1 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: Kilda. 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 2: I'm Chelsea Daniels and This is the Front Page, a 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 2: daily podcast. 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: Presented by The New Zealand Herald. 5 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 2: The rise and rise of online retailers has hit an 6 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 2: all time high, with the likes of Timu and she 7 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 2: In dominating consumption worldwide. New research is revealed over the 8 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 2: course of three months, one in four kiwis surveyed purchased 9 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 2: products from ultra fast fashion retailer Timu. A further fourteen 10 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 2: percent of kiwis are estimated to have recently purchased from Chen. 11 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: The stats keep coming. 12 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 2: Cheerfund's twenty twenty one Ethical Fashion Report found in twenty nineteen, 13 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 2: forty percent of clothes imported into New Zealand could be 14 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 2: made using forced and child labor. It's all while one 15 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 2: study fol garments were thrown out after no more than 16 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 2: ten wearings. So when it comes to T shirts and 17 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 2: dresses being sold as low as six dollars, who's really 18 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 2: paying the price? 19 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 3: Today? 20 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 2: On the front Page, Tear Fund head of Advocacy, Claire 21 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 2: Gray joins us to discuss. Claire, first off, can you 22 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 2: tell me what fast fashion is? 23 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,959 Speaker 4: So fast fashion it's got its name for a reason, 24 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:37,759 Speaker 4: So it's the really fast productional replication of catwalk trends 25 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 4: into our wardrobes, and so we've seen it a vole 26 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 4: over the years. When it originally started to take shape, 27 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 4: we would see, you know, a designer brand modeling a 28 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 4: look on at the catwalk, and then instead of within 29 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 4: kind of three weeks, we would see stores like Zara 30 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 4: or H and M having it in their shops. And 31 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 4: now we've kind of moved and the model has evolved 32 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 4: to what we now call ultra fast fashion, and that 33 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 4: is basically everything about fast fashion on steroids. It's quicker 34 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 4: production speeds, it's more variety and cheaper prices. 35 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: And with ultra fast fashion, you can see a new. 36 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 4: Style going from the catwalk into your wardrobe or well 37 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:29,920 Speaker 4: into final production in about ten days, which is absolutely 38 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 4: mind blowing in terms of its time frames. 39 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 2: And I suppose people might say, look what I see 40 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 2: in the store. That's a sixty dollars T shirt, but 41 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 2: I can get it online for six dollars. 42 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: What's so wrong with that? But how can address. 43 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,519 Speaker 2: Or T shirt even cost six dollars? 44 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 1: It's such a good question. 45 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 4: I think when something costs such a small amount of money, 46 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 4: we can know for sure that shortcuts are being taken 47 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 4: at some stage along the production. So when you think 48 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 4: about what goes into a T shit, if it's a 49 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 4: cotton T shirt, that cotton is farmed and then sold, 50 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:07,359 Speaker 4: and so that farmer needs to be paid a fair 51 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 4: price for the cotton. And then the cotton is spun 52 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 4: into yarn, it's woven into fabric, and it can be dyed. 53 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,239 Speaker 4: And all of those processes require different sets of skills 54 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 4: from the workers who are doing them, and they might 55 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 4: take place in different factories, and those different factories might 56 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 4: even be in different regions. 57 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: And then the fabric goes. 58 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 4: To a final stage manufacturing facility where it's actually solen 59 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 4: into the. 60 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: T shirt that we see. 61 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 4: Depending on what that's like, it might be embellished or embroidered, 62 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 4: then sold shipped to New Zealand. 63 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: And the price that we buy it for that's six dollars. 64 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 4: That includes a markup for the brand or the company 65 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 4: that's selling it, so we're actually talking less than six 66 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 4: dollars for the actual production cost. And when you're selling 67 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 4: it for six dollars, you can just be sure that 68 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 4: some workers along the way with it's the farmer or 69 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 4: the person that wove that yarn, you're not being paid 70 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 4: fairly for their work, or they're working in unsafe conditions 71 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 4: because it is. It's an impossibility no matter what your 72 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 4: economies of scale are, it's impossible to take care of 73 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 4: both people and the planet and your production and sell 74 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:20,799 Speaker 4: coming for that price. 