Workers’ Safety: Who’s Paying the Price for Cheap Clothing?

Meaningful Dressing: How Can We Rethink Our Relationship with Clothes?

🎙️ THE FASHION STITCH – ON FABRICS, FACTS AND FEELINGS Episode 6: Meaningful Dressing – How Can We Rethink Our Relationship with Clothes? We’re surrounded by clothes — yet often feel strangely disconnected from them. So what would it mean to dress with meaning instead of consuming on autopilot? 💡 We explore the creative, emotional and systemic alternatives to fast fashion habits: * Why we shop to fill an emotional void — and why buying less can increase wellbeing * Secondhand, rental & clothing libraries: access over ownership in practice * How circular models like Kleiderei build community instead of waste * Repair, upcycling & emotional durability as acts of creativity and care * Fashion as shared resource — not individual possession * Why changing mindset may be more powerful than changing items ---------------------------------------- 👥 FEATURING * Hedda Roberts – Project Coordinator, Hot or Cool Institute, on fair consumption space & emotional wellbeing * Maria Schorn – Franchise Partner and Owner, Kleiderei Freiburg, on clothing libraries & access-based fashion * Ian Berry – Denim Artist, on creativity & teaching the next generation through reuse ---------------------------------------- 🔑 TOPICS WE COVER * Consumption vs. fulfilment — a psychological reframing * Sharing economies & why ownership is becoming outdated * Emotional value and the life of a garment beyond first use * Waste colonialism & responsibility at the end of life * Renting, repairing, rediscovering — joy beyond “new” ---------------------------------------- 📌 SOURCES AND FURTHER READING * Overconsumption and the Effects on Mental Health and Well-Being: A Review (2023) [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luisa-Soares-7/publication/375488739_Overconsumption_and_the_Effects_on_Mental_Health_and_Well-Being_A_Review/links/654bd1f1b86a1d521bc79821/Overconsumption-and-the-Effects-on-Mental-Health-and-Well-Being-A-Review.pdf] * Happiness and thrift: When (spending) less is (hedonically) more (2011) [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1057740811000222] * What the Kantamanto Market fire means for sustainable fashion (2025) [https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/sustainability/what-the-kantamanto-market-fire-means-for-sustainable-fashion] * Sojo: The Deliveroo of fashion repairs (2021) [https://www.voguebusiness.com/companies/sojo-the-deliveroo-of-fashion-repairs] * Reducing without losing: Reduced consumption and its implications for well-being (2024) [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352550923002981] * Hot or Cool Institute Report: Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable – Resizing Fashion for a Fair Consumption Space (2022) [https://hotorcool.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Hot_or_Cool_1_5_fashion_report_.pdf] * Kleiderei [https://kleiderei.com/] * Ian Berry [https://www.ianberry.org/] ---------------------------------------- 💌 WANT TO DIVE DEEPER? Sign up for the OEKO-TEX® newsletter for extra insights and updates: Newsletter Signup [https://c48cad12.sibforms.com/serve/MUIFAM60xYoFTcgKhpTbv3FnewD8iTxJfE646p7_-6Ak4enfrAGW945zyqtMoWjhIfPnMajCzH0KcySF0kNo9uP3r1dq715IP8V8SmNYieS0WaddtFwHek5Ieouqn0pmMgd3_PjRIcx62Xz8ni-jS_YsQ75T8Saqro_g1TJUDiCxmzt91mD-ewiMNVLycGrLkQm2n1hmXsX7Bvsq] ---------------------------------------- 🎧 CREDITS The Fashion Stitch is brought to you by OEKO-TEX® in partnership with Fashion Changers. Concept & Script: Vreni Jäckle and Nina Lorenzen Editorial: Vreni Jäckle Cover Design: Vreni Jäckle Host: Clare Press Production & Sound Design: Studio Tongoetze

Workers’ Safety: Who’s Paying the Price for Cheap Clothing?

