April News
Many of us who care about creation justice might think we have more important things to worry about to create a whole and healthy world than our clothing. But as you’ll see from this month’s newsletter, that couldn’t be further than the truth.
The clothing industry is a multi-trillion dollar industry and connects issues of labor rights, gender justice, agriculture practices, water pollution, and toxic waste, to name a few. Clothing is a foundational Christian metaphor but we don’t take seriously the issues of social, environmental, and economic justice that the industry grapples with and how they connect to our faith.
It makes sense to focus on fashion this month. On April 24, 2013, the largest industrial disaster in the garment industry’s history happened when the Rana Plaza building collapsed, killing over 1,100 people and injuring almost 2,600. This entirely preventable tragedy launched a global movement for reform in the apparel industry that continues to this day.
In this month’s newsletter you’ll find tips for bringing creation justice into your own wardrobe, events to connect you to a broader movement fighting for social change, as well as my own story of launching a Christian apparel brand that combines inclusive theological messaging and ethical manufacturing.
I invite you to prayerfully consider your relationship to your clothing, and the ways it connects you to God, earth, and neighbor. Practice the spiritual discipline of paying attention. Notice your relationship to your closet and take steps to incorporate creation justice into what you wear.
In faith,
Lizzy Case
Founder, Arrayed
hello@shoparrayed.com