Is there slavery in the fashion industry?
Dressember Reading Day #22
Every day during the month of December, we’re answering common questions and breaking down different aspects of human trafficking on our blog and Instagram. Join us in raising awareness about the injustice of human trafficking by sharing, donating, or joining the Dressember campaign (it’s not too late!).
Dressember uses fashion to spread awareness of human trafficking, but did you know that the fashion industry can contribute to human trafficking? In fact, garments are the second largest imported product linked to modern slavery.
So, where in the fashion industry does human trafficking occur?
Human Trafficking occurs at every stage of the fashion industry. Slave labor can be used to pick the cotton, sew the garment, and even to model the finished product.
But why the fashion industry?
We’re glad you asked. “Fast fashion” has generated a need for companies to produce garments at a cheaper price. In order to respond more rapidly to fashion’s latest trends, manufacturers need to make more clothes but at a lesser cost. By not paying employees a fair wage (or any wage), billion-dollar corporations are able to generate a greater profit. When we buy from these companies, we’re supporting their exploitative practices.
How do I know if I shop at a store that uses slave labor?
According to the Global Slavery Index, $127 billion worth of garments are created by slave labor and imported annually to G20 countries (like the United States and Canada). The Index does not name any specific corporations that utilize slave labor, but DoneGood and Dressember’s Ethical Fashion Directory can introduce you to brands that use ethical practices and provide you with alternatives for brands that need improvement.
Ask yourself who made your clothes.
Corporations build their factories in developing countries to keep their costs low which leads not only to the use of slave labor but also the use of child slave labor. In countries like India, where textile and garment production occurs, there are lots of young girls who are familiar with the trade and are willing to work for low wages. Children’s small hands are better suited for picking cotton, and sewing cheap garments for the fast fashion industry only requires minimal amount of skill. If you can’t determine where your clothes came from or who made them, it might be time to start asking questions. By not shopping at companies that use slave labor, we can encourage them to change their practices.
Let’s make it even easier for you.
While there are high-end brands that have been known to use slave labor, an easy way to tell that a garment wasn’t ethically made is by looking at its price tag. If the price of the garment doesn’t leave enough room for a fair wage for its creator, it was most likely made using slave labor.
Dressember is about reclaiming fashion as a symbol of freedom. When you purchase ethically made clothing and question its origins, you are using fashion as a positive representation of power and proving that the fashion industry doesn’t need human trafficking in order to thrive.
Further Resources:
The National Human Trafficking Hotline’s report on factories
Victoria Shircliffe is a superfan of the television show "Once Upon a Time," and when she’s not working at the public library, she’s travelling across the country to fan conventions! She recently graduated from Bellarmine University with a degree in English and Marketing Communication and hopes to pursue a Masters in English. She is passionate about feminism, fairy tales, and fighting human trafficking.