March 8th marks International Women’s Day and this year's theme is #BreakTheBias. Discrimination, bias, and stereotyping of women is still widely prevalent (even if it's sometimes subtle) and IWD 2022 encourages everyone to call it out when they see it.
With fashion being the second most at risk industry to modern slavery, gender equality is an issue that's especially close to our hearts. So today, we want to celebrate the women who make Citizen Wolf possible, and we want to celebrate you, our customer, for consciously choosing to buy ethically accredited clothing, made right here in Sydney.
If you’re wondering how buying Citizen Wolf Tees supports gender equality and justice, read on.
2% of garment workers are paid a fair, living wage
Around the world, about 74 million people make clothes. 80% of those people are women of colour. If we’re talking women empowerment and genuinely inclusive, boundary breaking feminism, we’ve got to talk about this – because fast fashion is anti-feminist.
Why? Well, just 2% of garment workers are paid a fair, living wage – the other 98% are paid a poverty wage that doesn’t cover their most basic needs.
Those cheap t-shirts high street brands sell with ‘feminist’ slogans strewn across them? The woman who made it was probably paid about 40 cents. The hypocrisy of these big brands really stings and we’re glad we're nothing like them.
Fashion - An industry rife with exploitation
Garment working women around the world also face disproportionate levels of harassment, violence, and discrimination. We're painfully conscious of this so we work to change the systems ingrained in the industry.
The hypocrisy of these big brands really stings and we’re glad we're nothing like them.
While garment workers making Aussie fast fashion Tees get just 4% of the ~$10 price tag, our seamstresses get 17% of our ~$69 Tee. This is equivalent to a living wage, certified as fair by Ethical Clothing Australia.
It takes about 15-20 minutes for one of our machinists to sew a Magic Fit® Tee but what if she takes longer? It doesn’t matter – we pay an hourly rate because piece-rates are exploitative. It’s why the system has been banned in California, protecting garment working women in the state.
When you choose to buy a Citizen Wolf Tee (or garments from other ethical brands) you're choosing to give women a fair wage. You're opting out of an industry which operates on exploitation. And, together, we might be able to shift the entire fashion world to be better - because one and one and one add up.
More than fair pay
We’re passionate about fair pay, and it's a start. But all women should have a safe, comfortable, and happy work environment as well.
Unlike most brands, the women who make Citizen Wolf Tees work under the same roof as the rest of the team, our founders included. It’s a good space, and it’s one where workers have the right to take leave, to join any protests they believe in (paid), and to go home to whoever they love. We're a diverse bunch and that's our strength.
When you choose to buy a Citizen Wolf Tee (or garments from other ethical brands) you're opting out of an industry which operates on exploitation.
Made for you
While so much of the fashion industry ignores women over a certain size, telling them they don’t deserve to dress in line with their values, or in high quality materials, we’ll make your Tees to whatever size works for you. At the end of the day, we want to make a product you'll love - it is your Tee after all.
We’re for all women, always. Not in a loud, splashy way, but in the way our business is designed and run. Thank you for choosing us ❤️