan

fashion weeks. The film will not only be delightful

and exciting for all people to watch, but it will also

highlight the realities of the global fashion industry

and inspire action to make the world a better place.

The framework of the picture is a provocative

series of five questions each triggering a chap-

ter of the tale we have to tell. The answers of-

ten turn surprisingly serious with personal sto-

ries that resonate clearly with the audience.

To get a wide range of responses, open ended ques-

tions are asked to a broad array of people – from ce-

lebrities and top models to men and women on the

streets around the world; from workers in garment

centers to the CEOs of major corporations. We will ask

the rock star, the roadie, and the girl who treasures the

T-shirt from the ‘89 Steel Wheels tour. We will ask not

just the young women passing the velvet rope at a

trendy club, but also the club’s ladies’ room attendant

and the valet in the parking lot. The Keith Richards,

The Prince Charles, The Lady Gaga, and The Oscar

de la Renta or personalities of their standing will all

be featured. The method is to find clues that take us

deeper into the mystery of what we wear and why,

and what that says about our future. Will we accept

responsibility for the true costs of our clothing choic-

es? Does it really matter if the clothes we put on our

bodies are made with respect for the people who pro-

duced them and the environment that protects us all?

This documentary film is an international exploration

of how the practice of fashion, on an every-day level,

from the most public to the most personal, affects the

globe’s people and its environment. This film speaks

to how we see ourselves, how we want to be seen,

and what we most desire. The film empowers the

audience, making vital connections between what

we wear and how fabrics, trims, and clothes are pro-

duced. It aims to reveal how each purchase we make

affects the lives of others. The film becomes a call to

action, portraying the hidden costs of bargain goods

and investigating the global supply chain that can

lead from exploitation to elegance. It also shows how

fresh choices and expanded awareness can result

in permanent and substantial impact. Through the

lens of fashion, the consumer economy can change

for the better of the environment, and humanity.

Presentations and Lectures at international conferences and Lecture Series

•SanFranciscoEcoTuesday

•SFFashionandMerchantsAlliance

•Manymore

Video Series and YouTube Channel

GATF will upload videos on our YouTube channel about

ethical fashion. These will include interviews with those

working in the ethical fashion industry, spotlights on

leaders, and latest news on innovation in the field.

How-To Guides

On our website, GATF will provide “How To” manu-

als on ethical fashion written by experts in the field.

Blog, Twitter, and Facebook

Our team will actively update our blog, Facebook,

and twitter to keep the public in the loop. In 2011,

we want to create a community of 5,000 advocates

on Facebook interacting with us and telling their

story. We will encourage people to come on our

Facebook and post a question/comment so the rest

of the community and or GATF can post answers.

Technical Assistance

Global Action Through Fashion provides tech-

nical assistance that the fashion industry can

rely on for high- quality information services for

improving labor and environmental practices.

FUTURE

The reality of the fashion industry is that many individual producers in

the developing world work long hours under strenuous conditions for pennies on the dollar, far less than a living wage.

32

TEAMDomenica Peterson, Chief Visionary Officer and Co-founder

Domenica’s professional career has focused on us-

ing fashion as a tool to solve global problems and

she has worked with industry leaders in Fair Trade

Fashion. She has led social entrepreneurship organi-

zations, coordinated international aid projects and

worked for the U.S. based Fair Trade pioneer Trans-

FairUSA on the first certification standard for Fair

Trade apparel and textiles in the US. She worked in

London doing public relations for the Fair Trade Fash-

ion label PeopleTree and in Brussels sewing for the

couture fashion label NATAN. In addition to GATF,

Domenica serves on the SF Global Green Committee

and is a contributing writer for Coco Eco Magazine.

33

Grant Ennis, Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder

Grant has over 5 years experience working

with international nonprofits both in the field

and in the U.S. He has a background in youth

livelihood development and microfinance and sees

ethical fashion as the ideal framework for promot-

ing supply chain consciousness among consumers.

