In addition to its social conscience, Sweden is also very aware of fashion; media and debate the latest local group campaigns klåda Rena (Clean Clothes) have brought ideas about ethical fashion to the forefront. On cue, the second city of Sweden Gothenburg, an art installation called “Fashion Fair? So ugly underbelly exposed. Fortunately, however, anyone attending the opening of the facility could be the next weekend to head a sample organic and fair trade fashion in central Gothenburg.
The final darling of the fair was the founder of DM Axel son collective Annika. Three years ago, Axelson and a member of a cooperative manufacturing began in Sri Lanka, located outside the zone of free trade country, and decided to offer “live” the wages of nearly three times the minimum wage. She called him D.E.M. (Do not eat macaroni) after he had seen graffiti on a trip to Jamaica urging people not to eat fast junk food such as macaroni and cheese in a can. D.E.M. now produces a small line of shirts and jeans and makes organic products from two other lines of fair trade.
Also in the fashion show was Righteous, a company based in Malmö, showing his first collection of women wear for fall ’07, elegant designs in jersey organic cotton fair trade. Just although currently only sold in some boutiques in Sweden, DM designs are sold at least a U.S. – Ekovaruhuset New York, initiated by Sweden’s Johanna Hofring.