75 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:25,600 Speaker 5: Everything we wear was put together by human hands. There 76 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 5: are no clothes sewing robots. You cannot put a bunch 77 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 5: of fabric into a machine, press a button and a 78 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 5: shirt comes out. The other end was made by people. 79 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 5: It was made by humans setting out a sewing machine 80 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 5: and putting it together. Labor is supposed to be the 81 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 5: most expensive part of making something that when you get 82 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 5: it and it's five dollars, the question should be, well, 83 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 5: who got short changed? 84 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, tear Funds research shows Kiwis are actually purchasing from 85 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 2: these ultra fast fashion sites more regularly. What if you 86 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 2: guys uncovered So. 87 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 4: We've been watching ultra fast fashion emerge. We were really 88 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 4: curious to see how much of a foothold it has 89 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 4: in New Zealand and so we commissioned research and we 90 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 4: found that one in four New Zealanders that were surveyed 91 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 4: had recently purchased from Timum and that equates to over 92 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,479 Speaker 4: a million of US shopping at Timu over, you know, 93 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 4: in the last three months from the point that we 94 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,280 Speaker 4: did the research, and then there was another sort of 95 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 4: half a million shopping at Sheen. And so those numbers 96 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,920 Speaker 4: tell us that, you know, ultra fast fashion well and 97 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 4: truly is a trend that kiwis are embracing. 98 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,799 Speaker 1: And on many levels, it makes a lot of sense because. 99 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,720 Speaker 4: Life is really expensive at the moment, and so when 100 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,919 Speaker 4: life is expensive, we're all struggling, you know, to balance 101 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 4: our budgets to make ends meet, and so it's logical 102 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 4: for many people to look for where they can save money. 103 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: And if they can save. 104 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 4: Money on clothes and team who has all the clothes 105 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 4: they need for their family, you can see why people 106 00:05:58,560 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 4: shop there. 107 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:01,479 Speaker 1: And you know, we can see the rise in. 108 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 4: Ultra fast fashion that trend has coincided with the rise 109 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 4: in our living costs. 110 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 1: So it makes a lot of sense on one level. 111 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,840 Speaker 2: But how much waste is generated by us chucking out 112 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,159 Speaker 2: these clothes Because I don't know if you know anything 113 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,919 Speaker 2: about trends, but they cycle is why it's called a 114 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 2: trend cycle. Hey, it's astonishing how much waste is produced 115 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 2: by people throwing out textiles and clothes right. 116 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 1: Ah, it's totally mind blowing. 117 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 4: I actually read a stat that said ninety two million 118 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 4: tons of textile waste is generated globally every year. Get this, 119 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 4: It's equivalent to a rubbish truck full of clothes ending 120 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 4: up in landfill every second. Like that's actually just like 121 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,359 Speaker 4: it really is absolutely mind blowing. 122 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: And I think what a lot of people. 123 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 4: Don't know is that with the variety of different fabrics, 124 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 4: from synthetic fabrics through to more natural fibers, when these 125 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 4: clothes are in landfall and they start breaking down, they 126 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 4: actually mt greenhouse gases, and so it's like. 127 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 1: A double whammy in terms of the environmental impact. 128 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 4: It's a lot of waste, and that waste has damage 129 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:08,559 Speaker 4: as it is slowly breaking down. 130 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 2: Fashion retailers aren't stupid, though, Hey, I always see buzzwords 131 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 2: and phrases like sustainably sourced, made from recycled materials and 132 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 2: certified organic things like that. They've become a mainstay in 133 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 2: their repertoire. It's starting to get pretty difficult for the 134 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 2: average consumer to sort through everything presented to them, though, Hey, 135 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 2: what would you say to them to make more conscious decisions. 136 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 4: I guess I absolutely agree with what you've just said. 137 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 4: I recently read Shein's sustainability Report. 