Two organisations have launched an online competition that seeks suggestions for building a fair and sustainable apparel industry in Bangladesh. A panel of judges will examine the entries. The winners will be announced in the spring of 2016.

The organisations are C&A Foundation and Ashoka Changemakers. They are looking to transform the way the apparel industry works. The initiative is called ‘Fabric of Change’ and it will bring together social innovators and experts who have the ability to catalyse a transformation within the apparel industry.

While there is a growing concern within the fashion industry for sustainability and the working conditions of garment laborers, large-scale change has been slow to take hold. The catastrophic collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh highlighted many of the systemic problems that continue to plague the industry.

C&A Foundation and Ashoka Changemakers launched the challenge as part of a broader partnership that seeks to support talented social entrepreneurs working to make the apparel industry more equitable and sustainable. The partnership will also map promising innovations and opportunities for transformation in the sector.

C&A Foundation is a private foundation affiliated with the global clothing retailer C&A. The foundation works to transform fashion by helping build an industry that respects the rights of workers, improves livelihoods and conserves the environment.