Vogue’s Sarah Mower talks to Katharine about activism, sustainability and her new collection. Click here to read the interview.
Why Sustainability?
Because life on earth is threatened by human activity. The clothing industry – the fourth or fifth largest industry in the world, employing 1Billion people, has to be playing a big part in this.
This gigantic business has a huge impact on the environment and on people’s lives, the glamorous side is a tiny tip of the iceberg. Most people working in the garmenting side of the industry are working in conditions often worse than slavery.
Meanwhile, whether contaminating the air, soil, water supply, ultimately rivers and seas with carcinogenic toxins, heavy metals, chemical pesticides and fertilisers – nearly every fibre and process has a catastrophic effect on human and animal health and ultimately the prospects of survival of life on earth. – Katharine Hamnett