Oldham Liberal Democrat Councillors Garth Harkness and Diane Williamson are concerned that a culture of ‘fast fashion’ prevails in the UK which leads to the over-production and over-consumption of clothing. At the same time, they can also see that people on low-incomes in the Borough are sometimes unable to afford the clothing that they need for themselves and their families, and that workers in the clothing trade are badly exploited.

At the next meeting of the full Council (15 July), Councillors Harkness and Williamson are proposing that Oldham Council works with representatives from the clothing manufacturers and retailers; the trades unions in these sectors; and campaign groups to develop a strategy to end clothing waste, meet clothing need and tackle the exploitation of garment workers in this Borough.

Councillor Garth Harkness, who will be proposing the motion, said: “The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group has previously proposed motions to take action on food poverty, fuel poverty, water poverty, and period poverty. Now we are turning our spotlight on clothing poverty. As the Covid-19 Lockdown begins to be lifted, we need to look again at ways that we can Build Britain Better. Two of our priorities must be finding ways to tackle climate change and finding ways to address poverty and social injustices in our society.”

“Clothing waste is just criminal when we have so many of our citizens in need. We want to create a virtuous circle by putting the two together – taking the clothes that people don’t want and matching them up to those who need them. And by doing so we will reduce the number of clothes that hang unloved in wardrobes or are simply dumped. Its common-sense really and there are some good projects from around the country that we can learn from to help us do so.”

Not only does clothing over-production eat up natural resources it results in the financial exploitation of workers in the clothing industry.  Councillor Diane Williamson, who is seconding the motion, said: “We need to identify how the Council and politicians can best support workers in the clothing sector at risk of exploitation.   Many of these exploited workers are women producing garments on low-pay and under pressure in their own homes. Tackling the exploitation of clothing workers should be a priority as part of our collective effort to tackle poverty in our Borough.”

It is for these reasons that the Oldham Liberal Democrats are bringing a motion to the 15^th July 2020 Council meeting.  The meeting starts at 6pm.

Copy of Motion:

Council July 15, 2020 – Notice of Opposition Business

Motion 2 – Tackling clothing poverty and waste

This Council notes that:

• The culture of ‘fast fashion’ which prevails in the UK and elsewhere leads to the over-production and over-consumption of clothing.
• Over-production represents the excessive depletion of precious natural resources and the financial exploitation of workers in the clothing industry.  This exploitation is often close to home.
• Over-consumption can lead to clothing being worn once or never at all.
• In contrast, many residents of Oldham Borough living on a low-income struggle to afford to buy much-needed clothing for themselves, and for those in their family.
• This is an environmental disaster and a waste. It is the underutilisation of good clothing that could go to other people in need.
• Whilst there are charitable providers of free clothing in Oldham Borough to those in need, not every district is well served and there is a lack of awareness of provision.
• In parts of the UK, innovative schemes exist such as ‘community clothing exchanges’, where at regular events participants can swap clothes; ‘community clothes banks’, where clothing racks are sited in prominent locations in the community to enable unwanted clothing to be left for others; and ‘community sewing clubs’, where attendees repair and alter clothing to make better use of what they have.

Council resolves to:

• Work to end clothing poverty and waste, and the exploitation of clothing workers as part of our collective effort to tackle social deprivation and make this Borough carbon-neutral.
• Map and promote the current provision of free clothing available to those in need and identify where and how to address any shortfall in this provision.
• Identify innovative schemes which can be replicated in this Borough and establish a timetable and plan to do so.
• Identify how the Council and its partners can best support workers in the garment sector at risk of exploitation.
• Consult the voluntary sector, local clothing manufacturers and retailers, trades unions in the clothing sector, and the campaigning groups Wrap, Labour Behind the Label, and Home Workers World Wide on these issues.
• Bring a report back to full Council with findings and recommendations by July 2021.

Proposed by:  Councillor Garth Harkness , Seconded by: Councillor Diane Williamson