Welcome to the first interview in our "ethical" fashion series. Today, we speak to Carlie Ballard - a sustainable fashion advocate and also the curator of online store Indigo Bazaar.
1. In 2012,
you started Indigo Bazaar – an online
store which sources and sells ethical clothes made in Australia and around the world.
How did the idea for Indigo Bazaar come
about?
I have always loved fashion and was also looking for something
that had more depth, something I could resonate with. So it was while I was
trekking in the Nepal Himalaya where I was immersed in the culture of this
magical place and interacting with the locals where the idea to leap into
ethical and sustainable fashion began. I could see combining my two passions of
fashion and cultures could actually be an amazing business opportunity but also
something that would empower people in the developing world and be better for
the planet too.
2. The terms
ethical, eco and sustainable fashion are increasingly being thrown around. How
would you define eco/ethical/sustainable clothing?
It can get a little confusing for people on the outside to
decipher the difference. Essentially I
now like to put all of those under one umbrella term, “sustainable fashion’. I
feel this sounds more appealing. Sustainable fashion encompasses a considered
approach to its impact on people and planet and a sustained approach to
manufacturing for garment workers and fabric production. It also encompasses
good design and quality craftsmanship to ensure longevity in a garments
lifecycle. In point form:
·
Environmentally sustainable materials
·
Fairtrade / fair working conditions
·
Low/no waste production
·
Transparency
·
Directional design and systems
3. Indigo Bazaar stocks a number of small
grassroots labels, for whom formal accreditation schemes such as Fair Trade and
GOTS are often too costly. What do you do in such cases to ensure that the
grassroots labels you stock maintain ethical
labour and environmental standards?
The best part about working in this industry are the relationships
created. I get to know my stockists well and build a trusting relationship with
them. The obvious questions of who makes and where are your garments made need
to asked, but if your creating a genuinely sustainable product you will never
hesitate in answering these kinds of questions.
Not all labels do all things, that can be extremely difficult for
grassroots labels. It’s about starting the process and improving with each
collection. Some labels are accredited with Fair Trade or Made-by, while others
work in well know fair trade factories but just don’t have the accreditation as
yet. As a buyer, I want to know more about the values of the designer first and
foremost.
4. In the
two years that you have been running Indigo
Bazaar, have you seen any major changes in the ethical clothing landscape –
in terms of either demand or supply? I would be particularly interested to hear
what ramifications (if any) you think increasing media attention to the issue
following the Rana Plaza factory collapse had on the clothing industry in
Australia?
When I started research for Indigo Bazaar way back in 2008, every
google search led me to the Northern Hemisphere. When I launched there was
definitely an increase in labels working in the space in Australia but not
anyone at that time doing an online marketplace dedicated to sustainable
fashion. When the news broke of the Rana plaza collapse it was in the back of
peoples minds but I still don’t think with most people there was a major leap
in creating a connection with their clothing. It was far away from the shopping
centres of Australia, even though there was a lot of coverage from the media,
education is the key to creating direct connections with garment factories in
places like Bangladesh and China to what is hanging on the racks here in
Australia.
5. You
recently started your own eco/ethical label Carlie Ballard – how did your experience with Indigo Bazaar drive you to create
your own label?
6. All Carlie Ballard pieces are made out of Lucknow, India. What made you decide to manufacture in Lucknow? Especially compared to manufacturing in Australia?
Good question. My initial reason for starting Indigo Bazaar was to
empower the makers in third world countries. So I was always going to produce
somewhere that I felt my label was helping people living in very poor countries
to sustain a better life for themselves and their families. Through my connections I stumbled across a
women here in Australia who had started a small workshop in Lucknow with the
mission for it to be managed by women and offer fair and safe working
conditions to the local community. It was exactly what I was looking for and I
am so grateful everyday for the relationship I have built with my manufacturer.
Probably getting major labels to start dipping their toe into
sustainable fashion production. The fear of the unknown I think is the biggest
immobilizer. Myself and 4 other sustainable fashion advocates here in Australia
have started an organisation called Clean Cut Fashion to assist labels with
creating more sustainable fashion practices in their business. So the tide is
turning.
8. What are
your favourite eco/ethical clothing labels?
There are so many to choose from now! Looking at my wardrobe I would have to say:
- Kowtow
- Lalesso
- Betty Browne
- Goodone London
- and ALAS the label
All photos from Carlie Ballard.
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