The idea of ethical fashion is not new. In the United Kingdom we have had laws to protect factory workers since the Factory Act of 1833. Over time these acts have improved the conditions of worker in the UK, however the fashion industry has always had a dubious reputation.

In 1956 Dodie Smith wrote 101 Dalmatians, which became a Disney animated favourite in 1961. The protagonist of the piece was Cruella de Vil. She treated everyone appallingly badly in her gruesome pursuit of fashion. De Vil’s passion was for furs and would go to any length, fair or foul to satiate her obsession. Yet she is not alone. The fashion industry itself has come under attack many, many times in recent years, and rightly so.

The industry came under fire in 2013 when more than 1,100 factory workers died when an eight story Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed into a heap of bricks. As horrific as this was, the thing which seemed to shock the world was not just the fact that the building had collapsed, but the fact that some of the fault for the appalling conditions in that factory were as a result of the Western world’s desire for cheap fashion, quickly. Thankfully one of the results of this disaster is a concept which I have held dear to my heart for many years; that of ethical fashion.

Like Father Like Son is a proud British company which believes in the skill of our manufacturing base. However, we also appreciate that not everything can be made in the UK, for example we do not grow cotton or silk, but that does not mean we don’t demand the same high ethical standards at every step of the process.

There are many levels of ethics which should be employed in the fashion industry, and it starts from the very beginning. Whether you are buying wool, cotton or silk, you want to know that the people and animals involved in its production are treated well. They should be treated with kindness and respect; working reasonable hours and paid a living wage. From there the raw materials are sent to factories where the same rules should apply as the raw goods are turned into beautiful twines and fabrics. Regardless of where the raw materials come from, home or abroad, we are certain that when they arrive at our manufacturers, all these products have been produced ethically.

We are also keen environmentalists at heart too, so we like to ensure that all our goods are created looking after both the people and the environment. We will explain in more detail over the coming weeks our company ethos on this vital topic. If you would like to know about the Like Father Like Son ethos, click here.