LIVE BLOG: Can fast fashion ever be ethical?

Here's the live blog that we wrote from our London Fashion Week panel debate: can fast fashion ever be ethical? The panel included Chris Grayer, Head of Supply Chain Corporate Responsibility at NEXT Retail Plc, Jenny Holdcroft, the Policy Director ofIndustriALL Global Union and Professor Nik Hammer, Lecturer in Work and Employment at theUniversity of Leicester. The blog is a series of snapshops of what was discussed over the 1 1/2 hours of the debate and we hope you enjoy it.

10.00: Our event is now over but we're looking forward to taking it to the London College of Fashion later in the year. Thanks to everyone who took part and for following the debate on our twitter feed. 

09:55: We're now into final comments. Chris Grayer (Next) says it’s important to "know your factories" and have constructive relationships with them. Jenny Holdcroft wants the role of trade unions to receive greater recognition. And Nik Hammer says we must come to a clear conclusion over audits. 

And here's a final thought from Chris who mentions the: "malignancy of 3rd party labour suppliers." He obviously thinks they are a blot on business and ETI's Cindy Berman agrees, as she quickly updates on the expansion of the GLAA before wrapping up the debate.

09:50: Questions and comments from the floor indicate that recognising the importance of unions is coming over loud and clear. As Cindy says, let’s bring unions and NGOs into the conversation with business in "safe spaces". 

Another key issue being debated at floor level is the role of governments - business cannot be expected to act alone. So where there are failures of regulation by government it is in everyone's interest to demand action.

09:45: We're now back in plenary. And I'll be trying to insert some questions from twitter in the general discussion. 

09:30: We're seeing relief from business representatives present that there is recognition from the speakers - unions and academics - that they were not at "at fault" for all abuses in supply chains - that brands were being recognised for taking their responsibilities seriously.

09:25: At our table we've got an exciting set of people from business and activism all talking together about the need for common cause and not losing focus. There's lots of debate about ways forward and auditing - following the scepticism expressed by members of the panel - and also debate about the danger of audits being used as shield, rather than getting to the root of issues.

09:20: With the presentations over, we've had an enormously rich set of perspectives on the issue. The bottom line from our speakers? Fast fashion can be ethical but it's also prone to abuse and that has to be tackled urgently.

We're now moving to group discussions at table for 15/20 minutes before going back into plenary.

09:15 I'm really sorry not to have blogged the key points from Nik Hammer's presentation. But he's produced a useful guest blog here for ETI and it's well worth reading: Rethinking recovery: growth and degradation in UK apparel manufacturing

I can however report that Nik says that there's an important representation gap in the fast fashion sector and that it's important to build institutions that bring all parties together. And to quote Nik:

"People don't talk to each other"

09:10: Our web pages are up again - there was so much traffic we had some problems for a few minutes.

Anyway, Nik Hammer has been talking through his research and experience at the University of Leceister. He's explaining that even in the UK, the workforce is often a "captive" one with workers having few options.

09:00: Jenny Holdcroft from IndustriALL the global union is saying that brands and unions must work together, and she gives an example of ACT, operational in the Far East: Here's some more information from our webpages.

Jenny explains that without care, fast fashion places abuses on a system that is often already failing and points out that there are very few unionised workplaces in the garment industry globally and that governments must be held to account over the ability of workers to unionise. She says: 

"It's up to governments to sent standards on behalf of their workers and brands too but there is a limit on what individual brands can do."

Jenny says fast fashion can be ethical but the question people need to ask is what can be done to stop abuse. She says the answer is freedom of association and collective bargaining.  

08:45: Our first spokesperson is Chris Greyer from Next.  He starts:

"Human Rights has to be a way of life for companies and must be embraced by business. It's the right thing to do."

He goes on to say that:

"Everyone wants a level playing field. "

Chris emphasises that team work is better than combat. What's important is managing. He also explains that Next doesn't make a distinction between fast fashion and standard procurement. 

Chris is giving us lesson in business metrics and talking about behaviours. He's being very frank about the issues brands face around unscrupulous suppliers and the need for brands to be aware of being caught out and of reputational risks. And he gives an example of a Yorkshire bedding factory employing migrant workers in conditions of modern slavery and how Next dealt with that.

He is critical of brands who do not believe in corporate responsibility. And is talking about second tiers which are too often invisible.

08:40: Cindy is continuing to talk about the implications of fast fashion and its potential risks.

Ciindy is asking can companies 'manage' the impact of fast fashion as she introduces our spokespeople. Chris Grayer, Head of Supply Chain Corporate Responsibility at Next. She's explaining that he has masses of experience as has Jenny Holdcroft, Policy Director of IndustriALL the global union, who is also a board member of the Bangladesh Accord. Finally she introduces Nik Hammer who is working with ETI on issues in the Leicester garment trade.

08:30: Cindy is wecoming the audience and outlining the terms of the debate. Because so many audience members are new to ETI, she's explaining our role.

ETI is a tripartite organisation - we're all about people's rights being respected says Cindy as she talks about the "creative tension"  that ETI harnesses between companies, unions and NGOs.

She's also talking about our Ethical Insights monthly briefings which address issues faced by workers in global supply chains. Of the briefings, she says:

"We want them to make people think, to be provocative and stimulating."

08:25: Our chair this morning is Cindy Berman, ETI's Head of Knowledge and Learning, who's busy welcoming the people streaming in. 

08:15: If you have any questions, tweet us at @ethicaltrade where we're using the hashtags #EthicalInsights and #EthicalFashion.

08:00: Good morning from London. Our #EthicalInsights 'Can Fast Fashion Ever Be Ethical' debate kicks off in half an hour and we've alreaady got people looking forward to it on Twitter and a big welcome to the people from @FashionDebates, who are on their way.

We've also written a short Q&A to encourge wider discussion. Read that here.