🎙️ THE FASHION STITCH – ON FABRICS, FACTS AND FEELINGS Episode 5: Workers’ Safety — Who’s Paying the Price for Cheap Clothing? TikTok hauls promise “52 items for almost nothing.” But someone, somewhere, is paying. In this episode, host Clare Press asks: are the people making our clothes safe — and who is protecting them? 💡 We explore the urgent realities — and the possible solutions: * Fire, chemicals, extreme heat: the hidden health risks inside factories * What changed after Rana Plaza — and what still hasn’t * The Bangladesh Accord and how legally binding safety can work * New risks from climate change inside production facilities * Certifications and unannounced audits — what OEKO-TEX® is doing * Why worker safety is inseparable from fair wages and accountability ---------------------------------------- 👥 FEATURING * Christie Miedema – Campaigns and Outreach Coordinator, Clean Clothes Campaign, on fire hazards, chemicals & global risk blind spots * Elisa Rimmele – Head of Quality Management, OEKO-TEX®, on safer alternatives & audits * Kalpona Akter – Founder and Executive Director, Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity, on wages, unions & consumer power. 🎥 Interview with FRANCE 24 English [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN9Goi1p3m8] ---------------------------------------- 🔑 TOPICS WE COVER * Rana Plaza: what changed — and what didn’t * Sandblasting, PP spray & invisible chemical threats * Climate crisis as a new workplace safety risk * Living wages as the foundation of dignity and safety * How legislation like the EU CSDDD could shift responsibility ---------------------------------------- 📌 SOURCES AND FURTHER READING * Public Eye – Health and Safety in the Workplace [https://www.publiceye.ch/en/topics/fashion/health-and-safety-in-the-workplace] * Business of Fashion – Luxury Sweatshops [https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/sustainability/luxury-sweatshops-italy-investigation-dior-armani/] * ILO – Safety and Health at Work [https://www.ilo.org/topics-and-sectors/safety-and-health-work] * Pakistan Accord [https://internationalaccord.org/countries/pakistan/] * Clean Clothes Campaign – Fashioning a Just Transition: Heat and garment workers’ rights (2025) [https://cleanclothes.org/file-repository/2025-heat-and-garment-workers-rights.pdf] * Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany – Improving environmental and social standards in the textiles industry [https://www.bmz.de/en/issues/textiles-industry] * Fashion Changers – 11 Years After Rana Plaza (in German) [https://fashionchangers.de/rana-plaza-11-jahre-spater-der-kampf-fur-bessere-arbeitsbedingungen-in-bangladesch-geht-weiter/] * Fashion Changers – 10 Years After Rana Plaza (in German) [https://fashionchangers.de/10-jahre-nach-rana-plaza-haben-sich-die-arbeitsbedingungen-seit-dem-fabrikeinsturz-verbessert/] * OEKO-TEX® – STeP [https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our-standards/oeko-tex-step] * FRANCE 24 English – Labour activist Kalpona Akter calls for 'living wage' for garment makers [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN9Goi1p3m8] ---------------------------------------- 💌 WANT TO DIVE DEEPER? Sign up for the OEKO-TEX® newsletter for extra insights and updates: Newsletter Signup [https://c48cad12.sibforms.com/serve/MUIFAM60xYoFTcgKhpTbv3FnewD8iTxJfE646p7_-6Ak4enfrAGW945zyqtMoWjhIfPnMajCzH0KcySF0kNo9uP3r1dq715IP8V8SmNYieS0WaddtFwHek5Ieouqn0pmMgd3_PjRIcx62Xz8ni-jS_YsQ75T8Saqro_g1TJUDiCxmzt91mD-ewiMNVLycGrLkQm2n1hmXsX7Bvsq] ---------------------------------------- 🎧 CREDITS The Fashion Stitch is brought to you by OEKO-TEX® in partnership with Fashion Changers. Concept & Script: Vreni Jäckle and Nina Lorenzen Editorial: Vreni Jäckle Cover Design: Vreni Jäckle Host: Clare Press Production & Sound Design: Studio Tongoetze

Will Data and Transparency Reshape What Clothes We Buy?

🎙️ THE FASHION STITCH -- ON FABRICS, FACTS AND FEELINGS Episode 4: Will Data and Transparency Reshape What Clothes We Buy? Why do we really buy what we buy --- and could transparency change that?\ From emotions and status to sustainability and data, this episode explores how our shopping habits are shaped by both feeling and fact. 💡 Beyond the problems, we spotlight solutions: * The psychology of fashion consumption --- and how awareness can bridge the knowledge--action gap\ * How the EU Digital Product Passport could make fashion more circular and traceable\ * OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN -- linking verified data with social and environmental responsibility\ * EU textile regulations pushing brands toward greater accountability\ * Turning transparency into true empowerment, not information overload ---------------------------------------- 👥 FEATURING * Prof. Renate Stauss -- The American University of Paris, on desire, price, decoration, and social status as drivers of fashion consumption --- and why sustainability often struggles against emotional appeal.\ * Carolin Franitza -- Stakeholder Manager at OEKO-TEX®, on the EU Digital Product Passport, MADE IN GREEN certification, and ensuring verified, trustworthy data. 💬 Street voices:\ Berlin shoppers on transparency, price, and whether they'd scan a QR code before buying ---------------------------------------- 🔑 TOPICS WE COVER * Why emotions, desire, and status drive fashion consumption\ * What "transparency" really means --- and what it can't fix\ * How the Rana Plaza tragedy shaped calls for accountability\ * Opportunities and limits of digital product passports\ * Greenwashing, trust, and the importance of verified data\ * Why real change needs both facts and feelings ---------------------------------------- 📌 SOURCES AND FURTHER READING * The European Textile Regulation [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02011R1007-20130701]\ * EU Digital Product Passport [https://data.europa.eu/en/news-events/news/eus-digital-product-passport-advancing-transparency-and-sustainability]\ * Hot or Cool Institute -- Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable: Resizing Fashion for a Fair Consumption Space (2022) [https://hotorcool.org/publications/unfit-unfair-unfashionable-resizing-fashion-for-a-fair-consumption-space-2/]\ * Simon-Kucher -- Nachhaltige Mode: Nur jeder Dritte akzeptiert Aufpreis (2024) (in German) [https://www.simon-kucher.com/de/wer-wir-sind/newsroom/nachhaltige-mode-nur-jeder-dritte-akzeptiert-aufpreis-aber-zahlungsbereite]\ * Kate Fletcher -- Craft of Use: Post-Growth Fashion (2016) [https://katefletcher.com/publications/books/craft-of-use-post-growth-fashion/]\ * Fashion Revolution -- Fashion Transparency Index [https://www.fashionrevolution.org/transparency/] * The Digital Multilogue on Fashion Education [https://www.digitalmultilogue.fashioneducation.org/]

