Fabric of Change

What We Do

Fabric of Change re-envisions a fair, sustainable apparel industry and a future in which all stakeholders are empowered to ensure that people and the planet are respected.

Ashoka launched Fabric of Change in partnership with C&A Foundation in 2015:  a 3-year global initiative to unlock the unique power and potential of social entrepreneurs and their solutions to advance a shared vision of a fair and sustainable apparel industry in which people are empowered and the planet is respected.

Today, we would like to invite you to join forces to continue this movement and transform the apparel industry into a force for good.

Types of Engagement

• SHARING INSIGHTS: Mapping trends, identifying design principles, and innovation opportunities based on leading social entrepreneurs addressing the various social and environmental issues of the industry
• SOURCING IDEAS: Crowdsourcing new solutions for industry challenges through an open-source global online “Changemakers Challenge"
• BUILDING COMMUNITY: Selecting and supporting a cohort of social entrepreneurs with transformational ideas for the industry
• CREATING CONNECTIONS: Accelerating the scaling up of their solutions by engaging key players such philanthropists, professionals, media influencers and sector experts to connect with the Fabric of Change network of system changers

What We Have Achieved To Date

• Selected 31 high-impact social entrepreneurs who actively develop solutions to societal challenges linked to the apparel industry including 10 new Ashoka Fellows who benefit from a 3-year stipend and a lifelong support through the Ashoka network
• Started to create a community of social entrepreneurs and like-minded changemakers across sectors through 3 inspiring collaborative events and online platforms
• Ran an accelerator program for 11 established social entrepreneurs to develop scaling-up/ open growth strategies (Globalizer program)
• Identified over 350 projects that change the industry around the world (Changemaker Challenge)
• Published a deep-dive research or "Social Innovation Mapping" revealing common patterns in the methods used by social entrepreneurs to create widespread change
• Invested over €650,000 directly in the projects of the social entrepreneurs
• Reaching 1,300 industry professionals through Fabric of Change linkedin group

Fabric of Change Social Entrepreneurs' Work

They work across topics, such as Improving working conditions, livelihoods and fair wages; Restoring the natural environment; Women empowerment; Supply chain transparency; Citizen engagement; Circular economy, etc. 

And collectively impact:

• Over 450,000 direct beneficiaries: industry workers, artisans & other citizens
• 1,800 businesses and organizations
• Totaling around 5,4 million indirect beneficiaries
• They changed systems and local policies
• And are contribute to creating an “Everyone a changemaker” world, engaging workers, industry professionals, consumers and communities

​What's Next? Join the Movement

As we are getting close to the end of the Fabric of Change program, Ashoka would like to continue this movement to transform the apparel industry into a force for good. After 3 years with a global sector emphasis, we will focus on the social side of the problem in the industry. The progress made since Rana Plaza are far from enough to respond to the widespread unacceptable reality too many garment workers still face to make our clothes. We will continue to identify, select and support social entrepreneurs working on supply chain innovations to fight workers exploitation and improve basic rights of garment factory workers, artisans and other apparel low-income employees - 75% of which are women.

Contact us if you are interested in joining the Fabric of Change movement and support the scale up of system change solutions to enable decent working conditions for all in the apparel industry !