{"id":7595,"date":"2011-07-22T04:00:19","date_gmt":"2011-07-22T11:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress-367309-1145696.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=7595"},"modified":"2011-07-22T04:00:19","modified_gmt":"2011-07-22T11:00:19","slug":"versace-puts-on-sandblasting-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/feelgoodstyle.com\/articles\/versace-puts-on-sandblasting-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"Versace Puts On Sandblasting Ban"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/p>\n Italian design house Versace<\/a>, who recently came under fire for sandblasting jeans, has committed to banning the dangerous practice following pressure from activists.<\/p>\n During the sandblasting process sand is fired at jeans under high pressure, giving the fabric a distinct \u201cworn\u201d look.\u00a0 The problem is that this process can cause a potentially lethal pulmonary disease called silicosis from the inhaled particles.\u00a0 Evidently, workers have also been killed during the process in both Turkey and Bangladesh.<\/p>\n The decision to ban comes after a two month international campaign by the Clean Clothes Campaign <\/a>on Change.org.\u00a0 More than 1,200 people world-wide joined this campaign.<\/p>\n After careful review Versace has announced that their suppliers will be banned from using sandblasting effective immediately.<\/p>\n “Versace has specifically asked every supplier (and will ask any new supplier as a condition to work with Versace) to certify that they are not using sandblasting.”\u00a0 Versace’s Tomaso Galli<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Galli went on to say that any supplier found to be employing sandblasting as a production technique “will be considered in breach of contract and dismissed accordingly.”<\/p>\n This consumer call to action and subsequent follow-up by the fashion house is a huge step forward in healthier clothing manufacturing practices.\u00a0 Said Change.org organizer Meredith Slater, \u201cVersace customers called on the company to ban a practice that endangered workers, and the company responded by saying that it would not only ban the practice, but stand up for the elimination of sandblasting throughout the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n Versace joins Gucci, H&M and C&A in the sandblasting ban and is encouraging other jeans producers to follow suit.\u00a0 The Clean Clothes Campaign now has its sights on high-end brands Dolce & Gabbana and Armani, both of which still refuse to discuss their brands\u2019 sandblasting practices.<\/p>\n