Green Party leader Zack Polanski wears Brothers We Stand’s ethical styles for his Attitude Magazine main story.
In the last year Polanski has brought a positivity to politics that has resonated with many. The Green party has tripled its membership in a year to 190,000 putting them in third place behind Labour's membership of 250,000 and Reform whose website claims 270,000. Alongside traditional green values Polanski is sharing a more encompassing message of hope for a society that values all equally.
Polanski wears Yarmouth Oilskin’s Engineer Jacket. This jacket is made by craftspeople at the brand's own factory in the coastal town of Great Yarmouth. Conditions in the factory are familial and many of the team of 20 have worked here for over 25 years. These skilled artisans continue a tradition that goes back even further, as the company has made hardwearing garments on the same site for over one hundred years.
Underneath the jacket Polanski wears a jumper by KnowledgeCotton Apparel. This jumper was made by an equally ethical factory a little further afield. Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills is based in Kolkatta, Eastern India. They were one of the first factories to work with organic cotton. Today they actively encourage workers to join any union they like and provide financial support for the education of workers' children up to university level.
In his interview with Attitude Magazine Polanski calls for a re-imagining of capitalism, “People often think that criticising capitalism is criticising markets, the idea that people can’t buy and sell things anymore, and that’s absolutely nonsense,” he says. “So I think it’s being very specific about what capitalism is, i.e., the hoarding of assets, hoarding of capital, the removal of the means of production for workers to be able to create their own work or receive the value added from the benefit of their work.”
I believe Brothers We Stand is an example of the kind of ethical 'buying and selling’ Polanski is calling for. Our ‘Look behind what you buy’ concept gives ethical brands of all sizes the opportunity to share the production story behind their products. As these stories are shared, I am proud that Brothers We Stand is a platform that puts the impact of production on workers and the wider community front and centre.
Find the 'Look behind what you buy' link on any product page to discover who made it, with strong points and areas for development highlighted.