Be Curious. Find Out. Do Something.

Join us for an inspiring evening exploring ethical apparel choices including a dynnamic fashion fair,  inspiring guest speakers, and a 'Sustainable Style' fashion show! 

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Fashion Revolution Week occurs every year in remembrance of the Rana factory collapse in Bangladesh that killed 1,138 people due to gross negligence of safe working conditions.

This year, several DePaul University departments and student organizations will partner to host an evening centered on the question: how can we support global ethical and sustainable practices in the garment industry?

Fashion Revolution Fair

The fashion fair will include activities and student booths dedicated to alternative solutions to fast fashion. Light fare and beverages will be served.  Activities include:

Fix It Friday: Illinois State University’s student group, Fix It Friday, will bring their sewing machines offering mending and clothing repair services.

Clothing Swap: DePaul’s Fair Trade Committee will organize a clothing swap where attendees can exchange their used garments for new finds on recycled clothing racks.

Fair Trade Shop: Chicago Fair Trade will organize a vendor area showcasing clothing and accessories made by local artisans and socially conscious designers.

Knitting Therapy: CEW Design Studio, a Chicago-based art therapy social enterprise serving Bosnian refugees and South Asian immigrants, will be present to teach attendees how to knit.

Speaker Panel

Bill Cavanaugh, Director of the Center of World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology will moderate a panel discussion exploring global perspectives on shifting the garment industry towards more human practices. Guest speakers include:

Nasreen Sheikh: Former child laborer in Nepal's garment industry, Nasreen escaped at 12 years old and later founded Local Women's Handicrafts. She is an anti-sweatshop activist educating consumers about fair trade principles.

Donnie Hodge: CEO of Alta Gracia, a collegiate apparel company in the Dominican Republic, Donnie provides local workers with a way out of poverty through good working conditions and a living wage.

Father Andrew O’Connor: Founder of Social Fabric, a sustainable clothing company that works directly with Mayan cotton producers and weavers in Guatemala, Father O’Connor developed the high-end clothing line called Goods of Conscience.

Fashion Show

Chicago and DePaul’s Fair trade committees will prepare a fashion show featuring sustainable designs and accessories worn by DePaul student models.

The Division of Mission and Ministry will reveal the $500 winner of the DePaul t-shirt design contest. The winning design will be printed on Alta Gracia fair trade shirts and sold in DePaul bookstores.

More info on the T-Shirt Design Contest here.