A new guide has been launched to show the global textiles-apparel-fashion industry how to meaningfully work with Indigenous Peoples and local communities while reducing the industry’s impact on them.
- The guide, titled Indigenous Partnership Principles for the Fashion, Apparel and Textile Industries--Shaping fashion’s future: Centering Indigenous leadership and protecting nature, has been published by Conservation International and Textile Exchange.
- This guide was developed through bilateral meetings, surveys, and consultations with 33 Indigenous Peoples and local communities spanning 15 countries, covering all seven socio-cultural regions.
A BIG GAP: The guide mentions that the total population of Indigenous Peoples across 70 countries in the world is 370 million.
- According to IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, the population of ethnic minorities in China in 2010 was 111.9 million. For India, the number stood at 104 million.
- Together, the two countries account for almost 216 million people. However, both countries were left out of the ambit new guide.
- So, voices of almost two-third of the world’s Indigenous Peoples population have been left out of a document which, the publishers say, were “determined and approved” by Indigenous people and local community partners.
THE PRINCIPLES: At the core of the guide are 12 partnership principles informed by in-depth interviews, surveys and consultations with Indigenous Peoples and local community members from around the globe. These principles lay the groundwork for how fashion, apparel, and textile companies can form strong partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
- Adopt a partnership mindset. Building partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and local communities starts with recognising them as leaders, partners, owners, and rights-holders who bring rich experience and tangible value to the fashion, apparel, and textile industries. They work across sectors and at all levels of business. Many are accomplished subject-matter experts who have built thriving careers within fashion, apparel, and textiles and/or are recognised by their communities as holding special knowledge, skill, or expertise. It is crucial that they are treated as key collaborators, not token consultants.
- Respect individual peoples and communities. Indigenous Peoples and local communities are diverse in identity, location, and culture. Good partnership starts with respecting their individual human rights, acting with cultural sensitivity, and treating them with respect and consideration.
- Understand and reduce the environmental and social impact of your practices. The fashion, apparel, and textile industries impact Indigenous Peoples and local communities in many ways. Marketing campaigns, for example, engineer social norms and historically have emphasised Euro-centric beauty standards. Continued ecological impact from supply chains will result in future generations not having the resources to steward traditions, art forms, and ways of life. Industries, however, have the resources to shift historic practices, centering cultural respect and sustainable practices in all interactions between the fashion, apparel, and textile industries and Indigenous Peoples and local communities, to drive long-term positive impact. Doing so is crucial to preserve the knowledge and traditions of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
- Obtain consent. To build trust and show respect, it is crucial to obtain consent at the onset of a partnership and throughout the process of partnering with Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Free, Prior and Informed Consent is a minimum requirement. It is also important to clarify a people’s or community’s specific requirements and practices.
- Be honest and transparent. Indigenous Peoples and local communities are often interested in and optimistic about partnering with fashion, apparel, and textile companies. However, they often experience dishonest practices that exploit their talents and mask negative impacts on their communities and land. For fashion, apparel, and textile companies to build trust and demonstrate respect, honesty about their identity, intentions, and the consequences of their actions is vital.
- Collaborate directly, ideally in person, or through channels approved by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Direct collaboration, or working through approved channels, holds significant value for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. It recognises the autonomy of Indigenous Peoples and local communities; minimises the risk of exploitation by middlemen; lessens miscommunication; and ensures products are made in ways that align with cultural practices and values. It is crucial that fashion, apparel, and textile companies align to collaboration customs and go through the correct channels when working with Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Failure to do so can damage the partnership and even halt further collaboration entirely. Inperson collaboration is preferable to strengthen partnerships and include those who are less familiar with technology.
- Respect Indigenous and local design. The designs of Indigenous Peoplesand local communities are steeped in tradition and collective significance, embodying thousands of years of heritage and craftsmanship. These designs typically belong to the community as a whole rather than to an individual. Taking the time to learn about these designs is an essential step toward respectful collaboration and cultural preservation. It combats centuries of appropriation and plagiarism and addresses historical attempts to eradicate Indigenous and local industries.
- Pay fair compensation. Indigenous Peoples and local communities should receive fair compensation for their contributions to the fashion, apparel, and textile industries. This applies throughout the value chain, from fair prices for the production of materials and products to fair compensation for consultation or use of designs. Fair payment has an immediate impact and generational implications. For example, it increases the likelihood that families can afford to stay in their home countries and cultures, which provides stability for their children and the local community. Fair payment also validates Indigenous and local design and traditional forms of work, increasing the likelihood that the next generation will engage with and steward these traditions. The form of compensation varies across Indigenous Peoples and local communities but, whether direct payments or community infrastructure investment, equitable compensation is crucial for establishing and growing genuine and respectful partnerships.
- Contribute your knowledge and resources. When it comes to marketing, consumer education, and supply chain logistics, brands often have greater capacity and access to resources than Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Making these resources available or leveraging them for the good of the whole is a way for brands to add tangible value to the partnership.
- Build long-term partnerships. Long-term partnerships benefit Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and fashion, apparel, and textile companies. For designers and producers from Indigenous Peoples and local communities, long-term partnerships can stabilise income and allow time to strengthen their communities and preserve their heritage through ventures like artisan skill building, implementing more environmentally friendly farming practices, land restoration projects, and restoring food sovereignty. For companies, longterm partnerships can lead to outcomes such as increased innovation capabilities and strengthened brand perception. Alternatively, trust is eroded when brands express interest in partnerships and begin building relationships, but do not follow through with long-term commitments.
- Invest in the future of the craft and industry of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Building capacity in Indigenous Peoples and local communities ensures their expertise and designs will last beyond the current generation. It validates the value of Indigenous and local craft for younger generations, protects the livelihood of artisans, especiallywomen and those who have been displaced, supports scaling businesses, and strengthens peoples and communities.
- Strengthen fashion, apparel, and textile industry practices. Stronger practices strengthen industries, improve the experiences of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and protect the businesses and livelihoods of everyone involved.
WHAT THEY SAID:
It is essential that we rethink current fashion practices. The traditional impact of fashion is very harmful. The future of the planet depends on all of us. That's why it's so important to reflect on all actions and social spheres; to enable future partnerships with indigenous populations; to pollute less and generate more solutions. It is impossible to address any issue related to life on planet Earth without the lens of sustainability
— Dayana Molina
Indigenous Designer and Activist
NALIMO
It's critical to recognise that Indigenous Peoples have a rich and robust fashion community, and have knowledge, practices, and designs that have been developed and passed down for millennia. Not only have these nations and communities historically been excluded from ventures that impact their lives and design heritage, but the fashion industry can be notorious for extractive methods of materials procurement that do lasting damage to the ecosystems many Indigenous Peoples and local communities call home.
— Quinn Manson Buchwald
Director, Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Program
Conservation International