138 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: And I was sixty five pages long, and it had all. 139 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 4: The right buzzwords in it, and I just couldn't help 140 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 4: but think at that point, I'll say, what is your 141 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 4: average consumer meant to do? 142 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: Because even if they are taking. 143 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 4: That next step and actually investigating a brand before they 144 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 4: buy from it, which is what we would recommend, it 145 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 4: can be so hard to know if what you're reading 146 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 4: is actually true or not, or you know, are they 147 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 4: doing the right things or are they just pulling the 148 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 4: wool over our eyes. I also read just this morning 149 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 4: actually that fashion is one of the industries that has 150 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 4: the most accusations of greenwashing leveled at it. 151 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: So I think consumers can do a couple of things. 152 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 4: So I mean, the first step I would say for 153 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 4: people to do is to look on a brand's website 154 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 4: and see if there is anything about sustainability or ethical 155 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 4: sourcing on it. And then if there is, is it 156 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 4: a few lines and is it just lots of buzzwords 157 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 4: that sounds good? Is there any evidence given by that 158 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 4: brand that actually backs up the claims that they're making, 159 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 4: So do they just say a whole lot of good 160 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 4: stuff or do they actually put evidence in their report 161 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 4: about their impact or on their website about their impact. 162 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 1: And the other thing to keep an eye out for 163 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,559 Speaker 1: as a consumer is certifications. 164 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 4: So these are third party accreditations that a brand can 165 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 4: get in terms of their environmental impact. So you could 166 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 4: look for something like the Global Organic Textile Stamp, which 167 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 4: kind of shows that this is a third party coming 168 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 4: in and assessing that supply chain or that production process 169 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 4: and saying yes, that is complying. So in those cases, 170 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 4: you're not having to just believe what a brand says. 171 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 1: You're actually able to take that third party endorsement. 172 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 4: And there's a number of different certifications like that, So 173 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:29,320 Speaker 4: I think that's a really helpful thing to look for 174 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 4: as well. 175 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 2: How do we end this because asking consumers to stop 176 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 2: buying from these retailers isn't working. Look, we've gone from 177 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 2: fast fashion to now ultra fast fashion. Do we need 178 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 2: government intervention? What have other countries done? 179 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:55,640 Speaker 4: This is a really complex issue to solve, So when 180 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 4: we look at it, there's some significant. 181 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: Players that all have power, so I think we all 182 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: need to take action. 183 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 4: The government is one of those players, and so in 184 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 4: other countries there are different types of legislation that are 185 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 4: in place to try and address this issue. So some 186 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 4: of those pieces of legislation are import or export bans. 187 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: There are some examples of this in recent years when 188 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,559 Speaker 1: it has come to the state sanctioned force labor taking 189 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:27,959 Speaker 1: place in China's cotton industry. Some countries have put. 190 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 4: A ban in place that says if there is any 191 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 4: suggestion that a product is linked to that particular region 192 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 4: in China and that forced labor, then you can't import 193 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 4: it into the country. So that's what some countries are doing, 194 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 4: and others have what we often call modern slavery legislation 195 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 4: or supply chain reporting legislation, which mandates that companies have. 196 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: To take action at the moment. 197 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:56,439 Speaker 4: In New Zealand, for example, a company legally doesn't have 198 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 4: to do anything about exploitation and its supply chain. It 199 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 4: might happen or obligations to do something, but no legal requirement. 