Vietnamese and Dutch prime ministers join Fair Wear brands fashion show in Hanoi

During a sparkling Sustainable Fashion show in Hanoi on Tuesday, the Dutch and Vietnamese prime-ministers joined FWF director Alexander Kohnstamm on stage. ‘I’m very proud that we co-organise tonight’s fair fashion show with the Fair Wear brands’, said Dutch prime-minister Mark Rutte. ‘These brands are at the forefront of fair fashion.’

The group of models wearing Fair Wear brands took to the runway in the middle of the city of Hanoi. The Sustainable Fashion Show was part of the Dutch trade mission in Vietnam this week. The show was organised by the Dutch embassy in Vietnam, Fair Wear Foundation and FWF partner in Vietnam, CNV Internationaal. Both FWF fashion, outdoor and workwear brands walked the catwalk. They were joined by responsible fashion brands from Vietnam.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in his opening speech that ‘we need to make sure that all women and men who produce our clothes have a safe workplace and get wages that cover the actual cost of living.’ Rutte also spoke about a ‘clear business case for investments in social and environmental sustainability’. ‘A happy workforce results in higher productivity’, he said. ‘For Dutch brands that source in Vietnam there is a clear stimulus to take action. Bottom line is to be aware of what happens in the entire supply chain: from the factory in Ho Chi Minh City to the store in Amsterdam or The Hague.’

Finally, he applauded the attending Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc for his contribution to making the industry more sustainable as well.

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