Laura Russell, Research Associate, and UK Representative

Currently working for a large UK apparel com-

pany, Laura’s interest in ethical fashion developed

during her study at Nottingham Trent University,

England in B.A. Fashion and Textile Management.

She met Domenica at People Tree and from there

became involved with GATF. Laura’s university the-

sis explored how mainstream fashion companies in

particular could adopt fair trade fashion. Laura enjoys

dressmaking and constructing items from recycled

materials.

Melissa Hook, Research Associate

Melissa joined Global Action Through Fashion to

learn and provide insight on textiles and environ-

mental business consulting. Melissa has worked

in the fashion industry as a fashion consultant.

She loves to sew and produce designs made of

recycled or discarded materials. Melissa graduated fron

SF State with Fashion merchandising major and Market-

ing minor with an emphasis in Environmental Studies.

Kestrel Jenkins, PR and Research Associate

Whether the driving force was language or fash-

ion, Kestrel’s interest in global issues has led her

around the world. She worked as a journalist with

El Diario Austral in Chile, did PR for People Tree

in London and taught English to elementary stu-

dents in Madrid, Spain. She found all of her interests

collide in Fair Trade Fashion, where her energy

and spirit inspire a thirst to understand more and

more about the field. She has a B.A. from Hamline

University in Global Studies, International Journal-

ism, and Spanish. Her blog Make Fashion Fair is fan-

tastic. She currently works in NYC at inhabitat.com.

Jo Gruszka, Marketing, and Research Associate

Jo’s passion for fashion and desire to impact

the world through her work drew her to Global

Action Through Fashion. She also works for lo-

cal SF Bay Area designer Babette and in her free

time creates collages of others’ stories. Jo gradu-

ated with a BS degree in Apparel Design and

Merchandising with a minor in Marketing from

SF State.

Adele Reeves, Graphic Designer

Adele is passionate about art and Japanese culture.

A recent graduate of Ohio State University

with a major in Japanese language and a

fine art minor, Adele works as GATFs Graphic

Designer. She is also an amazing seamstress

and plays a key role in assisting at our events.

Advisory Board

Under the inspired leadership of Board Chair Con-

nie Ulasewicz, the five-member professional

Advisory Board is truly a force to be reckoned

with. Our board members provide time, talent

and treasure to GATF’s program and operations.

The uniqueness of this board, whose experience

ranges from academia to business to international

development to fashion design and beyond, sets

us apart and provides us with invaluable guid-

ance and feedback. Board members also provide

resource networking and funding opportunities.

Connie Ulasewicz, San Francisco State University

(Board Chair) Connie Ulasewicz is an Associate Pro-

fessor at San Francisco State University in Apparel

Design and Merchandising. Her research interests

include social entrepreneurship, community engaged

scholarship and extending the lifecycle of sewn

products. She is also co- author of the 2008 book

Sustainable Fashion Why Now, and speaks at confer-

ences and trade shows to spread the word. Connie

has over 25 years of garment industry experience

managing production, merchandising, and sales.

She is a founding member of ESRAB, Educators for

Social Responsibility in Apparel, and people Wear

SF, a Bay Area non-profit sewn product industry as-

sociation. Dr. Ulasewicz earned her BS in Education/

Clothing and Textiles at Syracuse University, her MS in

Historic Textiles at the University of Maryland, and

her PhD in Human Development at Fielding Graduate

University.

Morten Simonsen, Entrepreneur

Morten Simonsen earned his MSc in Trond-

heim, Norway before completing his MBA

from Denver University in 1982. After working in

the shipping business in Norway and USA for 25

years, he moved to the SF Bay area in 2006. Morten

now works with several start-up companies in the

area and invested recently in the all-organic res-

taurant Gather Restaurant in downtown Berkeley.

He is also involved in a project in Nicaragua helping

the rural poor. Through his network and business

experience, Morten hopes to add support to the busi-

ness perspective of Global Action Through Fashion.

