The True Cost of Your Fashion Choices
I was reading a book called “The Power of Noticing” by Max Bazerman. The book mentioned the Rana Plaza incident in one chapter and interestingly described how avoidable and predictable the incident was. I knew of the incident of course being from the industry back in 2013. However, 10 years after the incident this blog is a retrospective angle of what were some of the signs we missed before the disaster hit. For readers who are not familiar with the incident or terms like fast fashion I will create a small background to begin with.
What is the Rana Plaza incident?
The Rana Plaza building collapse in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, 24 April 2013.
Fast fashion is a term used to describe the rapid turnover of clothing collections, often at low prices, that are produced and sold by global brands. In recent years, fast fashion has become one of the biggest industries in the world, with companies like Wal-Mart, H&M, Zara, and Primark dominating the market. However, the fast fashion industry has been widely criticized for its negative impacts on workers, the environment, and society at large. One of the most tragic examples of these negative impacts was the 2012 Bangladesh factory collapse, which claimed the lives of over 1,100 people and injured thousands more.
Background
Multiple adverse effects of fast fashion
The fast fashion industry is built on a business model that relies on cheap labor in developing countries, particularly in Bangladesh. The country's garment industry is the second-largest in the world, and it employs over four million people, with 80% of the workforce being women. However, workers in the industry often face poor working conditions, low wages, and long hours. According to the Asia Floor Wage Alliance, the minimum wage for a garment worker in Bangladesh is 8,000 taka (around $95) per month, which is less than half of the estimated living wage of 20,000 taka (around $235) per month. Bangladesh's garment industry has been plagued by labor violations, including forced labor, child labor, and harassment. Moreover, the environmental impact of the industry is significant, with high levels of water pollution, land use, and greenhouse gas emissions.
The 2012 Bangladesh Factory Collapse
Factory workers of Rana Plaza held protests against the working conditions in the industry
On April 24, 2012, the Rana Plaza factory complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh, collapsed, killing over 1,100 people and injuring thousands more. The building housed several garment factories, producing clothing for global brands such as Walmart, Primark, and Mango. The collapse was one of the deadliest industrial disasters in history, and it brought attention to the dangerous working conditions and lack of safety standards in Bangladesh's garment industry.
The causes of the collapse were numerous and complex. The building was poorly constructed, with inadequate safety measures and substandard building materials. Moreover, the factory owners and officials were aware of the structural problems in the building but failed to address them. They forced workers to continue working in the building despite visible cracks and other signs of danger.
The responsibility for the disaster was widespread, and several parties were held accountable. The factory owners and officials were charged with criminal negligence and sentenced to prison. Additionally, the global brands that sourced products from the factories in the Rana Plaza complex were criticized for their role in the disaster. They had a responsibility to ensure that the factories they worked with were safe and that workers were not put in harm's way. However, many of them failed to conduct proper inspections or take action when safety concerns were raised.
Let’s back up and consider some red flags
Just 6 months before, on 24 November 2012, a fire broke out in the Tazreen Fashions factory in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. At least 117 people died and another two hundred were injured, making this the deadliest factory fire in Bangladesh history. The factory was making garments for the world’s largest retailer - Wal-Mart. Post disaster analysis suggested that the factory failed to meet any reasonable set of safety standards.
Going back 1.5 years before the factory fire, lets consider this account of an interaction between garment manufacturers and more than a dozen of western retailers including Gap Inc., Target, JC Penny and Wal-Mart.
Fast fashion retailers today focus on profits more than their people
At the meeting in Dhaka, the Bangladesh capital, in April 2011, retailers discussed a contractually enforceable memorandum that would require them to pay Bangladesh factories prices high enough to cover the costs of safety improvements. Sridevi Kalavakolanu, a Wal-Mart director of ethical sourcing, told attendees the company wouldn’t share the cost, according to Ineke Zeldenrust , international coordinator for the Clean Clothes Campaign, who attended the gathering. Kalavakolanu and her counterpart at Gap reiterated their position in a report folded into the meeting minutes, obtained by Bloomberg News.
General working conditions in Fast Fashion
Lets ask ourselves, who is to blame? The owners of the factory, or the retailers that demand price levels that cannot be met if reasonable safety standards for factory workers are in place?
