Are We Honoring the People Behind our Clothes – Life, Safety & Freedom to Speak?
What Are Human Rights?
Comprehensively put by the United Nations:
“Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.” (United Nations).
In stating that all are entitled to human rights, are we, as people acting accordingly? Is humanity treated as equal or does it require conscious effort in order to uphold these truths? And in the case where there is obstruction of freedom to life, opinion and exclusion of slavery, who are the people making this gap evident.
In The True Cost, internationally-known Director, Andrew Morgan, set out to 13 countries to narrate and give voice to the unheard workers of the fashion and apparel industry. Whose rights to life, freedom from slavery, and opinion and expression have been bound by economic pressure from major brands and corporations. In materializing the negative impact, the collective industry has on human rights, the audience is left to question the entitlement of these rights and how they are taken away.
Before the point-of-sale, there are various steps from seed-to-store that touch people from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. And as the garment journeys closer to the consumer, those at the beginning of the supply chain become gradually muted until their liberties are not considered in the making of the garment.
The Beginning of This Journey Begins with the Seed
If you look in your closet, odds are a majority of the clothes you own are made from the world’s favorite, fluffy crop—cotton. It’s so popular that the world consumption of cotton in 2017-18 was estimated to 120.4 million bales and accounts for 16% of world pesticide use (Fibre2Fashion / The World Counts). But in this hyper-consuming model, what are the effects this consumption has on the farmer?
In the agriculture industry, the right to life is obstructed in a trickle-down effect from big corps like Monsanto to the lender to the farmer. Monsanto’s monopoly on seeds has created an environment where farmers are marketed to purchase insecticide-strong BT Cotton (the genetically modified seed) at a 17,000% higher cost, putting the farmer in debt assured by the promise of higher yielded crops.
Image from The True Cost
Though after a poor harvest, the farmer learns that in order for the initial seed purchase to deliver on its promise of controlling pests, they are required to purchase pesticides from the same companies that are selling the seeds. These pesticides, also known as the “ecological narcotic” of farming create a co-dependent environment as the more they are used, the more the plant needs to fight off pests. Between the usage of patented seeds and pesticides, the lands and crops that were once the farmer, legally become entitled to the corporation. As farmers stretch their means and labor to continue to purchase seeds and pesticides while attempting to support their families, they face the imminent threat of losing their land to the hands of corporations like Monsanto.
And the day that they do, their right to life is taken away. This economic pressure within the agriculture industry has attributed to the 250,000 farmer suicides over the last 15 years. Averaging 1 suicide every 30 minutes, these events are the largest recorded wave of suicides in history. Unfortunately, as we look deeper we see the impact of these practices affects more than the individuals, but the but communities as well.
Punjab India, one of the largest users of pesticides in India and one of the largest producers of cotton, has seen the residual pollution contaminate soil, air, and waterways. Within the community, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of birth defects, cancers, mental illness, and physical handicaps. With little resources and maximized labor, “ultimately, [the parents] have accepted the death of their kids” (True Cost). At the commencement of the garments journey, peoples’ right to life is taken away the moment a farmer is considered a commodity and their labor a means to profit.
Is there Freedom from Slavery in Garment Production?
From seed to yarn, a fabric is born and likely ends up in Bangladesh (home of the second largest garment and textile industry), Cambodia, China, Vietnam or stays in India. Within the garment industry, there are 40 million garment workers 75% of which are women and 80% of whom are 18 to 35 years old. Working long hours, for low-pay, given very-to little breaks in unsafe and toxic work environments, garment workers’ rights are neglected at the sake of saving costs for the brands outsourcing production. These developing countries have lower wages, different standards, and laws that are less enforced, appealing to the U.S. and European business looking to produce a high volume of cheap goods at a quick rate. So quick that some factories pressure their workers “to produce 100 pieces an hour” (Livia Firth). Under the pressure to deliver demand, factory owners neglect the well-being of their employees, putting their lives and the environment at risk.
In 2013 Bangladesh saw of the worst tragedies in fashion history, the Rana Plaza disaster taking the lives of 1,135 (mostly women) garment workers due to structural failure of the building and unwillingness to address concerns. Following the incident “three of the four worst tragedies in the history of fashion all happened” yet the “following year…was the industries’ most profitable of all time” (Andrew Morgan, The True Cost).
American and European businesses often refute harm done based on the fact that they are complying with the laws of the country and are not responsible for these incidents. There are those in the industry who believe businesses that outsource production to garment factories are positive for these communities by providing jobs which can be better than the alternatives, such as mining and more laborious work. The lack of responsibility businesses claim, the more pressure it puts on the worker to repeal.
Obstruction of Freedom of Opinion and Expression
In the absence of justice, garment workers attempt to unionize and peacefully protest for the institution of their rights. They contest for freedom of life, safety, and ability to support their families, though when advocating for change are met with violent and sometimes fatal consequences at the hands of factory owners and/or local law authorities. The dehumanization of the worker and farmer is a major issue within the industry but changing due to increased transparency and greater awareness.
This change has been catalyzed by addressing the disconnect between the consumer and the worker in which brands are responsible for influencing. In all aspects of the supply chain businesses have a responsibility to not exploit the workers and value them the same as their counterparts. Additionally, brands must discontinue the argument that enforcement of stricter labor standards in countries where production takes place will obstruct their freedom and ability to do business abroad. This mentality is destructive and proven untrue as business models like Fair Trade provide evidence that profit can be made, market value can grow, and workers can still be empowered.
Fair Trade Promotes Right to Work and Education
Within the Fair Trade model, brands are committed to using their business as a foundation to support economic development in developing countries and fight for a fairer way for communities who have limited options. Fair Trade production and farming ensure that workers are paid beyond the minimum wage, but a living wage, and promote sustainable practices, prioritizing the safety and health of the workers. In communities where “child labor is inextricably linked to poverty, lack of education, and/or low wages for adults, as well as lack of free education”, fair trade helps workers secure a better life and prevent child labor (Common Objective).
The Power of a Purchase and Certification
By offering Fair Trade certified products brands help re-connect the hands and hearts behind clothes by communicating the impact their purchase has through the Fair Trade Mark, inviting consumers to take immediate take action and fight for human rights in the fashion industry.
As farmers and workers continue to share their testimonies and the consumer gains access to the secrets within fashion supply chains, brands need to offer greater transparency to show that they care, honor and respect the worker. In doing so, brands must hold themselves accountable and take series that outsourcing production to developing countries does not equate lack of responsibility and commit to using their brand as a means to an end of the obstruction of human rights in the fashion industry.