CMO on closing Remake

Who doesn’t remember social initiatives like the #PayUp campaign or the #NoNewClothes challenge? Or the annual “Fashion Accountability Reports” and the “Made in…” film series. All of these initiatives come from the non-profit organization Remake. Unfortunately, it will have to close at the end of the month as it has not been able to secure the funding necessary to continue operations. This happened despite various options being explored, such as restructuring, merger opportunities with like-minded organisations, a reorientation of the model and the development of new sources of funding.

“After a decade of impactful work, Remake’s board has decided to close our doors at the end of this month. This is not an end we mourn. It is a milestone we honor,” founder Ayesha Barenblat announced in a message a week ago.

“Ten years ago I had a simple but radical idea: What if we could recreate connections in fashion, from person to person, from woman to woman, and use these connections to drive real change?” says Barenblat, remembering the beginnings of Remake.

What began as conversations in classrooms at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), Parsons and the California College of the Arts quickly grew beyond imagination. Today it is a sustainable fashion movement with 3,000 ambassadors in 80 countries. Millions of people are committed to driving systemic change around the world.

Although Remake is officially closing, the movement will live on. For one thing, Remake’s Instagram account will remain active. In addition, Remake’s free resources remain accessible online, such as the archive of garment worker stories and community engagement toolkits. A selection of sustainability resources will also be available through long-time partner Custom Collaborative, based in New York City. Other partners such as the Garment Worker Center, the Labor Education Foundation and the AWAJ Foundation will continue their work and provide platforms for social engagement in the community.

Despite all the successes already mentioned, why does an organization like Remake, which so obviously hits a nerve, have to close? Why has funding for organizations dedicated to labor rights and climate justice declined so sharply? And why is there growing resistance to corporate responsibility measures that organizations like Remake have fought hard to establish? FashionUnited wanted to know more and spoke to Katrina Caspelich, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Remake.

What needs to change in the climate described above for organizations like Remake to continue their work?

Frankly, we need to fundamentally rethink how we fund this work. For too long, advocacy groups like ours have depended on philanthropic cycles that shift with the political winds. It must be recognized that labor rights and climate justice are not niche issues, but the foundation of a functioning economy and society. Foundations need to make longer-term commitments rather than making one- or two-year grants. These force organizations into constant survival mode instead of enabling strategic work.

We also need more solidarity between the different movements. Labor organizers, climate activists, feminist organizations, and anti-racism groups often fight against the same systems. When we pool resources and tell cohesive stories, it’s harder to defund us and ignore us. And honestly, individual donations are more important than ever. If people believe in this work, a monthly recurring donation, even a small amount, is one of the most stabilizing actions they can take to organizations like ours.

What needs to change to stop the growing resistance to corporate responsibility measures?

The resistance we are experiencing is not organic. It is coordinated and well-financed, and we should make that clear. Industry lobby groups have tried for years to portray accountability as anti-business. In reality, irresponsible companies are outsourcing their costs to workers, communities and the planet. Someone always pays, it’s just usually not the brand. What needs to change is the narrative. We need to do a much better job of showing the public how corporate responsibility is actually employee-friendly, community-friendly and future-friendly. We need more journalists to tell these stories. We need more politicians willing to stand up for them and more consumers who combine their purchasing power with their values.

Legal framework conditions are also important. Voluntary commitments by brands have largely failed. We need binding laws like those emerging in Europe on supply chain due diligence. These create a lower limit that companies cannot fall below.

You mentioned journalists; what role can the media play in advocating for labor rights and climate justice?

The media has an enormous responsibility here, which I think is still underestimated. Fast fashion is one of the most covered industries when it comes to trend reporting. Far too rarely is it about accountability. This imbalance is important. Investigative journalism changes things. He tracks supply chains and gives names and faces to the workers who make our clothes. He holds brands accountable for the gap between their marketing and practices. We’ve seen this happen.

I would like to see more fashion magazines treat labor rights and sustainability not as a separate issue, but as a lens applied to all coverage. Who made this collection? What are the conditions in these factories? What are the environmental costs? These questions should be as self-evident as the question of aesthetic inspiration. And media organizations can also review their own advertising relationships. It’s really difficult to hold brands accountable when they are the biggest advertisers. This tension deserves an honest conversation.

What would be your advice for anyone starting out in the textile and clothing industry, be it as a designer, brand employee, factory owner or worker? How can they make a difference?

I would say: know the supply chain and know it thoroughly. Whether someone is choosing fabrics as a designer or placing orders as a brand owner, these decisions have real consequences for real people. This isn’t meant to be paralyzing; It’s actually beneficial if you get involved in it.

I would especially like to encourage designers to resist the pressure to produce more and faster. Some of the most exciting work in fashion right now is coming from people who are slowing down. They use leftover materials, build relationships with ethical manufacturers and create long-lasting pieces.

For factory owners, investing in your own workforce is not charity, but good business sense. High fluctuation, poor working conditions and wages create instability. The factories that are successful in the long term are the ones that build trust with their workforce.

And for everyone else in these roles: Find “your people”, your community. This work is difficult to do in isolation, but there is a growing global network of people trying to do it better.

As you look back on ten years of impactful activism, which action makes you particularly proud and why?

There are so many moments I could name. But what moves me most is the direct relationship we have built with garment workers, especially the women on the front lines of fast fashion production. I will never forget our #PayUp campaign during the Covid pandemic. When the pandemic hit and brands canceled orders overnight, millions of workers were left without the pay they were already earning. We helped mobilize over 300,000 people to demand accountability. And brands paid out over $22 billion (around €20.24 billion) for canceled orders because everyday consumers refused to release them from responsibility. This felt like proof that people power is real.

I’m also proud of the work we’ve done to educate consumers with our Fashion Accountability Reports. Publicly holding brands accountable year after year and naming who is and isn’t doing the work has changed the boardroom conversation in a way that a quieter advocacy group never could have.

Remake may be closing its doors as an organization, but the movement it helped create will not disappear. The garment workers who have found their voice; the consumers who became advocates; the students who chose a career in the sustainable fashion industry because of the education we brought to the world – that is a living legacy. I am incredibly proud of what this team has built. I firmly believe that the work will continue in the hands of the community we helped build. If you’ve ever bought less, asked more questions, signed a petition, donated, shared one of our reports or followed us on social media, you were part of it.

This interview was conducted in writing.