Regardless of geographic position, clothes are a vital part of society. However, while a huge amount of attention is given to style and price, very little is given to their origin—especially in countries with a higher percentage of middle class and wealthy constituents. A multitude of clothes undergo an odyssey of their own before arriving on racks in stores like Adidas, GAP, and JCPenney. Many of times, the journey to consumer hands is not without tragedy.
The fashion industry is an enormous and lucrative business. According to the McKinsey Global Fashion Index, the industry is worth an estimated $2.4 trillion with an annual growth rate of 5.5 percent. In the United States, a staggering 97% of clothes bought were made somewhere else.
Despite extending its reach to countries all across the world, garment production is concentrated in Asia. Take a look at the labels of the articles of clothing in your closet and you will notice the same few countries listed on each label. And this shouldn’t come without surprise. China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and India are home to the largest garment manufacturing industries in the world.
However, in these countries, cheap labor does not come without consequence. Many workers are children forced into labor. Workers work long hours: an average of 14 to 16 hours a day. Workers, a majority of whom are women, also face sexual harassment and discrimination without any adequate system set in place to report these incidents. In many of these places, factories retaliate against workers who try to form or join labor unions. In terms of wages, workers usually earn at most minimum wage. In Bangladesh, the average worker’s wage is 13 cents per hour. Even though Bangladesh has low living costs, these low worker wages can at most cover basic living costs such as food and water. These workplaces are known as sweatshops.
For the past few years, countries such as China has relied on sweatshops to expand economic growth. This low-cost, low quality business model used by many fashion companies has increased the use of sweatshops and promotes an overbuying of clothes which then leads to sustainability concerns. Through lowering the cost of production—often at the expense of workers—companies are able to maximize their profit margins.
Because it is very hard for companies, who profit off of inhumane treatment of their workers, to change their practices, it is up to independent organizations to regulate and enforce labor laws in these countries. Unfortunately, this is not the case in most instances today. Many factories are monitored by inspectors who are paid off by the factory and companies. Many companies have also rejected calls by human rights groups to disclose supplier factory information. Transparency is extremely important because unauthorized subcontracting—where accountability and scrutiny is nonexistent—is often the root of the worst kinds of labor abuses.
However, there are initiatives being taken to implement better working conditions and equal rights for workers.
The National Garment Workers Federation has been fighting for worker rights since 1984. The NGWF has also been one of the organizations in the forefront of the trade union movement, advocating for the unionization of workers in the industry.
Independent organizations such as GoodWeave and Verite are dedicated to monitoring factories fairly, without bribes or pandering.
International labor organizations and global unions banded together to form a coalition advocating for transparency in the garment industry with a Transparency Pledge.
What can you do?
Good on You is an excellent app that lists companies that fit your ethical and sustainable clothing standards. Yes, clothes that are ethically sourced are typically more expensive. However, expenses must be exchanged in the act of balancing between ethical shopping and the want for low cost goods propelled by consumerism. In the effort to end sweatshops, it would be beneficial to also rethink buying habits. The cost of buying slightly more expensive clothes would be offset by buying less and buying less frequently.
In addition to buying ethically, it is crucial to spread awareness. Send a letter to your state or country representative informing them of this situation. Support organizations, such as GoodWeave and the National Garment Workers Federation, in their fight to end sweatshops and inhumane treatment of garment workers.
The fight against sweatshops and for ethical shopping is not going to be a short one. In order to make inroads in an industry that has long relied on a low cost, low quality business model, much has to be done with reforming labor laws, factory inspections, and transparency within the industry. However, we owe it to the millions of workers who suffer as a byproduct of today’s consumerism-focused economy.
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