Fashion as a Force for Good

April 07, 2021

The fashion industry has a dark side - filled with over production, unsafe working conditions, human trafficking, and predatory and subversive marketing practices. We’re constantly conditioned to believe that we are not enough and need more, and that consuming more will make us look, feel, and be better. Meanwhile, the people making our clothes are sacrificing their health and well-being for pennies and the corporations paying them are making millions off of us. It’s a harmful cycle, and we want out.

We believe that fashion can be a force for good and we have a passion for changing the narrative of this industry.

This can be achieved through:

1. Paying fair wages to ethical factories. We partner with women owned factories that pay fair, living wages and offer benefits and paid time off. These factories pay their employees in a way that actually allows them to support their families, and in turn their communities (when they are able to invest back into local businesses).

2. Support surrounding micro businesses. We believe that reducing waste is an integral part to charging the narrative of the fashion industry. We do this first by creating as much as we can with the scraps and excess fabric, so that there is very little waste. We then sell or donate any remaining scraps to surrounding local businesses that repurpose this waste into their own products.

3. Consuming and creating less. While certainly we rely on sales to keep our business afloat, we never want to pressure anyone into a purchase. We do not want our customers to consume more than they need, to spend what they do not have, or to buy just for the sake of buying. We do want you to feel and look good in your YIREH, and to only make decisions that are right for YOU.

4. Changing the narrative. We believe that women are so strong and unique, our goal is to design clothing that reflects that. We truly believe that you make our clothing beautiful, and not the other way around. You do not need a dress to look or feel good - it is who you are that makes you beautiful. We are inspired by our community and design with this community in mind.

We are committed to producing ethically in small batches, reducing our waste, improving our processes, and giving to our community. We’re so grateful and blessed to have you all along this journey with us, and seeing you in YIREH make all of the challenges so worth it!

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