The Dressember Marketplace: What’s New?
If you’ve been following Dressember for years, you may already know all about the Dressember Marketplace. If you haven’t, well, you’re in for a treat! This year the Dressember Marketplace, a space to locate ethically made garments and Dressember merchandise, is switching things up. Instead of launching a dress collection in-house, Dressember has partnered with four ethical companies to design and manufacture the 2020 Dress Collection. You can purchase special Dressember garments through these companies’ websites, and a portion of each purchase will be donated to Dressember.
Championing ethical brands has always been a core value at Dressember. Yet, it is important to address what this means and ask how purchasing from companies on the Dressember Marketplace is a part of this value.
Let's start by defining ethical fashion. Ethical fashion focuses on fighting exploitation in the fashion industry by improving the working conditions of the producers and makers of garments, fighting for a living wage and producing cruelty-free fashion. Buying from companies that genuinely care about their workers as well as the quality of the clothing they are producing is a great way to aid in the fight against both fast fashion and human trafficking!
Now, let’s take a look at some of the brands featured on the Dressember Marketplace for this upcoming 2020 style challenge.
Mikoleon
Mikoleon is an ethical clothing brand dedicated to providing jobs to artisans, promoting slow fashion and supporting small shops in Guatemala. This year, in partnership with Dressember, Mikoleon has designed four dresses (two for adults and two for kids) in support of anti-trafficking efforts. Their beautiful dresses demonstrate Mikoleon’s commitment to sustainable choices, as all their garments are handcrafted, naturally dyed and cruelty-free!
LA Relaxed
LA Relaxed is an ethical and sustainable brand based in Los Angeles. Their garments are all made in-house, their employees are paid fairly and they use sustainable and eco-friendly materials that are vegan and cruelty-free! They have partnered with Dressember and created the Olympia Dress, made of Belda™ EcoViscose fibers (sustainably harvested wood pulp which is then processed into fibers). Similarly to the dresses from Mikoleon, 20% of the proceeds from this dress will go towards Dressember in the fight against human trafficking.
TAMGA Designs
TAMGA Designs is a sustainable brand that works to create clothing that respects style, people and the planet! For the 2020 style challenge, Tamga Designs has designed the TAMGA x Dressember Wrap Dress, a colorful and conscious piece of clothing that can help support Dressember and our programmatic partners!
Outland Denim
Outland Denim, a brand committed to human empowerment, sustainability and human transparency, is partnering with Dressember this fall. The brand was first founded as an avenue for the training and employment of women who are survivors of sex trafficking. By providing a sustainable career path and holistic care, these women now create premium denim from the finest raw materials. Check out their Dressember collection to support an ethical brand focused on the protection of human trafficking survivors and Dressember!
However, that’s not all that's new to the Dressember Marketplace in 2020. This year you will be able to purchase Dressember thank-you cards to show your gratitude for all of those who support the style challenge and in turn anti-trafficking efforts by Dressember’s programmatic partners. You will also be able to support Dressember while demonstrating your commitment to safety against COVID-19. We are releasing Dressember masks to promote and support the upcoming style challenge as well as take the necessary safety measures during this pandemic.
So head over to the new and improved Dressember Marketplace for all your sustainable fashion needs in 2020!
About the Author
Layla Nath is in her sophomore year at American University where she studies political science and journalism! Due to her love of advocacy and academia, she is involved in her college community as a teaching and research assistant. Her desire to help others through writing and research, alongside her passion for sustainable fashion and social justice has led her to this team as an Editorial Intern!