The Demerits of Fast Fashion Brands
The 2012 Bangladesh factory collapse highlighted the negative impacts of the fast fashion industry. Fast fashion brands are known for their reliance on cheap labor and the exploitation of workers in developing countries. Workers in these countries often work in dangerous conditions, with low wages and long hours. They are also at risk of human rights abuses, including forced labor, child labor, and harassment. According to a report by Oxfam, workers in Bangladeshi garment factories (not workers, the factories) earn just 2-5% of the retail price of the clothes they produce. The fast fashion industry has been criticized for prioritizing profits over the safety and well-being of workers.
Fast fashion makes garbage through exploitation
Moreover, fast fashion brands contribute to environmental degradation. The industry's reliance on synthetic fibers and petrochemicals leads to high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and land use. According to a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions and is the second-largest consumer of the world's water supply. Fast fashion brands contribute to this environmental degradation by promoting a culture of disposability, where clothing is designed to be worn only a few times before being thrown away. This "throwaway culture" leads to massive amounts of textile waste, with the fashion industry producing over 92 million tons of waste every year.
Global environmental impact of fast fashion industry
Despite the widespread criticism of the fast fashion industry, many of the brands involved in the 2012 Bangladesh factory collapse have failed to make meaningful changes. While some have signed the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety, a legally binding agreement between brands and trade unions aimed at improving factory safety in Bangladesh, others have refused to do so. The Accord has made significant progress in improving factory safety in Bangladesh, with over 1,600 factories being inspected and over 90% of identified safety hazards being addressed. However, the agreement is set to expire in 2023, and there are concerns that progress could be reversed without a new agreement in place.
Responsibility of customer demand in fast fashion
85% of the customers do not care about how a product is made in order to make a purchase decision
While fast fashion brands and factory owners bear significant responsibility for the negative impacts of the industry, it's important to also consider the role that consumer demand plays in driving the industry. Fast fashion has become popular due to its affordability, trendiness, and accessibility, with consumers purchasing clothing at unprecedented rates. In fact, the average consumer today buys 60% more clothing than they did 15 years ago and keeps each garment for half as long.
The problem with this trend is that it encourages a culture of disposability, where clothing is viewed as something to be worn only a few times before being thrown away. This mindset has serious environmental consequences, with textile waste ending up in landfills and contributing to pollution and climate change. Additionally, it creates a cycle of exploitation, where workers are paid low wages and subjected to unsafe working conditions to keep up with demand.
Consumers should be critical about what they buy
As consumers, we have the power to make a difference by choosing to support sustainable and ethical fashion brands. By being mindful of our purchasing habits and opting for quality over quantity, we can reduce the demand for fast fashion and encourage brands to prioritize sustainability and worker welfare. We can also choose to repair and repurpose clothing, rather than constantly buying new items, and donate or recycle clothing we no longer need.
What is Slow and Sustainable Fashion?
Slow and sustainable fashion is an alternative to fast fashion that prioritizes ethical and sustainable practices. The slow fashion movement emphasizes quality over quantity, promoting clothing that is durable, timeless, and made to last. It also emphasizes the importance of transparency, encouraging brands to be open about their production processes and supply chains.
Everyday rules to combat fast fashion, they are simple and adheres to common sense
Sustainable fashion, on the other hand, focuses on reducing the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Sustainable fashion brands prioritize the use of Eco-friendly materials, such as organic cotton and recycled fabrics, and reduce waste by repurposing or recycling materials. They also prioritize worker welfare, ensuring that workers are paid fair wages and have safe working conditions.
By supporting slow and sustainable fashion brands, consumers can make a positive impact on the industry and support a more ethical and sustainable future. While these brands may be more expensive than fast fashion alternatives, they offer higher quality, longer-lasting clothing that is better for the environment and workers. Additionally, supporting slow and sustainable fashion can lead to a shift in the industry towards more ethical and sustainable practices.
Conclusion
The 2012 Bangladesh factory collapse was a tragedy that highlighted the negative impacts of the fast fashion industry. The disaster was caused by a complex web of factors, including poor building construction, inadequate safety measures, and the exploitation of workers. The responsibility for the disaster was widespread, with both the factory owners and the global brands that sourced products from the factories being held accountable.
The fast fashion industry has been criticized for its negative impacts on workers, the environment, and society at large. Despite some progress in improving working conditions and factory safety in Bangladesh, there is still much work to be done. Fast fashion brands must take responsibility for their role in the exploitation of workers and the degradation of the environment. They must work to ensure that their supply chains are transparent and that workers are paid fair wages and have safe working conditions. Additionally, consumers must also take responsibility for their role in the fast fashion industry and consider the impact of their purchasing decisions. Only through collective action can we create a fashion industry that is sustainable, ethical, and just.
