The Global Innovation Story Map

Threading Change is working to elevate the stories of global brands and organizations leading the way in sustainability and ethical practices in the fashion industry.

How it all started

In December 2019, our Founder attended the United Nations Climate negotiations (COP25) as a Canadian Youth Delegate, where she was an audience member at the 1-year anniversary signing event of the United Nations Sustainable Fashion Charter.

During the event, she noticed a severe lack of representation from the Global South on the fashion world stage, with no mention of garment workers, or the human dimensions of fashion. Furthermore, she noticed that most of the brands represented at these global conferences are large fashion conglomerates and luxury brands, the exact ones who have contributed the most to fashion’s environmental and humanitarian problems.

Determined to change this, the inspiration for the Global Innovation Story Map (GISM) was born.

What is the Global Innovation Story Map?

The Global Innovation Story Map (GISM) is a research and visualization project where we feature the stories and best practices of sustainable and ethical fashion brands and organizations from around the world. Think of it as your new interactive tool to use as a guide when trying to find a sustainable fashion brand to buy from or an ethical fashion organization to support.

Through the gathering of stories and best practices, we’re cultivating an international network of practitioners, consumers, fashion brands, fashion organizations, and all other industry professionals, who live and breathe Threading Change’s Six F’s, A Feminist Fossil Fuel-Free Fashion Future, working to advance circularity, transparency, authenticity, and vulnerability within the fashion industry through art, digital media, storytelling, and collaboration.

We want the GISM to be both your new shopping and educational tool, so that’s why when we were evaluating which fashion brands and organizations to feature on the map, we created a list of six criteria to ensure each brand and organization met high standards for sustainability and ethics. These six criteria are the foundation for the map. Even though each brand and organization on the map identifies as both sustainable and ethical, some are still working on that commitment. Through the creation of this tool, we are highlighting fashion brands and organizations that:

• Focus on “progress not perfection”

• And are committed to continuously improving their entire supply cycle and practices to ensure a more fair and equitable fashion industry for both people and the planet.

Participate in the Global Innovation Story Map

To submit your sustainable and ethical fashion brand or organization recommendations to us, please follow the link to our Recommendations Form or send our Program Manager, Micaela Yawney an email at storymap@threadingchange.org.

To submit your brand or organization's story to the Global Innovation Story Map, please go to our Intake Form. Our Intake Form contains a short list of questions that will be used to create your brand or organization's profile on the Story Map. Please fill out the questions with as much detail as possible; point form is acceptable. If you would like to skip filling out the form and have a zoom call to gather your story instead, please send our Program Manager, Caleigh Smith an email with your information at membership@threadingchange.org .