09 Oct 2020

#WHOMADEMYCLOTHES

In collaboration with Quifactum, RectoVerso is launching a new project whereby customers can discover how and by whom the garments were made by scanning a QR code.

As part of Fashion Revolution Week, #whomademyclothes was brought to life after the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in 2013. Not only did it take the lives of 1,138 workers in Bangladesh, injuring 2.500, it also unvealed the exploitation of workers & the destruction of our planet by the fast fashion industry. The disaster turned out to be the result of total neglect of the building and the disregard of safety regulations. Rana Plaza became the symbol of the abuses in the textile industry: low wages, long working days and unsafe working conditions.

#WhoMadeMyClothes

To counter catastrophes such as the collapse of the Rana Plaza and to force the fashion industry to use fair labor conditions and sustainable production processes, Fashion Revolution annually conducts the campaign #WhoMadeMyClothes. A rhetorical but painful question addressed to international fashion brands that have difficulty controlling their supply chain. The mission is to unite everyone in the fashion industry to work together towards changing the way clothing is sourced, produced and consumed.

Quifactum

To answer this question, RectoVerso has partnered up with Quifactum, a Belgian start-up that aims to restore the price/value balance through production transparency. Co-founders Mathias Slabbinck and Christof Ameye have created a system with which consumers can find out the entire production process of the article they’ve purchased. By simply scanning the QR code on the label, you can discover how, where and by whom the articles were made. This way, both entrepreneurs want to offer more transparency in the fashion industry and put products that have been produced in a socially correct manner in the spotlight.

In addition to RectoVerso, the QR codes can also be found on the quality products of Mirabel Slabbinck (household linen), Lies Mertens (handbags), Solid International (artisan items), Dedal (PT - ceramics) and Ettinger (GB - luxury leather goods

100% Made in Belgium

All of RectoVerso garments are 100 % made in Belgium. Both the production of the fabrics and the confection of the garments are all done under one roof by mother company Liebaert Textiles. In the factory in Deinze, more than 160 employees work in a safe and pleasant working environment for a fair wage. “It has always been in Liebaert's DNA to treat our environment and our personnel with integrity and respect. Every year, we invest with confidence and dedication in cutting-edge technologies that help us reduce our environmental footprint. ”explains Alain Liebaert, CEO of Liebaert Textiles. Sustainability is one of RectoVerso's core values.

Test phase

The project is currently still in the test phase, which means that for the time being the QR codes will only be available for the Undercover legging, other items will follow soon. “It is a very time-consuming and intensive to process all the data. Our aim is to automize the data processing and offer the QR codes on all garments by the launch of the next collection in February ”, says Camille Liebaert, brand manager of RectoVerso.