ACTIVISTS disrupted an ethical clothing event hosted by Boohoo on Tuesday to call out the firm’s green-washing and poor workers’ rights record.
The protest erupted as senior representatives at the fast-fashion brand spoke at a panel event titled “ethical clothing and industry collaboration” at the Source Fashion Show in London.
A video of the action shows fair-fashion campaigners standing up one by one to criticise the firm’s treatment of garment workers in its supply chain.
In 2020 it was revealed that people making Boohoo clothing were being paid less than minimum wage and left without protections amid the pandemic.
One of the activists, Vanesia La Manna, told bosses on the panel: “How dare Boohoo take this platform to speak about ethics and industrial collaboration when their garment workers in Leicester are paid less than £3.50 an hour!
“Why aren’t your garment makers on this panel?”
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As Ms La Manna was removed by security, another protester shouted: “While garment makers make £3.50 an hour, Boohoo’s CEO is set to receive a bonus 200 per cent times his salary.”
Activists could be heard shouting “pay your workers” as they were escorted out by guards.
Labour Behind the Label said it supported the action taken by the activists and added that the company has yet to pay undercompensated workers in Leicester despite promising improvements to its supply chain.
A spokesperson from the campaign group said: “Boohoo’s issue is that its business model — which markets cheap, disposable clothing at ever lower costs — is driven by short-turnaround, aggressively-low-price sourcing.
“A switch to ‘ethical’ — which is actually sustainable — means changing their business, not just auditing more to cover their backs.”
Boohoo was approached for comment.
