How do I work towards Greenwashing and become a official certified Member of the WFTO (World Fair Trade Organisation)?

Submitted by Mark Baigent

Dear all,

I want to take the opportunity and speak on a topic that is dear to my heart & concerns us all as creators and designers.
As we all know, the fashion Industry is one of the most polluting and harmful industries to date, with more than 10% of global carbon dioxide output & constant Human rights violations.

But we also see a trend of going green and becoming more transparent with how we do business. I believe that more established brands working with the standard structure of seasonal & in-between-seasonal collections will have a more challenging time switching to a more sustainable model due to their volume and size. Not to mention all the shareholders who are used to a specific capital being generated.
I wanted to start a dialogue because we produce in our Factory in Bali, Indonesia, and for one year, we are a provisional Member of the WFTO (www.wfto.com).
On the 10th of January, we will have our external Audit, and as of that point, every product we produce will be 100% Fair Trade certified.
I want to share my journey with those who are interested in doing the same and offer a point of reference for information on how to really become Fair Trade.

In a "woke" place like Bali, where every person who makes fashion thinks they are helping the locals by paying the asking price from the local manufacturer, the Term "greenwashing" is an understatement. What is Fair Trade? What does Sustainability REALLY mean?
Especially working in a country where the minimum Wage is low, I want to point people in the right direction of how to not just support but also improve the life quality of the people who make our clothes.

In my opinion, we can take that good intention of some and turn it into something with real value. Which is why I wanted to start this thread.
I am happy to share information on how to become fair trade certified, share the costs involved (don't worry, it's not that much!) and explain the process from the first application to a self-assessment report up to the external Audit.

best regards,

-Mark S. Baigent