How Can We Make Our Clothes Last?

🎙️ The Fashion Stitch – On Fabrics, Facts and Feelings Episode 3: Quality over Quantity – How Can We Make Our Clothes Last? From nylon stockings to fast fashion, we’ve come a long way — maybe too far. In this episode, host Clare Press asks: what does quality mean in fashion today? And how can we extend the life of our clothes? 💡 Beyond the problems, we spotlight solutions: * Upcycling and resilience in Ghana’s Kantamanto Market * The benefits and trade-offs of fiber blends * New EU strategies for sustainable and circular textiles * The rise of repair culture and what makes garments truly durable Featuring: * Yayra Agbofah – Founder of The Revival, on textile waste and upcycling in Ghana’s Kantamanto Market * Annika Sauerhöfer – Product Manager, OEKO-TEX®, on fiber quality, blends, and material innovation * Carolin Franitza – Stakeholder Manager, OEKO-TEX®, on EU textile strategy and circularity * Monika Hauck – Founder of Repair Rebels, on repair, craftsmanship, and redefining quality 🔑 Topics we cover: * The story of nylon and the birth of synthetics * How synthetic and blended fibers changed quality * What “quality” really means — and why price doesn’t guarantee it * Textile waste and circularity in Kantamanto Market * Repair culture and consumer responsibility * How regulations are redefining durability and recyclability 📌 Sources and further reading: History of nylon stockings: - Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek – Nylon – of silkworms, mother-in-law silk and stocking riots: https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/content/blog/nylon-von-seidenraupen-schwiegermutterseide-und-strumpfunruhen?lang=en [https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/content/blog/nylon-von-seidenraupen-schwiegermutterseide-und-strumpfunruhen?lang=en] - Nylon – Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon] Readings on synthetic fibers: - Textile Exchange – Materials Market Report 2023: https://textileexchange.org/knowledge-center/reports/materials-market-report-2023/ [https://textileexchange.org/knowledge-center/reports/materials-market-report-2023/] - European Union – Plastics in a Circular Economy (2017): https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/plastics-circular-economy_en [https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/plastics-circular-economy_en] - Changing Markets Foundation – Fashion’s Plastic Paralysis (2024): https://changingmarkets.org/report/fashions-plastic-paralysis/ [https://changingmarkets.org/report/fashions-plastic-paralysis/] - Dr. Viola Wohlgemuth, „Vergiftete Geschenke” in Forum Rundbrief (2025) (in German): https://www.forumue.de/rundbrief-i-2025-kleider-machen-probleme/ [https://www.forumue.de/rundbrief-i-2025-kleider-machen-probleme/] Figures on textile consumption: - European Environmental Agency– Circularity of the EU textiles value chain in numbers (2025): https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/circularity-of-the-eu-textiles-value-chain-in-numbers [https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/circularity-of-the-eu-textiles-value-chain-in-numbers] - “On average, we discard clothes after just seven to ten wears”: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/fashion-and-the-circular-economy-deep-dive [https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/fashion-and-the-circular-economy-deep-dive] The Revival: https://www.therevival.earth/ [https://www.therevival.earth/] Repair Rebels: [https://www.repair-rebels.com/] [https://www.repair-rebels.com/]] 💌 Want to dive deeper? Sign up for the OEKO-TEX® newsletter for extra insights and updates: https://c48cad12.sibforms.com/serve/MUIFAM60xYoFTcgKhpTbv3FnewD8iTxJfE646p7_-6Ak4enfrAGW945zyqtMoWjhIfPnMajCzH0KcySF0kNo9uP3r1dq715IP8V8SmNYieS0WaddtFwHek5Ieouqn0pmMgd3_PjRIcx62Xz8ni-jS_YsQ75T8Saqro_g1TJUDiCxmzt91mD-ewiMNVLycGrLkQm2n1hmXsX7Bvsq [https://c48cad12.sibforms.com/serve/MUIFAM60xYoFTcgKhpTbv3FnewD8iTxJfE646p7_-6Ak4enfrAGW945zyqtMoWjhIfPnMajCzH0KcySF0kNo9uP3r1dq715IP8V8SmNYieS0WaddtFwHek5Ieouqn0pmMgd3_PjRIcx62Xz8ni-jS_YsQ75T8Saqro_g1TJUDiCxmzt91mD-ewiMNVLycGrLkQm2n1hmXsX7Bvsq] 🎧 Credits: The Fashion Stitch is brought to you by OEKO-TEX® in partnership with Fashion Changers. Concept & Script: Vreni Jäckle and Nina Lorenzen Editorial: Nina Lorenzen Cover Design: Vreni Jäckle Host: Clare Press Production & Sound Design: Studio Tongoetze

