The style icon Allegra Hicks teams up with EJF in aid of international campaign to end child labour in cotton productionAllegra Hicks has backed the Environmental Justice Foundation’s (EJF) Pick Your Cotton Carefully campaign, designing a t-shirt to raise awareness of the use of forced child labour and the ecological devastation associated with cotton production.
The Queen of Kaftans, renowned for her timelessly elegant designs, played on her own rain-drop logo adding the slogan ’Don’t Be A Drop In The Ocean’. Her design refers not only to the fact that we can all do something about the problems of child labour and pesticide use in global cotton production, but specifically plays on the water theme. Cotton is the world’s thirstiest crop and irrigation for cotton production in Uzbekistan has led to the draining of the Aral Sea, described by the UN as “one of the most staggering disasters of the 20th Century”.
Allegra’s exclusive t-shirt has been modelled by Ugly Betty star Ashley Jensen and British supermodel Lily Cole as well as a host of international fashion faces: Elise Crombez, Sheila Marquez, Hye Park, Ekat Kiseleva, Eniko Mihalik and Max Rogers. | ||||
Ashley Jensen says: “I think it’s important for us to be aware of the impact that we all make on the world. Because we do! Even in tiny ways, even in something as simple as buying a piece of clothing can have a profound effect on the life of someone else”.
Allegra Hicks is joined in the project by Zandra Rhodes, Giles Deacon and John Rocha.
The ethical fashion t-shirts are produced on organic and fairly traded cotton and printed with organic certified inks.
All money raised by EJF from the sale of the t-shirts goes to support the charity’s valuable work. The t-shirts, which are very kindly sponsored by Continental Clothing are available in ladies fitted and men’s classic styles from £30 from www.ejfoundation.org/shop (worldwide delivery). | ||||
EJF works to achieve environmental security and resolve the profound human rights abuses associated with cotton production globally, with particular focus on the Central Asian Republic of Uzbekistan.Around the world, whether it is state enforced, or child trafficking, millions of children face severe exploitation in the cotton industry. In Uzbekistan, the world’s 3rd largest exporter of cotton, roughly a third of the population are forced to work in conditions near slavery for the state run cotton industry. Many are children. Schools across the country are shut down for the cotton harvest as children from the age of 7 are sent to work for weeks in the fields, paid little or nothing, but benefiting their repressive government through this forced labour. | ||||
Max Rogers says:"This is a cause we can all support easily, simply by considering the effect of our purchases and the prospect that they contribute so directly to such death and destruction. EJF are doing a fantastic job of raising awareness of this issue. In addition to modifying our own consumer habits, by supporting them we can help influence others to avoid contributing to this crisis. Therefore ultimately halting the problem before more damage is done."
Juliette Williams Programme Director, EJF, says “Even in tough economic times, our buying power can be a force for good. Choosing organic and fairly traded cotton actively supports communities in some of the world’s poorest nations, where fair and equitable trade to the west can literally mean the difference between life and death. With public support, companies have been inspired to look at the way the cotton they buy and sell is produced, and high street names are saying ‘no’ to cotton from Uzbekistan until child labour and environmental abuses are eradicated. Together we can change our world”. | ||||
 Lily Cole and Hye Park in Allegra Hicks organic cotton charity t-shirt Photos: Lily Cole by Jane Mcleish Kelsey and Hye Park by Eric Guillemain | ||||
 Sheila Marquez and Eniko Mihalik in Allegra Hicks organic cotton charity t-shirt Photos by Eric Guillemain | ||||
 Ekat Kiseleva and Elise Crombez in Allegra Hicks organic cotton charity t-shirt Photos by Eric Guillemain  |
Allegra Hicks designs for EJF: organic cotton charity t-shirt |
Take Action to end cotton production abuses in Uzbekistan
Ask the UN International Labour Organisation what they are doing to ensure Uzbekistan complies with its obligations to stop using forced child labour in the annual cotton harvest.
Read More
- Why We Need To Clean Up Cotton
- Water and Cotton
- Child labour and Cotton
- Pesticides and Cotton
- Organic Cotton
- Meeting of Round-table on Sustainable Cotton
- UZBEKISTAN
- Cotton in Uzbekistan
- Poverty in Uzbekistan
- Human Rights in Uzbekistan
- Child Labour in Uzbekistan
- The Aral Sea Crisis
- Trade in Uzbek Cotton
- Uzbekistan: The Numbers Speak for Themselves