200 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 4: And so in New Zealand, the first thing that we 201 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 4: could do is require companies to have a look at 202 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 4: how they're producing their products and whether there's any risk 203 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 4: in modern slavery taking place. Then they had to disclose 204 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 4: that to the public and then ideally you'd have legislation 205 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 4: which also compels them to take action. And so TFN 206 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:21,599 Speaker 4: has been working with the government on that for a 207 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 4: number of years and we're really hopeful that we will 208 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 4: see that kind. 209 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: Of legislation introduced. 210 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 6: We have no modern slavery legislation in New Zealand. We 211 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 6: want them to introduce modern slavery legislation that includes due 212 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 6: diligence requirements, which means that you don't just have to 213 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 6: disclose where your risks are, but actually address and mitigate them. 214 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:41,439 Speaker 1: But there isn't. 215 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:44,199 Speaker 6: Any law so far that tells you to examine or 216 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 6: scrutinize your supply chain to identify where there could be 217 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 6: these risks of modern slavery taking place. 218 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 4: You've also got companies which can take some responsibility in action. 219 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 4: So there are a bunch of things that the un 220 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 4: guiding printsos on business which actually state that it is 221 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 4: the end brand or that end companies responsibility to ensure 222 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 4: that human rights aren't being abused in the process of 223 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 4: producing their clothes or their products. 224 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: And so we actually need to see companies changing. 225 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 4: How they operate because at the moment, companies are able 226 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 4: to just externalize the human cost of producing their clothes 227 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 4: because they're not having to pay these work as well, 228 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 4: so they can get away with it. 229 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: And that's not okay. 230 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 4: And so we need to kind of like fundamentally change 231 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 4: the way that these companies work so that we don't 232 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 4: have a system that lets us exploit people in the 233 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 4: planet to give us cheap products. 234 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: That's a really big thing to change. 235 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 4: And then the other thing is that consumers do have power, 236 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:47,319 Speaker 4: and I know that it is really hard for us 237 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:50,959 Speaker 4: to make different choices when there's lots of financial pressure 238 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 4: on us. I guess people are under various degrees of pressure. 239 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 4: So I think we would really encourage people. If you 240 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 4: can afford not to shop at Timu and other fast 241 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 4: fashion companies, then don't make a different choice. Because these 242 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 4: companies rely on consumer demand, and consumer demand drives the 243 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 4: whole ultra fast fashion model. So the most powerful thing 244 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:17,000 Speaker 4: that we can do to disrupt this system is to 245 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 4: reduce the amount that we are buying from these companies. 246 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 4: And when you take all of those things together, the government, businesses, consumers, 247 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 4: then you can start to make a dent in this issue. 248 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 4: But any one of those things alone is not going 249 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 4: to create the change that we want to see. 250 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 2: I find it partning as well. I don't know about you, 251 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 2: but this new generation coming through there is a trend 252 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 2: towards ventage shopping and secondhand fashion and things like that. 253 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 2: Do you reckon that we're slowly getting it? 254 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 1: I'd like to think so. 255 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:51,080 Speaker 4: I think that the generation that's the generation younger than 256 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:55,079 Speaker 4: myself are so much more aware of the impact of 257 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 4: their actions, and they're so much more connected to issues 258 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 4: of justice or injustice around the world, so much more 259 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 4: aware of issues of the environment and climate and of 260 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 4: people being exploited. And so I do think that as 261 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 4: you know, we see that generation grow up, I hope 262 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,079 Speaker 4: that they can hold those ideals close as they grow 263 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 4: up and that we can start to see a real 264 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 4: shift in how consumers operate. 