Fashion has always been an integral part of self-expression. However, we are often unaware of the costs associated with buying fashion from many famous retail brands in terms of their ethical and human rights violations. It often makes me wonder why governments and big corporations continue to operate and support sweatshops when they have the ability to treat their workers fairly in Western countries but exploit workers in under-developed countries by taking advantage of their lack of labour rights and safety regulations. I am well aware of the fact that a lot of us cannot afford to always buy from sustainable brands. But, I believe the overarching idea to take away from this situation is that influential corporations should not normalize hazardous working conditions in the first place. Unfortunately, our society has prioritized monetary gains over human rights many times and that will likely continue to happen as we are susceptible to greed. Countless individuals lose their lives or get injured working daily in garment factories, and it is important to advocate for their rights as we wear the products of their hard work and creation every day. Â
Rana Plaza
To understand the gravity of the situation, we can look at the Rana Plaza accident as a testament to the horrible working conditions imposed on individuals, irresponsibility from factory owners and operators, and safety violations. The Rana Plaza incident occurred in Bangladesh and is considered one of the deadliest collapses in the garment industry. More specifically, it led to the death of over 1,100 people and disabled others. It should also be noted that the owners and operators of this garment facility, which produced clothes for brands such as Joe Fresh, knew about the structural issues and the problems with the building material. Furthermore, the building’s owner, Sohel Rana, illegally added floors to the building, ignored structural advice from engineers, and made plans to flee after the incident. To further elaborate, large power generators shook the whole building, especially the top floors. This incident brought international attention to unsafe working conditions and the exploitation of workers for profit motives. Bangladesh continues to be one of the main producers of this industry, and these industries also make up a large portion of the country’s economy. However, I do not think economic reasons should justify the mistreatment of individuals, especially when these conditions do not exist in many Western factors, which further highlights the double standard within this industry. Rana Plaza produced clothes for Walmart, Gap, Adidas, Joe Fresh, and many other brands. After this accident, some companies donated money to relief efforts, but none of these reimbursements would have occurred if this case did not receive global attention. To further add, in light of recent events, the COVID-19 pandemic has made this industry even more vulnerable as employees have been laid off and are made to find work at places that have conditions that worse than the ones at the factories.Â
Ethical Dilemma
Unfortunately, there is an immense ethical dilemma associated with this situation, and it is essential to understand all perspectives. From my perspective as a buyer, I often feel guilty for buying from brands that support sweatshops, but it is also difficult to buy from sustainable brands as a student because they are more expensive. On the other hand, many workers in Bangladesh still want to maintain their role in the garment industry due to the economic factor I mentioned previously. My perspective may be that human rights should be prioritized instead of solely economics. On the contrary, it is vital to understand that people in developing countries main goal is to provide for their family, and they are willing to go to any length to achieve that. With that being said, our generation prioritizes sustainability over fast fashion, and that may lead to transformations within the industry. In terms of ethics, should companies place their benefits ahead of those of the workers when the workers are the ones keeping the company in business through their crafts? This question is posed in direct correlation to Rana Plaza because unethical treatment was motivated by conflicts between profit goals and safety. Every company has the ethical obligation to ensure that their employees have appropriate suitable working conditions, but it seems that this line is blurred in this specific industry far too many times. How many deaths will it take before transnational corporations realize the effects their self-interest has on others?
Can Change Happen?
In a highly globalized world, pre-existing societal constructs make it ever more difficult for positive change to occur in the garment industry in developing countries. Changes in labour laws and prioritizing worker safety should be one of the main goals I think we should expect to see in the future as more people globally advocate for these changes to be made. One of the United Nations’ sustainability goals is no poverty, and it is a fact that many people in those countries are forced to work in factories due to their financial state and lack of support from other government infrastructures. Furthermore, sustainability is one of the main problems because the mass creation of clothing we see from fast fashion companies consumes many resources and contributes to rising pollution. Another UN goal is gender equality, and even in 2023, this goal is yet to be achieved in the textile industry. Women are paid less than men in Bangladesh for the work they do. At the same time, these women are subjected to horrible working conditions, have to work overtime, and receive little to no education due to being sent to these factories starting from a young age. To highlight the seriousness of the lack of human rights in this industry, I want to elaborate on the working conditions. In Bangladesh, garment factories are overcrowded, there is a lack of air ventilation, and workers are exposed to toxic gasses that can lead to diseases such as cancer. Additionally, there are no exhaust fans for ventilation, and workers are not provided with face masks to deal with this issue, an effort made by factory owners to save money despite making millions. At the same time, there are no fire exists or fire alarms, and there are an inadequate number of bathroom facilities that can accommodate all of the employees. Rana plaza was a monumental moment for the garment industry and brought to the surface all of the issues hidden away for years to light. It cost the lives of over one thousand workers for some companies to realize that change is needed. Despite the lives lost to Rana Plaza, Walmart has rejected proposals of increasing product prices to improve electrical safety and working conditions for the factories. The reasoning for this was that it would be too costly to implement; keep in mind that the company’s annual gross profit is around $129B. H&M decided to follow a different route, making around 1000 unannounced factory visits to ensure worker safety in terms of their code of ethics. Furthermore, the Accord on Factory and Building Safety in Bangladesh was signed by companies to ensure that retailers would be required to help finance safety and building improvements. The two faces of the fashion industry are truly reflected when on one hand, companies promote and foster acceptance and kindness campaigns in developed countries and on the other, violate countless human rights of their factory employees.
Demand quality, not just in the products you buy, but in the life of the person who made it.
– Orsola de Castro
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