Katharine Hamnett joins Fair Wear Foundation

Katharine Hamnett, the English fashion designer behind the “Choose Life” T-shirt made famous by George Michael, has joined Fair Wear Foundation (FWF), the non-profit organization which works with brands, manufacturers and trade unions to improve workplace conditions for garment workers.

“As the whistleblower and long-term fanatic and campaigner about sustainable fashion, I look forward to working with FWF whose aims match mine”, said Hamnett in a statement.

All FWF members need to prove they have taken substantial steps towards better labor conditions. Every year, the organization will check Hamnett’s efforts in that regard and publish the assessment on its website for all consumers to see. FWF currently works with over 130 European fashion companies whose products are sold across 80 countries.

Best known for her political T-shirts with sentences such as “Use a Condom” and “Peace”, Hamnett started her career in the 1980s. Her most famous T-shirt design, “Choose Life”, was featured in Wham’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” music video, as well as Queen’s “Hammer to Fall”. The outspoken British designer has helped to shed light upon several issues, including the invasion of Iraq, Monsanto’s Roundup and the underrepresentation of black models on London Fashion Week, to name but a few.

Picture: courtesy of FWF