265 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 2: And you know what I actually hate seeing as well, 266 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 2: that I'm seeing more and more online is that local brands, 267 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 2: so those ethical brands from all over the world, really 268 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 2: they come up with a unique design, they show their 269 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 2: process from start to finish, they explain their costs. It's 270 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 2: a really big thing on Instagram and stuff now to 271 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 2: see the breakdown of what your garment actually costs to make, 272 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 2: but then you constantly see them saying, oh, it's another day, 273 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 2: this design has been stolen by XYZ. Sometimes they use 274 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 2: the same photos and it's the same images, but one 275 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 2: is thirteen dollars and the other is three hundred dollars. 276 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 2: It must be just so disheartening for those small brands 277 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 2: to see that and think why. 278 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think you're right. 279 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 4: It's very difficult for small companies to compete, both with 280 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 4: the machine that is fast fashion or ultra fast fashion. 281 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 4: I think we should really respect those companies which are 282 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 4: sticking to their values and producing clothing in a way 283 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 4: that's not exploiting people, because it would be the easy 284 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 4: choice for that company to try and take its price 285 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 4: down a little bit to be more competitive. But yeah, 286 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 4: I think we should as much as possible give our 287 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 4: support to companies like that. It feels like a lot 288 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 4: to spend, you know, one hundred and eighty dollars on 289 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 4: a dress or something, but the reality is people would 290 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 4: easily spend one hundred and eighty dollars, like on a 291 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 4: whol of clothing from a fast fashion brand and not 292 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 4: like half of it where some of it only once 293 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 4: throw it out, and really that same amount of money 294 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 4: would be much better spent on the consumer's behalf buying, 295 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 4: you know, one piece of clothing that's going to be 296 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 4: a staple in their wardrobe for years to. 297 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: Come thanks joining us. 298 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 2: Claire Small and local designers are arguing that imitation is 299 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 2: not the sincerest form of flattery as more and more 300 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 2: of their designs make their way onto the mega fast 301 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 2: fashion websites. Swedish brand h and M filed a copyright 302 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 2: lawsuit against she In, and complaints have poured in from 303 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 2: other designers like America's Chrome Hearts and French brand Mason Cleo. 304 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 2: And it's not just happening overseas either. Here in New Zealand, 305 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 2: Auckland store Crushes accused retailer Glassons of copying a T 306 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 2: shirt design. Co owner of Crushes, Rose Hope is with 307 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 2: us to discuss the importance of buying vintage and local. 308 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 2: First off, Rose, I know how incredibly popular Crushes is. 309 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 2: It's on cutting a hubitode in Auckland, and you guys 310 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,920 Speaker 2: sell vintage wears and also New Zealand made stuff as well. 311 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 2: How important is it for people to consciously make those 312 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 2: choices rather than go down, say the fast fashion round. 313 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 3: I think it's incredibly important because at the end of 314 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,280 Speaker 3: the day, we have to consider what kind of world 315 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 3: we want to be living in. Like the trade off 316 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 3: between quality and presses something that we have to you know, 317 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 3: our throughout it's so easy to break and it's filling 318 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,679 Speaker 3: up our landfill. We've got so much of it. We 319 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 3: don't even know what to do with it. We don't 320 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 3: even look after our goods anymore. But I also would 321 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 3: argue it's something that people seem to be really ready 322 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 3: for because when they come in and they feel the 323 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,160 Speaker 3: quality of our goods or hear the story about who 324 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 3: makes what and why, there really is like a joy 325 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 3: to pardtake in something that's honest. You know, it's almost 326 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 3: novel now, which is a bit sad to say, but 327 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 3: there's a great thing. Someone really enjoy a product instead 328 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 3: of just participation in a trend or buying putting on 329 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 3: a whim. 330 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you guys really advocate as well to mend 331 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 2: clothes also, which is something that I think that we've 332 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:10,120 Speaker 2: all forgotten about. That's the thing. 333 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think if you own something and you choose 334 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 3: to put some money towards it, therefore your responsibility it's 335 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 3: kind of like what do you do with your households trash? 