Cheap fashion is exploitation. The recent collapse of the garment factory in Bangladesh killing over 1000 workers, many of them young women, is a tragedy that didn’t need to happen. So what role did retailers who source from overseas play in this tragedy? Is there a price to pay for cheap fashion?How can anyone sell a pair of jeans for less than what it cost 10 or even 20 years ago? Well the answer is it’s not efficiency, its exploitation. That is the exploitation of vulnerable garment workers in developing countries. This is not just in Bangladesh but the use of sweatshop labour is systemic throughout Asia and in most developing countries where clothes are made. The question responsible clothing retailers should be asking is how we prevent another tragedy, such as that in Bangladesh, happening again. For Australian retailers and designers the answer is ethical supply chain management or ethical sourcing. The question then is doing it locally or do you source from overseas.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 02:53:47 +0000
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