Fast fashion & the global textile industry
Fast fashion Fast fashion is a term used to describe how we consume clothes. Highstreet retailers such as H&M, Zara & Primark encourage our vice of consuming by releasing new lines of clothing frequently & at disposable prices. This has been made possible by globalisation and the use of cheap labour in third world countries. If a garment has a cheap price tag, somebody else is also paying, possibly with their own life. We hear about it a lot in the media, but like our clothes, news is treated as a disposable commodity; we are sold it, we consume, we lose interest & the next new thing comes along. We forget about the global textile crisis because another catastrophe is occupying the media’s attention. But it is still happening.
OUT OF SIGHT
OUT OF mind
how many skeletons are in your closet? A visualisation of the origins of my wardrobe
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***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** *****************
***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** The global supply chain is vast and
complicated. Due to its scale and the amount of parties involved, there are many levels of
subcontractors, which make the entire process
hard to regulate. It is important to keep in mind that brands like H&M will market clothes as
“Conscious” in order to sell their products, but without any conviction to the cause. When a
retailer says they employ safety inspectors to
ensure good working conditions in factories, the reality is that these standards are never met*.
A green H&M label reads “Conscious” leading us to believe we are buying an ethically made t-shirt but it is only referring to the way the cotton is produced and not factory working conditions.
***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** ***************** *CONFESSIONS OF A SWEATSHOP INSPECTOR
w h at ’ s I N t h D A N G E R O U S WO R K TO X I C P O WO R K I N G T I L L FORCED O E X P L O I TAT SE X UA L HA I M P R I SO N M E N T W I TH FA C TO R UNDERAGE
his season? KING CONDITIONS O I SO N I N G L E X HA U ST I O N OVERTIME I V E WA G ES HA R AS s M E N T TH I N THE WO R K P L A C E Y F I R ES E LABOUR
people make yo new jea look o
die to your ans old
Sandblasting is a process used to make new denim look worn. If performed without the correct safety precautions, silica particles fill the lungs. The body is unable to expel these particles, causing silicosis, which can be fatal. Subcontractors use workshops that are unregistered and uncontrolled; they are usually cramped, unventilated (purposefully to prevent escape of dust, which would incur extra costs) and lacking in protective equipment. When new laws prevent unsafe sandblasting, subcontractors move to countries with looser regulations to keep the price down. In order to generate as much money as possible sandblasting comes at the price of workers lives.
FACTORY
that was so
Y FIRES?
last month
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“The first alarm: Waved off by managers. An exit door: Locked. The fire extinguishers: Not working and apparently ‘meant just to impress’ inspectors and customers. That is the picture survivors paint of the garment-factory fire Saturday that killed 112 people who were trapped inside or jumped to their deaths in desperation.” Associated Press report on the Tazreen factory fire, Dhaka, Bangladesh November 24, 2012.
Tazreen was not a one off occurrence. Fires in garment factories happen regularly. In the past 10 months there have been over 50 fires in garment factories in Bangladesh alone (BBC’s Panorama: dying for a bargain). Exits are commonly locked, windows barred, to stop employees from clocking out early or stealing goods.
7.00am start work. Finish at 2.30am the next day. Get a few hours rest. Wake up. Repeat.
Ha-Meem Sportswear LTD of Dhaka, Bangladesh force 19.5 hour shifts upon their workers. which earns them £2. BBC’s Panorama: dying for a bargain
SALE £4.99
1-2% of what is paid for a garment goes to the person who made it.
The rapid turn around of retailer clothing lines puts pressure on manufacturers. The high demand and tight production schedules result in forced unpaid overtime and no breaks for employees. Workers comply for fear of losing their jobs. Employees worked into a state of exhaustion & fainting ** is a common occurrence. This is in part due to long hours, but also can be attributed to buildings without ventilation and poor diet because of not being provided a living wage. Are we living in an age where slavery is still abundant? If you were to pay even just a little more for your clothes, and that extra money went straight to the textile workers, it would go along way for them.
**In Cambodia there were more than 2,100 recorded incidences of mass fainting in 29 factories in 2012. Many more go unreported and unaccounted for (Shop ‘Till They Drop: fainting & malnutrition in garment workers in Cambodia, a report by Labour Behind the Label).
Due to the complexity & established nature of the textile industry, there are no clear resolutions. So I leave you with some ideas. It is up to you:
Be active in your decisions Do not consume passively. Think before you buy. Know where your clothes come from.
Dont support fast fashion The people with the real power to change the way the garment market works, are the big retailer companies. If they weren’t so concerned about maximising their profits the situation could change. Until they do perhaps it is time to stop fuelling their greed. Buy garments only when necessary. Avoid the global supply chain as much as you can. It is possible to find domestically made clothing, if you are willing to pay a bit more money. Ask yourself, is it worth parting with a bit more cash? If it isn’t maybe it’s an unnecessary purchase?
A stitch in time saves 9 Darn your socks. Try your hand at repairing clothes. You might even get a sense of satisfaction out of it. Google will be your tutor.
second hand Second hand clothing can be more unique & interesting. Charity shops sell clothes at very affordable prices. Try clothes swapping.
FURTHER READING
www.todiefor.info
TO DIE FOR