336 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 3: You know, like are you a recycler? Are you? What 337 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 3: kind of person are you? And what kind of responsibility 338 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 3: do you have towards the things that you own? And 339 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 3: so we put on workshops for mending as well as 340 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:37,399 Speaker 3: putting on evains like the Akland Clothes Swaps where we 341 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 3: get five hundred people through to like re exchange their 342 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 3: goods and extend that life cycle of clothing. 343 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 2: In terms of those ultra fast fashion retailers and the 344 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 2: fast fashion retailers. How disappointing is it when you see 345 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 2: someone's designs like yourself, like crushes show up on some 346 00:18:58,040 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 2: of these websites. 347 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 3: It's so disappointing. And I've got so many of my 348 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 3: colleagues and like the creatives of Auckland have all been 349 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 3: affected by just someone coming in and taking a design. 350 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 3: In New Zealand, it's so small use here everything as well, 351 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:17,719 Speaker 3: So it's like I know someone who's at the HQ 352 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:21,919 Speaker 3: who's seen my friend's design on the mood board. You know, 353 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 3: I've ripped it off before the company could rip it off. 354 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:28,160 Speaker 3: So I think what people need to understand is we're 355 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 3: so close to each other that it's not merely coincidence 356 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:37,399 Speaker 3: that these things happen. It's like genuinely and deliberately feeling 357 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 3: a design. And then where does that leave us that 358 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 3: put in the hard work and you know, pay people 359 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:47,120 Speaker 3: feeling to create it. Yeah, it really makes a cushion 360 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 3: whether you should continue with the design it or have 361 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 3: been completely devalued. 362 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 2: Because I know that you on the Crash's TikTok mentioned 363 00:19:56,240 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 2: that a fast fashioned New Zealand retailer ripped off one 364 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 2: of your designs. 365 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:05,919 Speaker 1: It went quite viral. Lessons ripped us off. Whether you 366 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: think the designer is close or not. I was infinitely 367 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: better when it's made in New Zealand. Two it's embroidered. 368 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 6: Three we use secondhand, vintage dead stock blanks. 369 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:20,879 Speaker 3: Literally, no questionable exploitative labor laws were crossed to make this. 370 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:25,880 Speaker 6: It's as local, as ethical and sustainable as fashion can be. 371 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 6: Instantly you value our work. 372 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 2: Were you surprised that it did get such a reaction? 373 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 3: I was surprised, to be honest. I made the video 374 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 3: while I was feeling everything, you know, and then kind 375 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,160 Speaker 3: of went out for an hour and then came back 376 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 3: and my phone was blowing up. Then the response was 377 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 3: so positive and so many people chose to purchase the 378 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 3: original design from us, and so it was kind of 379 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 3: even though it was a very disappointing experience, it was 380 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 3: super hetwarming being able to explain in a video of 381 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 3: what the difference is that we make ours locally on 382 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:10,360 Speaker 3: seeking hand dead stock T shirts and our manufacturing it 383 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 3: hurt nobody and exploded nobody, and for only I think 384 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 3: eighteen dollars more you could get the original. It's not 385 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:21,359 Speaker 3: even much more expensive than something that has hurt so 386 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 3: many people in the planet along the way. And so 387 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:28,439 Speaker 3: whether it was a deliberate coffee or just a coincidence, 388 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:32,480 Speaker 3: who knows. But the fantastic thing is it really pointed 389 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 3: out that these identical pieces really had so much that 390 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:41,399 Speaker 3: differently checked themselves from one another, and that everything that 391 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,400 Speaker 3: it stands for, and it was just great to get 392 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 3: that many eyes on those differences. 393 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us, Rose. 394 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 2: That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You 395 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:00,639 Speaker 2: can read more about today's stories and extend of news 396 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:04,879 Speaker 2: coverage at enzid Herald dot co dot nz. The Front 397 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 2: Page is produced by Ethan Seals, Patty Fox, and Richard Martin. 398 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: Are the sound engineers. I'm Chelsea Daniels. 399 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 2: Subscribe to the front page on iHeartRadio or wherever you 400 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 2: get your podcasts, and tune in tomorrow for another look 401 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:21,400 Speaker 2: behind the headlines.