Who Made My Clothes? Why Transparency Matters in Fashion

When you throw on your favorite dress, do you ever think about the hands that made it? Do you consider how your go-to work outfit ended up in your closet? During Fashion Revolution Week, that’s the question millions of people around the world are asking: Who made my clothes?

Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro began Fashion Revolution week as a response to the Rana Plaza tragedy in 2013. The factory collapse killed more than 1,100 garment workers who were making clothes for major global brands. Every April, around the anniversary of the disaster, Fashion Revolution Week brings people together to honor the lives we lost and demand better from the fashion industry. We ask questions like:

• Who made my clothes?
• What’s in my clothes?
• How are they made?

And those questions matter. Because if brands can’t – or won’t – tell you where your clothes come from, there’s probably something they don’t want you to see.

So…why should you care?

We get it. The economy is no joke right now, and we understand the appeal of cheap finds and fast fashion. It’s easy to tap through your favorite influencer’s LTK or Amazon storefront and add to cart. But here’s the thing: someone made that $10 top, and they deserve to be treated fairly.

Most garment workers (especially women in developing countries) are underpaid, overworked, and often working in dangerous conditions. The production processes and materials lead to unimaginable waste, pollution, and synthetic fibers that aren’t good for consumers or the environment.

When brands aren’t transparent, those problems stay hidden. Transparency is like turning the lights on. It means knowing who’s making your clothes, knowing what materials they’re using, and knowing your dollars are supporting good, not harm.

That’s why we care, and that’s why you should too.

What Passion Lilie is Doing Differently

We’ve built the Passion Lilie brand upon our core beliefs that fashion should never harm people or the planet. We’re proud to say we know exactly who’s making our clothes, and we think you should too. Here’s how we make it all happen:

• Fair Trade Forever: We partner with artisans in India who are paid fair wages and work in safe, healthy environments. They use traditional techniques like handloom weaving and block printing, which means your clothes are made with culture and care instead of chemicals and shortcuts.
• Small Batches, Big Impact: We believe in slow fashion. That means we produce our clothes in small batches to reduce waste and avoid overproduction. We work with small production groups with whom we’ve built relationships with for over a decade – no giant factories or mass-market pressure to produce at any cost. Each piece of Passion Lilie clothing is unique and sustainable.
• Sustainable, Soft, and Stylish: Our clothes are made with 100% organic cotton, dyed with 100% azo-free, organic dyes, and created using eco-friendly methods. They’re as gentle on the planet as they are on your skin.
•  Real People, Real Stories: Our partners in India are real people with families, goals, and dreams. We do what we can to encourage their personal and professional growth, like our free job training program for women who want to rise to the more advanced and higher paying position of tailor.  When you purchase fair trade fashion from Passion Lilie or other brands, you’re making a difference in their lives.

Your Role in the Revolution

You don’t need to be a fashion expert or a sustainability influencer to get involved. Here are some fun and easy ways to join the Fashion Revolution movement:

Ask the question: Before you purchase something new, search the brand’s website to make sure their values align with yours. If they’re not forthcoming, reach out on Instagram or email to ask them who makes their clothes.

Shop with your values: Support brands (like us!) that are transparent, ethical, and sustainable.

Get involved on Instagram: Post your Passion Lilie outfit with #WhoMadeMyClothes or share one of our info posts. Encourage your network to think about who made their clothes and to make informed decisions about where they shop.

Host a swap: Invite friends over and trade clothes instead of buying new. We especially love this idea for parents with young children who are constantly growing out of barely used clothing. It’s eco-friendly and way more fun than shopping online!

Spread the word: Talk to your friends, coworkers, and family about how important it is to support the people who make our clothes. Every conversation matters! Your group chats can be a great resource for sharing new brands and shops to support as alternatives to fast fashion and big box stores.

Let’s make fashion better.

Fashion Revolution Week is a great reminder that we all have power. Every purchase, post, and question make a difference. When we demand transparency, we can help build a world where garment workers are respected, the environment is protected, and style doesn’t come at someone else’s expense.

We hope you’ll join us this Fashion Revolution Week and from now on as ethical fashion becomes more important than ever. As always, if you ever have questions about who makes Passion Lilie clothes or our production process, please reach out! We’d love to chat.

Happy Fashion Revolution Week!