Tierra Del Forte, Fair Trade USA

Tierra Del Forte is Senior Manager of Business

Development, Apparel, and Textiles at Fair

Trade USA and brings over a decade of apparel

industry experience to our board. Tierra spent the

early years of her career in New York, working for the

denim brands Mudd Jeans and Younique Clothing.

During this time, Tierra developed an awareness

of the destructive impact that the apparel indus-

try has on the environment and the people who

make the clothes. This awareness motivated her to

launch Del Forte Denim Inc. — a line of premium

denim made from 100% certified organic cotton and

produced under ethical conditions in the USA. In 2009,

Tierra joined Fair Trade USA to help launch the Fair

Trade CertifiedTM Apparel and Linens pilot program.

Antony Waller, People Tree

Anthony started at Paul Smith, and has since

worked at D&G, the Ben Sherman account and is

currently Head of Press at the London office of

People Tree. Antony knows how to make ethical

fashion mainstream, successful, in turn improve the

lives of producers, and protect the environment.

Antony earned his Fashion PR degree from London

College of Fashion and brings over 10 years

experience of high fashion, high street fashion,

and ethical fashion.

Lynda Grose, Designer, Consul-tant, and Educator,

California College of the Arts Lynda Grose has been

working on sustainability in fashion for 20 years. She

cofounded ESPRIT’s e-collection line, launched in 1992.

This line was the first ecologically responsible clothing

line marketed internationally by a major corporation.

As a practicing designer, consultant, and educator,

Lynda now works in a range of capacities from advising

farmers and artisans, to private companies and NGO’s.

Lynda has been teaching sustainability in fashion for

ten years. She developed the groundbreaking cur-

ricula for Fashion Design Sustainability at California

College of the Arts (CCA) and currently serves as As-

sistant Professor in CCA’s fashion design program.

Lynda’s is a contributing author to Sustainable

Textiles, Woodhouse Publishing and is currently

co-authoring the book Fashion Sustainability In-

cubator, with Laurence King Publishers. A frequent

speaker at trade conferences, colleges and muse-

ums internationally, Lynda was identified

by London’s Financial Times as one of their

‘green power brokers’. She is most passion-

ate about embracing sustainability as the

core of innovation and the potential of de-

sign to bring form to a sustainable society.

TEAM

36

FINANCES

37

In 2010, year one, $19,570.85 was raised.

48 2215 6

4 4

%%% %

%%

48%

22% 15%

6%4% 4%

or $9,314 went to projects.

or $4,250 went to payroll.

or $2,972 went to rent.

or $1,206 went to transportation.

or $771 went to meetings.

or $875 went to legal fees.

Global Action Through Fashion Spending

2011

With the support of donors like you, we hope to fundraise over $100,000 more in 2011 in order expand our

programs, pay program associates, directors, and positively impact the environment and the lives of workers

around the world on a greater scale. as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, donations to GATF are tax deductible.

Become a partner of Global Action Through Fashion.

Become a member of our advisory board and join an

exceptional group of people in enabling our work to

scale!

•Connectuswiththefashioncommunity

•Connectuswiththephilanthropicdonor

community

•Connectuswiththeinternationaldevel

opment community and more

Volunteer

•Becomeafull-timewriterforGATF

working our publications, research,

news or blogs

•Becomeanon-callprogramvolunteerfor

our 1-3 day conferences and workshops

Sponsor

GATF is the leading 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

providing educational and informational assistance to

fashion consumers, manufacturers, and companies in the

United States, but we do not work alone. As a non-profit

organization, we rely on the partnership of a vision-

ary community of donors who give to support the

growth of ethical fashion. Millions of people — from

garment workers in the developing world to local US

industry — will share the benefits. As an official 501(c)

(3) non-profit organization, donations to GATF are tax

deductible.

