introducing Rubymoon swimwear
We talked to Jo Godden, it's founder.
1. How would you describe your business in
3 words?
Sustainable, ethical, swimwear
2. What would be the longer description and what is
your mission?
We design, make and sell sustainable swimwear to fund
women's micro finance in developing nations, because
funding women makes fundamental positive change in
poor communities.
Our mission is to become the sustainable swimwear
brand of choice and invest in thousands of women
entrepreneurs around the world. Women helping women.
3. When and how did Ruby Moon begin its life?
2011 we formed a community interest company called
RubyMoon Design CIC
4. What do you think of the fashion industry as it is today?
In a word - horrific. We are manufacturing and purchasing four times as many items of clothing than we did in the 1980's. The majority of these garments subscribe to the 'fast fashion' ethos of low quality, fast turnover fodder that ends up in landfill. In the process this exploits the sewers trapped in low wage slave employment and creates serious environmental pollution of water supplies. It simply has to stop.
5. If you had unlimited powers how would you change it?
There are three easy steps to making clothing sustainable, particularly if we continue to manufacture overseas.
A, All workers in the clothing industry must be paid a living wage, not the living wage determined by governments, but one that people can actually live and raise a family on. This does not cost as much as you think it does.
B, All raw materials must be produced and certified as 'clean' in terms of their origin and processes. Eventually we will be able to use close loop manufacturing whereby we re-use every synthetic and natural fibre again and again.
C, All of the above must be certified by full-time western employees based in the countries of manufacture, and certified independently, without corruption. It's time for retailers and consumers to wake up and take responsibility for the true cost of what we wear.