Hi readers,

I hope you’re doing ok. Maybe that hope is naive. I know many of you are small brands and designers, wondering if your business will survive. Others have seen their hours and income cut, or have been laid off. Some of you have sick family members and friends. But we all do our best with what we have. I’m staying inside, donating (this is a great nonprofit), and sharing information that can help you make smart decisions. Things are moving fast right now, so if you want this news more often, sign up for my newsletter. Right now, it’s going out every week, instead of every other week.

Experts are starting to tell Americans that we should wear a mask whenever we leave our home. But there’s a shortage! So I tried DIYing a face mask, and wrote up a tutorial for Popular Science.

I was thinking that you probably are staring at an overstuffed closet and a diminished budget. So for Arcadia Power, I rounded up peer-to-peer resale apps and websites that will let you sell your stuff for cash (through the mail, without relying on a warehouse that might be shut down), and where you can find discounted things you need.

And I talked to Harper’s Bazaar about where I see the fashion industry going after this crisis. It’s the first and probably only time I will share space with Jennifer Lopez and Rachel Zoe!
Sustainable & Ethical Fashion News
It’s great that fashion is stepping up to make masks, but they shouldn’t have to. | Quartz

And most forget to mention that garment workers are making those masks. | Truthout

As the COVID crisis worsens, garment workers are getting the shaft. | Bloomberg

But some garment factories in Bangladesh continue to operate, having been classified as essential businesses. | Just Style

Large retailers are begging the government for aid. | The New York Times

“Some brands are even taking the drastic measure of refusing shipments that show up at their facilities. Though there may be consequences depending on supplier contract terms, some are taking the risk rather than taking possession of inventory they may not be able to sell.” | Retail Dive

The Bangladesh government is promising to pay garment workers, but the details of how it would work are still unclear. |  The Daily Star

Independent fashion businesses also need help. | Business of Fashion

And American manufacturers are feeling the COVID crunch. | Sourcing Journal

The founder of the all made-in-America brand American Giant reveals what it’s like right now. | Marker

Affiliate revenue and brand sponsorships are drying up for influencers. | Business of Fashion

What will happen to the fashion industry’s sustainability initiatives? | WWD

How long can sustainable brands do the right thing? | WWD

Luxury fashion is projected to see up to a $600 billion sales drop, but many designers are seeing this as a welcome opportunity to slow down collections and make seasonless, well-crafted fashion. | WWD

Some advocates see this as a good consumption reset. | de zeen (Here are my thoughts on that.)

H&M announced the winners of this year’s Global Change awards. The polyester made of carbon sounds especially cool. | Fashion Network

The fashionable history of social distancing. | The Conversation

Clothing helps us tell our story. What happens when we’re all only speaking one language: sweats? | Washington Post
Brands Doing Things
Here’s how many brands are helping their partners in crisis. | Vogue Business

After Everlane was asked to provide more transparency on their supposedly “radically transparent” supply chain, they fired many of their customer support employees who were agitating for better pay and working conditions. Everlane claims that the layoffs were unrelated to union organizing and very related to a drop in revenue because of COVID-19. Who is telling the truth? | Fashionista

And ASOS says everything is totally fine at its warehouses, despite employees’ claims otherwise. | BBC

Warehouses distributing stock for Boohoo, Primark and The RealReal are amongst the names accused of putting profits ahead of employee health and safety. | EcoTextile News

Urban Outfitters has decided not to pay its rent and Adidas apologized for saying it wouldn’t. | Sourcing Journal

Madewell is forging ahead on its ambitious sustainability goals and commitments. | Refinery29

Outdoor brands are getting serious about their footprints and climate activism. | Sierra Club

Patagonia and Surfdome are trialing removing plastic packaging from shipments to customers. | Edie

Avocado Mattress is selling family packs of cotton masks.

OK, yes. H&M’s newest Conscious Collection is in fact gorgeous. | Glamour
Bigger Than Just Fashion
So it begins. The EPA has suspended enforcement of environmental laws during the COVID-19 outbreak. | The Hill

How MLMs are using the crisis to recruit new direct sellers with (false) promises of earning a good income out of your home. | Vox

Terrified package delivery employees are going to work sick. | The New York Times

So is it ethical to online shop for non-essentials right now? | Quartz

Whole Foods workers are striking. | USA Today

And Amazon fired a worker who led a strike in New York. | The Guardian

Marie Kondo’s advice for finding joy during your quarantine. (Surprise, it involves organizing! But, the tips are good.) | Quartz
Deep Thoughts
A must-read story about how misguided disaster aid has made unhealthy consumers out of a previously robust and healthy indigenous island culture. | Scientific American

Will this crisis cause us to slow down and reconnect with our inner selves again? (I know I’ve started journaling again for the first time in… 15 years?) | The Atlantic
Plastic and Waste Watch
European experts say about plastic: “voluntary mechanisms and market mechanisms are insufficient to address the problem.” In other words, legislation is the only way! | Plastics Today

Cities are cutting recycling pickup as a “non-essential” service. | Bloomberg
Help and Advice for Brands
The non-profit Nest has released a bunch of content for artisan businesses to help them survive the crisis. | Nest

How fashion can manage its money through the pandemic. | Sourcing Journal

The post Weekend Reading: How to DIY a Facemask Using a Reusable Grocery Bag appeared first on Ecocult.
#COVID-19 #Coronavirus #Amazon #OnlineShopping #MarieKondo