Here are some of the ways you can give to the future

of Ethical Fashion:

Annual Sponsor

•$25,000 and up - Platinum Sponsors

• $10,000 and up-GoldSponsors

• $5,000 and up-SilverSponsors

• $1,000 and up-BronzeSponsors

• $100 and up - Friend Sponsors

To learn more about sponsorship benefits visit our

website at www.globalactionthroughfashion.org.

Become a Project Sponsor

Project Sponsor

$100,000 - Help us grow this year. This number

includes all of the operating costs for our organi-

zation for one year. $10,000 - Bring the industry

together in the same room for the first time and

take action to create a unified movement to make the

39

fashion industry better. This money will go toward

our international conference, aimed for Fall 2011.

$5,000 - Support the Bay Area’s largest and most fun

Ethical Fashion experience. Be the sponsor of our 2011

Bay Area Ethical Fashion Night. $4,000 - Sponsor a space

for us to do our work and host workshops and lectures.

40

We are extremely grateful to the following donors, advisors, staff members, and volunteers who helped us accomplish so much this year.

41

25th Street Collective

Academy of Art University

Adina Energy Beverages

Adria Peterson

Aida Peterson

Alex Simonsen

Alter Eco

Andrea Cesar

Blank Verse Jewelry

Bonnie Greenberg

Bonnie Loyd Branch

California College of the Arts

Caitlin Bristol

Caroline Fantozzi

Casey Mixter

Catarina Bronstein

Catherine Markman

Celestyna Brozek

Charles Raub

Christina Espinosa

Christine Hilberg

Christy Gerhart

Coco Eco Magazine

Cordes Foundation

David and Susan Fetcho

Debbie Berryhill

Diane Lerman

Dorothy Compeau

Earthsite

Eco Citizen

Eco Salon

Ecofabulous Escama

Studio Fairhills Wine

Fair Trade USA

Friends of Hue Foundation

Global Center for Social

Entrepreneurship

Geraldine Rushton

Gitika Mohta

Green by Design

Hub Bay Area

Hunter Tanaous

Indigenous Designs

James Pollard

James Toney III

Janet Labberton

Jean-Marie Stratigos

Jeffrey Perlstein

Jennifer Biringer

Jerry Hildebrand

Jessica Welborn

John Ruszel

Josh Friedman

Joy Mackay

Kathryn Tanis

Kirk E. Peterson & Associates

Kirk Cruikshank

Kudra Kalema

Lane Becker

Laura Lambrecht

Lessa Manott

Linda Loudermilk

Love Culture

Mannequin Madness

Marco vangelisti

Mark Leibowitz Pictures

Mate Veza

Medium Reality

Melissa Pongtratic Meredith

Willa Michael Barlow Michele

Gates and Fashionbla Fun

Michelle Forshner

Najia Khan

Naomi Feger

Neil Goetz

Net Impact

Nila Salinas

Oak and Co

PACT Underwear

Peery Foundation

Peter Labberton

Platinum Dirt

Rainforest Eco

Raphael Peterson

Raub Foundation

Rex Righetti

Rickshaw Bagworks

Robert Reynolds

Rowena Ritchie

Ruth Vitale

San Francisco State University

Sallumeh Torabian

Schauleh Sahba

SF Indie Fashion

Sherry Koyama

Spencer Ton

Sarah Guldenbrein & House

Stacy Scott Catering

Stewart + Brown

Stockton 2020

Stu Newton

SWU (Starts With You)

Tatyana Dorokhova

Teens Turning Green

TempleBar

The Designer Lab

The Hub SoMa

The Ki

The UpToYouToo Foundation

Tony Glorioso and Brand 46

University of the Pacific

Vagadu

VeeV

Vie PR and Showrooms

Vishaka Henrietta

Whitney Ferris

William Reeves

ALLIES

DONATE AND GET INVOLVEDas a 501(c)(3) non-profIt organization, donations to

Global Action Through Fashion are tax deductIble.

make checks out to:Global Action Through Fashion

5253 College Ave.Oakland, CA 94618

(510) 693-5453 www.globalactionthroughfashion.org