Living in Edun

People sometimes ask me if I am an optimist and I say - I hope so.

I nicked that line from Bill Bailey. But it is a belief of mine that brands of the future will be successful when there is a belief and perhaps a social context to that business. Why do I think that, because I think as consumers we have become highly sophisticated. Our choices are informed by more today than Levi's and Malboro Reds representing the American dream. Image is replaced by ideas and a belief that in fact we can change things.

Don't believe me check out Tuangou and Chinese consumers are ganging up on their retailers

ON AN otherwise quiet Friday afternoon in Guangzhou, a city in southern China, 500 shoppers gather outside a Gome electrical superstore in the downtown district. They arrive en masse at the designated time—June 16th at 4pm—that they had previously agreed online. Several hours later, they emerge clutching boxes, having secured 10-30% discounts on cameras, DVD players and flat-screen televisions. “It was great,” says Fairy Zhang. “We just bought an apartment and this way we can afford nice things for it.” The previous weekend, over 100 locals visited Meizhu Central, a well known furniture outlet, to haggle over the prices of kitchen cabinets and dining-room furniture.

Tuangou, or team buying, aims to drive unprecedented bargains by combining the reach of the internet with the power of the mob. It is spreading through China like wildfire. The practice originated in online chat-rooms but has quickly inspired several specialist websites, such as 51tuangou.com and teambuy.com Zhang Wei, who helped to set up teambuy less than six months ago, says the site has 10,000 registered members. The company plans to expand into Beijing and Shanghai.

Coming to a store near you !!!! But I digress other than to make the point that businesses are going to have to compete and create value in very different ways if, they are not going to have a tuango experience - once you are there, there is no going back.

Why is it that a business cannot have a social cause, or be ethical. Currently I am researching for a very exciting project and I came across a brand called Edun. Readers of this blog know I am huge fan of the clothing brand Howies for many reasons. They make great clothes, they have a point of view about the world, they pay an earth tax, they engage their community and have built real advocacy for their brand, they never stand still and continually innovate, they make me smile and they make me think. And they have the most amazing catalogues. How cool is that!

Edun fits into the whole idea that businesses can be built with a clear defining philosophy that informs everything they do.

So here is a shameless plug for Edun

EXPLAIN EDUN?

EDUN is the socially conscious clothing label created by Ali Hewson, New York fashion designer Rogan Gregory and Bono. EDUN's founding philosophy is that the clothes look beautiful and are manufactured according to fair trade principles.

EDUN was launched in Spring 2005 with the sole aim to bring the issue of long-term sustainable employment to the forefront via the world of high fashion.

EDUN grew out of a desire to shift the focus away from aid in the developing world, particularly Africa, to trade.

WHY IS INCREASING & ENSURING LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT & TRADE FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ESSENTIAL IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY?

In order to help Africa invest in health, water, roads and education systems for its people, and grow sufficiently to reduce its dependency on development assistance and debt relief, trade opportunities must increase. An expanded and fairer trade system would allow African countries to earn the resources they need and not only achieve the Millennium Development Goals but reach a more important goal for Africa: self-sufficiency.

In 1980 Africa had a 6% share of world trade. By 2002 this had dropped to just 2% despite the fact that Africa has 12 % of the world's population.

If Africa could regain just an additional 1% share of global trade, it would earn $70 billion more in exports each year - more than three times what the region currently receives in international assistance. If in addition, all countries in East Asia, South Asia and Latin America were each to increase their share of world exports by 1%, the resulting gains in income could lift 128 million people out of poverty.

IS EDUN A CHARITY?

EDUN is not a charity, it is a for profit business. Via a successful economic business model it is EDUN's mission to provide long-term sustainable employment in developing countries to help foster economic growth rather than provide charity.

HOW DOES EDUN ENSURE & PROVIDE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT?

EDUN have a triple bottom line, which means EDUN's decision to do business with a factory is not based only on price & margin. EDUN pays and stays they do not cut and run. EDUN is focused on providing a deeper commitment by working with the factories to grow their capabilities so they are a viable resource for EDUN as well as other brands.

DO YOU PROVIDE ANY EMPLOYMENT TRAINING?

It is EDUN's aim to provide training in specific production and manufacturing techniques. By increasing the capabilities, knowledge & skill set of each of their employees it will help to ensure EDUN is competitively placed within the production arena. By having a wider technical production offering it will allow the factories to take on more complicated orders to a wider variety of brands. This will in turn, increase volume of work and long-term sustainable employment.

DO YOU SUPPORT THE FACTORY COMMUNITY AT A LOCAL LEVEL?

There is a long-term commitment for EDUN to support local factory communities. As the brand matures and the infrastructure is further in place EDUN will look at developing long-term support programmes. However, it is EDUN's immediate mission to create jobs and most importantly long-term sustainable employment.

EDUN is working hard to put in place an infrastructure and a network with local mills, cotton growers and manufacturers. It is EDUN's goal to create a blueprint by doing the groundwork and laying the foundations so that the process can be easily replicated by other brands. EDUN will be able to provide an update on support activities later in the year.

WHERE DOES EDUN CURRENTLY MANUFACTURE?

EDUN utilize factories in Africa, South America, India and Portugal to produce the collection.

WHERE DO THE RAW MATERIALS FOR THE CLOTHES COME FROM?

Sourcing fabrics and raw materials change with the season and fabrication requirements of each collection. EDUN sources woven fabrics from the premier mills in Europe, Japan and North Africa. EDUN's knits are vertically sourced in Peru. EDUN will use organic cotton wherever possible. Currently, approximately 30% of the cotton product sold is made with organic cotton. EDUN sources African cotton and fabrics wherever possible.

DO YOU HAVE A CHARITY THAT YOU WORK WITH?
DATA/ONE, Oxfam, GBC and The Organic Exchange

One one point edun is – get yourself a community site - you are still in broadcast mode. Engaging your community sharing information and creating conversation will – help spread the word and therfore your ideas!!!