In a World Full of PFAS: How Dangerous Are Chemicals in Our Clothes?

The Fashion Stitch – On Fabrics, Facts and Feelings Episode 2: In a World Full of PFAS – How Dangerous Are Chemicals in Our Clothes? PFAS, azo dyes, flame retardants—most of our clothes are full of chemicals. But how many of these are essential, and which ones do more harm than good? In this episode, host Clare Press uncovers the hidden chemistry of textiles: from “forever chemicals” in outdoor gear to product recalls in children’s clothing. We discuss how regulations, safer innovations, and certifications are shaping a future where consumers can shop with confidence. 💡 Beyond the risks, we also spotlight solutions: ● New regulations on harmful substances in the EU and US ● Safer innovations like plant-based dyes, microbial colors & PFAS-free alternatives ● How certifications give consumers clarity and trust Featuring: ● Dr. Jörg Schlatterer – Deputy Division Manager at OEKO-TEX®, Hohenstein Laboratories, on PFAS, chemical safety, and testing textiles. ● Dr. Katy Stevens – Head of CSR and Sustainability at the European Outdoor Group, on safer alternatives and innovations in textile chemistry. 🔑 Topics we cover: ● What PFAS (“forever chemicals”) are and why they matter ● Regulations in the US, EU, and beyond on PFAS and harmful substances ● The chemical journey of a T-shirt: from spinning oils to dyes and finishes ● Product recalls in children’s clothing and health risks ● Safer labels and certifications ● Innovations replacing toxic processes: plant-based dyes, microbial colors, solution dyeing, PFAS alternatives ● Why not all chemicals are bad — and how they can improve durability, comfort, and functionality 📌 Sources and further reading ● Live from space: astronaut Matthias Maurer on Radio Davos (World Economic Forum) [https://www.weforum.org/stories/2022/01/live-from-space-radio-davos/] ● New York Times – Sludge, fertilizer & farmland contamination [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/climate/sludge-fertilizer-farmland-superfund.html] ● EPA Superfund: Society Hill, South Carolina [https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=second.Cleanup&id=0403308#bkground] ● ‘Forever chemical’ found in mineral water from several European countries – The Guardian [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/12/forever-chemical-europe-mineral-water] ● France’s drinking water is massively contaminated by 'forever chemicals,' including in Paris – The Guardian [https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/01/pfas-forever-chemicals-water-contamination-saint-louis-france-aoe] ● PFAS bans for clothing (Wirecutter / NYT) [https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/pfas-bans-for-clothing/] ● European Environment Agency – PFAS in textiles and the circular economy [https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/pfas-in-textiles-in-europes-circular-economy] ● REACH Regulation — European Commission [https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/chemicals/reach-regulation_en] ● A Beginner’s Guide to Ethical and Sustainable Fashion – Scientific American [https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-beginners-guide-to-ethical-and-sustainable-fashion/] ● OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100: Full list of tested substances (PDF) [https://www.oeko-tex.com/fileadmin/user_upload/Marketing_Materialien/STANDARD_100/Standard/OEKO-TEX_STANDARD100_Standard_EN.pdf] 💌 Want to dive deeper? Sign up for the OEKO-TEX® newsletter for extra insights and updates: https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/news/ [https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/news/] 🎧 Credits The Fashion Stitch is a co-production by OEKO-TEX® and Fashion Changers. Executive Producer: OEKO-TEX® Idea and Concept: Vreni Jäckle and Nina Lorenzen from Fashion Changers Content Editor & Editorial for this episode: Nina Lorenzen Production & Sound Design: Studio Ton Götze Podcast Cover Design: Vreni Jäckle Host: Clare Press