World Factory – The Research Behind the Show World Factory – The Research Behind the Show

Cut wages by a third or sack half the workers? This evening looked at the dilemma facing a Chinese clothing factory and encouraged us to think about our own behaviour and the ethics of consumption today.

In 2015 a confrontational theatre show toured Great Britain. _World Factory _invited theatregoers to play a provocative game by imagining themselves in the role of the owner of a Chinese clothing factory. During this Thursday Night, the makers talked about the research behind this interactive theatre piece that interweaves the stories of people connected by the global fashion industry, from the factory floor to the catwalk and from London to Shanghai. The evening will closed with a debate: faced with several dilemmas, the audience was invited to discuss fashion's impact on the environment, working conditions in clothing factories, migration and globalisation. Sophie Koers (Fair Wear Foundation) joined this debate.

'How to turn a liberal hipster into a capitalist tyrant in one evening', The Guardian on World Factory

Metis is a performing arts company/network that creates interdisciplinary performance projects created through rigorous research. Its work in a range of media is driven by a fascination with maps, space, technology, travel and history. Simon Daw, Kate O'Connor and Lucy Wray will represent Metis at Het Nieuwe Instituut. _World Factory_ was performed in theatres throughout the UK in 2015. The company is currently exploring the possibility of an international tour.

Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) is an independent, non-profit organisation that works with companies and factories to improve labour conditions for garment workers. FWF's 80 member companies represent over 120 brands, and are based in seven European countries; member products are sold in over 20,000 retail outlets in more than 80 countries around the world. FWF is active in 11 production countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. FWF keeps track of the improvements made by the companies it works with. And through sharing expertise, social dialogue and strengthening industrial relations, FWF increases the effectiveness of the efforts made by companies.