Social Goods | China's Outsourcing Experiment in Ethiopia, Selling Politics Like a Lifestyle Brand

China Is Turning Ethiopia Into a Giant Fast-Fashion Factory (Bloomberg Businessweek)
"This drought-afflicted, landlocked country of 100 million on the Horn of Africa is transforming itself into the lowest rung on the supply chain that pours out fast fashion and five-for-$12.99 tube socks."

Selling Politics Like a Lifestyle Brand (Racked)
"A striking feature of Suraj Patel's campaign is its uncanny resemblance to fashion and lifestyle startups like Glossier, Outdoor Voices and Harry's. It has clean design, a casual tone and friendly sans serif type, all tied together with a familiar shade of blush pink."

Many Accusations, Few Apologies (The New York Times)
"In media, in politics and in Hollywood, the usual script followed by people accused of sexual harassment was to apologise for the offensive behaviour and maybe enter rehab. In fashion, a world where the definition of acceptable behaviour has long been blurry, there are still few apologies."

European Designers Are Discriminating Against Plus Size Models (Teen Vogue)
"The inclusion of plus-size models on the catwalk is lagging far behind. While Spring 2018 was a big moment for size diversity with names such as Eckhaus Latta and Chromat showcasing different body type at their shows, plus-size women were still underrepresented at fashion shows."

Is Activist Advertising the New Frontier? (Retail Dive)
"Retailers can rally around political causes and manage to make it profitable — and gain loyal followings in the process — because the social cause of choice aligns so closely with the brand's identity."