“In the summer, the heat is unbearable so we have had the ambulance here six times this year because co-workers had heatstroke.” “I have been working in this factory for 15 years, and during that time we have been supplied with protective wear only twice, but the work is awful.” Another worker admits she works 45 hours to reach the planned production limits; if not met, her pay is reduced. We would never come to the conclusion that all three statements were from workers in Europe; no, when we think of Europe, our minds automatically visualize the fancy Eiffel Tower, high fashion catwalks, elegance, and quality. What we don’t correlate with European culture are poverty, sweatshops, and mistreatment of employees. Those are only prevalent in China and Bangladesh, right? Wrong. For some odd reason, when we see “Made in Europe” on our shoes and clothes, we tend to let our guards down, relieved that these items on our bodies are somehow more ethical than those made in China or other Southeast Asian countries. However, statistics and accounts from employees say otherwise. To tackle this misconception, organizations Clean Clothes and Labor Behind the Label have investigated 179 shoe workers from 29 factories across Europe in its “Labor on a Shoestring” campaign to reveal the stark realities of working in Europe’s shoe manufacturing in six low-wage production companies -- Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. This report shows that problematic working conditions and low wages are occurring endemically across global supply chains worldwide. Workers in all six countries receive extremely low wages that do not cover their basic needs or those of their families. In fact, they earn less than workers in Asia. They also complained of unpaid social insurance, extremely high and low temperatures in their workplaces, and multiple health risks due to the toxic chemicals used for the products. Here’s another shocking revelation that adds a crack to the mirage of European fantasy -- “made in Italy” shoes does not technically mean they were made on Italian soil. This is because of global outsourcing, which allows companies to cut parts of the shoe in one country, export them in another to assemble parts, and re-import them back to the original country free of duty. So while Italy may account for 50% of Europe’s shoe production, a more introspective look at the truth will show that many stages of the production process are outsourced to low-wage European countries, where workers suffer the most. So where does this leave us? The first step lies in honesty -- manufacturers must become more transparent not only about where the shoes are made, but about salaries and working conditions. Brands have a responsibility to make sure human rights are delivered for people who make their shoes. And we have a responsibility to call out those who don’t follow up and exploit labor behind labels that deceive consumers. For the actual report “Labor on a Shoestring,” click here.
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In correlation to our previous blog post about the do's and don't's of buying fast fashion second hand, here's a video that gives you a gist of what a thrifting experience is like! Youtuber Emily proves that you can incorporate any repurposed piece into an outfit that's just as trendy, if not even more unique and individual. It might seem like it's not much of a big deal, but taking a detour from the mall to the local Goodwill or Buffalo Exchange is one more step towards a sustainable planet that reduces and reuses.
It's impossible to stop our cycle of consumption completely -- but it's absolutely a doable job to make this cycle sustainable. Make a larger impact with your own distinct style while making a lighter footprint on the environment. There are two separate spheres of our shopping habits -- buying from fast fashion retail brands at the mall, and buying second hand at thrift stores.
But what do we do when these two worlds collide? What do we do when we see fast fashion brands at thrift stores? While buying fast fashion second hand is not completely off limits, there are some cautions to take when doing so. Youtuber Erin, more widely known as MyGreenCloset, names a few do's and don'ts of what we should be looking out for in this fairly common crossing of paths. Here's a summary of what she says in her video: 1. DO feel free to buy a fast fashion brand at a second hand store -- It's totally fine to pick up a pair of Nike shorts at your local Goodwill if you find one, because you're still not supporting Nike; your money is still going to the charity and you're still in for a good cause of shopping in the most sustainable way possible. With that being said... 2. DON'T buy clothes with huge, obvious logos of that brand. -- While it's okay to shop fast fashion at a second hand store, you want to try to avoid this because even if your money is not directly supporting them, pieces like that advertise that brand when you walk around with a conspicuous emblem of the game. 3. DO ask questions if something doesn't seem right. -- Although it doesn't happen too frequently, there were a couple of times where I saw multiples of the same item in a thrift store or a bulk of new pieces with tags still on. Keep in mind that this could mean that the store purchased by the bulk from that brand for discount. This hints at expediency since it's providing a place where the brands can get rid of their clothes without having to deal with their wastes and overproduction. If you ever see this on your trips to the thrift store or visits to resale websites, it would be a good idea to ask where these clothes came from to make sure that while shopping sustainably, you're not advocating disposable and cheap fashion at the same time. 4. DON'T tag or mention brands on social media. -- It's not really necessary to mention the brand, which indirectly supports the brand like the huge logos. When someone compliments an outfit you thrifted and asks where you got it, you want to relay the message of safe and slow fashion by mentioning that you bought it second hand, not the brand of it. When you say that your cute top is second hand from Zara, it's not encouraging them to shop second hand, it's encouraging them to shop at Zara. 5. DO research on where your money is going. -- It's nice to support charity shops that aline with your values, the causes that you back as well. That way, the ways you use your money have an echoing impact that goes beyond just one cause but connects with your morals as a whole. Buying fast fashion second hand is not an unapproachable field; anything's fair game as long as you remain as close to your conscious choices to shop sustainably as possible. View the whole video to get more details here. |
Our Goal:To inform on the ongoing crises that the clothing industry poses on our community and applaud any acts that rise over the conventional ways of consumption.
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