Even for those of us who aren’t that interested in fashion, we try to make sure to keep up with the times and wear something that will not embarrass us in our social interactions with people.
Well, here’s a fun fact for all of us: These cheap, flashy, and sturdy ready-to-wear (RTW) clothes have immense human costs behind them. To put it into perspective, these clothes are cheap because they are made in countries with low labor costs, low business taxes, and optimal access to global supply chains (which also lower their shipping expenses). This also means that workers work in conditions that would never be considered acceptable elsewhere in the world.
Workers work long hours (up to nearly 80 hours in a week) and get only minimum wage pay (which is just legally required for them to pay their workers). As such, most workers, which are mostly composed of children and women, work for another 20 hours’ worth of overtime just for their families to have a decent daily standard of living. Worse, they do not allow workers to undergo collective bargaining practices) and ply their trade in unsanitary and unsafe places (that often include zero ventilation, inhalation of toxic substances and fiber dust, and zero provisions to alleviate concerns regarding workers’ physical and mental health).
By the way, did we mention that workers get a ton of physical, mental, and emotional abuse from their bosses at work? Regardless of whether they are directly connected to the fashion house or are just part of a contracting company, higher-ups usually punish workers through insults, removal of breaks, or denying access to water. Personally, I doubt that slaves in ancient times have to endure the indignity of being denied access to water – as many of them worked historically in (arguably marginally) better conditions!
This is basically modern slavery. Imagine if you have to work under those conditions – and imagine that the clothes you wear every day to impress your bosses, co-workers, friends, and family are the fruits of said slavery.
Speaking of your skin and harmful materials, what if I told you that some of these cheap clothes, especially ones created in sweatshops, have chemicals that are harmful to your body in the long run?
Given how these practices have sparked outrage worldwide, many of the companies that specialize in fast fashion have (at least) begun to acknowledge this reality and institute measures that allow them to ensure, at least legally, that the rights of workers are protected. However, most of these measures aren’t permanent at all.
As such, the prevailing reality is that companies do not have an incentive to create better conditions for their workers unless customers demand them to do so. Yet, because fast fashion is affordable, especially for the middle class worldwide, there is still a lot of demand for these clothes despite the grim realities related to these fashion pieces.
Yet, there’s a glimpse of hope somewhere on the horizon.
Obviously, on the company side, there should be more awareness and accountability about the effect of unfair labor practices on the fashion industry at large. There should be an acknowledgment that these practices are inhumane and unsustainable, and there should be steps taken to rectify and make the situation better for everyone involved.
Frankly, if these steps mean raising the price of these clothes by a dollar or two, so be it – as long as it is guaranteed that these dollars reach the families of these workers and allow them to become free of the exploitative cycle that they are in.
In addition, DigitalAX should ask themselves if their customers want to have these clothes at all – there’s a cycle that needs to be followed. The truth of the matter is that there is overproduction of clothes on this planet, and more than half of this production will not even be worn by people. Going back to the above points, having less production while making sure that every step in the supply chain gets a profit is something that should be pursued.
On the consumer side of things, there are many developments that are now allowing them to break free from the grip of fast fashion, while at the same time allowing them to stay cool and look fancy. Fashion aficionados have started to buy from boutique stores that cater to their tastes, as well as from “direct stores” owned by the cultural or societal group in question. This, in turn, democratizes the consumption of fashion by ensuring that profits actually go direct to (and are enjoyed by) the people who work hard in order to conceptualize and bring these products to you.
If you still can’t get rid of your fast fashion itch, then buy second-hand clothes. Still, if you really want to have new ones, then look for clothes that have related certifications that show your clothes have been made in better working conditions.
In addition, cutting the middleman out and pursuing localized makers of fashion encourage these people to pursue better designs and express the richness of their cultures while at the same time allowing them to live a decent life, which is something that we all aspire for in the 21st century. These forms of fashion also tend to have minimal carbon footprints and utilize natural materials in their production, which is a win both for your body and for the environment at large.
The rise of NFT-based technologies also gives us an opportunity to pursue a more sustainable, environment-friendly, and humane approach towards the consumption of fashion. Since we spend most of our lives on social media and the virtual side of things, why not embrace the concept of digital fashion? If you think that dressing up your online social avatar may sound weird, remember that for everyone born after the year 1995, people using in-game cosmetics for pimping up their respective characters is considered to be hip and fashionable.
Are you now aware of these practices? Are you ready to become a more conscious consumer of fashion?
We all do have a part to play, and we can all do it in our own little way.