[Canmore, AB - 12-04-08] I am trying to post a video from a reality tv documentary called Blood, Sweat, and T-Shirts. I posted some BS&T vids from youtube back in June but all the related videos were removed from youtube within days of being posted on the ee blog… odd. So here we go again! Let’s hope this video will not be removed, but do not be surprised.

The BS&T series is incredible as 6 young adults from the UK who love to purchase lots of clothing go to India to work in the fashion clothing manufacturing industry beginning in the cotton fields west of Delhi and then all the way to the factories in the slums of Mumbai. This series is eye-opening… unfortunately this is the only clip currently available. However, I am in dialog with BBC and they are in the process of re-editing the series and releasing a DVD through their education department in summer 09… cannot wait! We will definitely play clips on our wall monitors in our shop as well on our website.

This video clip below is not really focused on the production end but rather on the journey these six young adults have from Delhi to the agricultural area where the cotton fields are. They are definitely in shock of the conditions that are normal for the majority of people in India.



Thread is the department within BBC responsible for producing BS&T. Thread is an online fashion magazine that is part of BBC dedicated to bringing the latest in eco-fabulous style. The Thread team is committed to these three principles regarding clothing:
1. Made and traded sustainably - where suppliers of raw materials receive a fair price and workers get a fair wage, with guaranteed rights.
2. Made of sustainable materials - minimising the impact of fashion on the environment. Material made from organic cotton that is safer for farmers, garment workers and the environment, as they’re free from chemical pesticides and fertilisers.
3. Recycled or vintage - keeping clothes out of landfill and cutting fabric waste in factories.

So in recap this is what BBC/Thread did… they developed this reality show called “Blood, Sweat & T-Shirts” (four one-hour episodes.) The producers picked out six fashionistas from around London and sent them to India to discover how their clothes are made. These six young adults are absolutely shocked as they walk into factories, slums, cotton mills and fields not only to see the injustice but to experience it, they had to work and live off the wages they are paid… talk about harsh reality!