As you peruse the latest spring styles at your favorite retailers, take a moment to remember those behind these garments: their makers. Many work in dangerous conditions for low wages without regard for basic human rights; this industry also creates considerable environmental degradation and waste pollution that affects women disproportionately compared to men.
Exploitation of garment workers is one of the many consequences of fast fashion business models that have become common in fashion industry. Companies aim to produce new styles quickly to capitalize on consumer demand; offering trendy looks at an affordable price can only be done with cheap labor and cutting corners in production.
Developing nations offer attractive environments for garment factories due to cheap labour costs and tax breaks; however, they often fail to follow environmental regulations. Many factories discharge untreated toxic wastewater directly into rivers which then pollute evaporation and runoff waters with lead, mercury, arsenic and other chemicals which pollute marine life as well as local populations who drink from these rivers. This contamination eventually makes its way out into the sea resulting in marine life mortality as well as impacts upon local populations who depend on these water bodies as drinking sources.
Alongside unsafe working conditions, garment workers often do not receive adequate maternity or sick leave to care for their families when they become ill or injured, and are prevented from forming unions due to government laws and export zone restrictions that prohibit them from voicing their own interests. The 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse brought these exploitation issues into public view but progress has been slow and limited since that time.
Garment production generates vast amounts of waste, with materials no longer considered fashionable or in good condition being disposed of after they become no longer desirable. This contributes to climate change as it degrades soil and water worldwide – the clothing industry accounts for an estimated 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions!
With the right mindset, we can all play a part in shifting how fashion is produced and consumed. Adopting slow fashion practices that support ethical purchasing can help shift fashion away from exploitative practices that put the environment and garment workers at risk.
With L.A. Fashion Week fast approaching and spring collections hitting stores, we can show our support for those who make clothing by shopping more consciously. Check out the brands listed below, and pledge to shop sustainable and fair-trade apparel whenever possible.