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Day 3 - Overseas Exploitation

  • Writer: Krushika Pg
    Krushika Pg
  • Mar 21, 2020
  • 2 min read

Would you buy a nice dress, or a handbag or some nice shoes while not giving a though to where, how and who helped create your new chosen fashion item? and how much they get paid compared to how much your new fashion statement cost?

Woodward, D (2017) The documentary exposing the dark reality of fast fashion

Do you think it is fair that some people should be exploited so you can have a cheap t-shirt?


Exploitation is everywhere in fast fashion. Despite many years of campaigning and promises from the fashion industry, poverty wages remain widespread amongst those who make the clothes we wear. In fact, the money that you would pay for everyday purchases like coffee might be about what some of these workers get paid for a day’s work. A recent study for Labour Behind The Label found workers in Bangladesh earning the equivalent of just £8.15 per week, just one fifth of the living wage in the region. Of 32 companies in the study, none could show that they had done anything to properly care for the people who make our clothes – despite most saying the supported living wages for workers.


There’s also lot of moral and ethical issues with the fast fashion industry as in countries like

India and Bangladesh. Many children are forced to work in factories as they get paid daily. And children work more for less pay.


This is creating a huge development issues for children. They are sacrificing education for low paid work, preventing whole countries from achieving their potential.


Most of the fast fashion companies contract out the production of their products and so they can claim that they are not aware of exploitation. They are only concerned about their supply chain and profits.


These brands target countries like India, Cambodia and Bangladesh, where they know that people are in need of money. And they know that they will work for less pay as they do not have any knowledge about their own fundamental and economic rights due to lack of education.

Fast Fashion brands take advantage or exploit that to feed an industry which is un-ethical and non-sustainable.

Try to do your research thoroughly into such Fast Fashion brands to know how they produce their clothes, and to be aware of such brands that allow exploitation. Do not consciously purchase from those who profit at the expense of children. Don’t contribute to their unethical practices


Today's Task:

How many jobs have you had so far? How much did you work? Look back on your own work experience to put everything into perspective.


- James Styles-Sayar & Krushika Gowda


References:

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