Today we’re gonna glimpse at why we need ethical fashion in the first place. It’s not just a trendy phrase. Its a plea for justice. If you’re just tuning in check out my previous post on my favorite ethical fashion companies.
My great friend Michelle Palmer has stepped in to be our guest post writer!
With a masters degree in modern day slavery and a justice blog of her own, called Tuesday Justice, she is more than qualified to give us a glimpse on why we need ethical fashion so desperately. Now I’m going to let her take it away.
For starters, I need you guys to know that I love clothes. I love online shopping, real-life shopping and taking mirror pictures of my new outfits to send my friends. I love Project Runway. The new Tim Gunn/Heidi Klum show coming to Amazon that doesn’t even have a name yet? I am HERE. FOR. IT. The fashion industry that I love so much has made great strides in some areas – sustainable fashions have made a splash in recent years, as have more inclusive designs – and I love it!
Unfortunately, the garment industry isn’t free of injustice.
We’ve all seen the headlines about sweatshops, child laborers, and modern slavery. What I’d love to do now is say, “This is the culprit, and this is how we fix it.” It’s not that simple. The reasons that this injustice exists are multifaceted and complex, and our response to the problem must be as well.
One of my favorite resources for information on is verite.org.
Verite is a non-profit organization working for fair labor worldwide, and they publish tons of research on this stuff. In one particular paper, “Strengthening Protections Against Trafficking in Persons in Federal and Corporate Supply Chains,” they explain why the textile and apparel manufacturing sector is susceptible to varying levels of unfree labor, and site these risk factors: “Hazardous/undesirable work; vulnerable, easily replaced, and/or low-skilled workforce; migrant workforce; presence of labor contractors, recruiters, agents or other middlemen in labor supply chain.”
Understanding these risk factors helps us to understand why this industry is particularly bad for laborers.
– Hazardous/undesirable work:
Not only can work in the garment industry be physically dangerous, but there are also few protections for workers. Violations are common, and there often aren’t paths for compensation.
– Vulnerable, easily replaced, and/or low-skilled workforce:
Many workers in this industry come from vulnerable/marginalized populations, seeking a path out of poverty. Verite reports 85% of workers in the sector are women and girls, vulnerable to sexual abuse and harassment.
– Migrant workforce:
Migrants are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and human trafficking, because of their precarious legal status. Employers can use this against workers in various ways, including retaining their passports and visa documentation.
– Presence of labor contractors, recruiters, agents or other middlemen in the labor supply chain:
These middlemen can sometimes use the promise of high wages and good working conditions to exploit workers to pay excessive fees for connections, transport, and employment.
– Long, Complex, and/or Non-Transparent Supply Chains:
Retailers and clothing brands outsource manufacturing so they can focus on branding and marketing. Outsourcing and subcontracting results in many hands being involved in the manufacturing process. The longer the chain, the more difficult to monitor.
Again, I’d love to end this with a simple solution.
“Buy this, don’t buy that, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.” I wish it was that simple, but it just doesn’t work that way. But just because there isn’t an EASY solution doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do.
There are fashion companies working to disrupt the industry. Support them!
You can do this in so many ways, not just by buying what they’re selling, but by following them on social media and sharing what they’re doing. Brittany is an AMAZING example of this! I love the way she supports Noonday. Brands thrive on popularity and word of mouth support. It may not feel like much, but your support, both financial and virtual, matters.
Find YOUR way to support a more just and free world. Maybe you write, maybe you paint, maybe you teach.
Whatever you do, you can work towards justice. Just plug in.
Don’t know what you can do or who to support? Start here. Start with learning. As you learn and understand the complexities of the issue, you may just find the unique way that YOU can help.
Quick Links on Fashion:
- Fair Trade Fashion Show – Free the Slaves
- End Uzbek Cotton Crimes – Antislavery International
- The Need for Sustainable Fashion by Linda Greer, NRDC
- Slavery Free Commerce – Free the Slaves
- 2017 Tuesday Justice Gift Guide – Lots of ethical brands featured in this list!
- Wearing Justice: Confronting the Problems of Fast Fashion – Bethany Hebbard
- 5 Truths the Fast Fashion Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know – HuffPost
- 4 Things to Remember Every Time You Shop for Clothes – Huffington Post
- FACTORY45
More on Supply Chains:
- Know the Chain Search Tool
- Slavery in Supply Chains – Anti-Slavery International
- Teaching Supply Chain Managers How to Fight Slavery – Free the Slaves
Mark Anner, Voices from the supply chain: an interview with Mark Anner (video and transcript), Beyond Trafficking and Slavery.
Thank you Michelle for your great post! You’ve done a great job showing us a comprehensive view on WHY we need ethical fashion.
Cheer GLB readers! Next week we’re taking a break from heavy topics and taking a look at Rays 2019 Mardi Gras. Bahahaha!