At What Cost?

Fashion has drastically changed over the years and now you can buy clothes cheaper than ever. Consumers value low cost and high quantity. This is all thanks to ‘Fast Fashion’. The documentary, The True Cost, talks about the harsh reality of the fashion industry.

The United States used to manufacture the majority of apparel products, but now they only manufacture about 3%. Why has this changed so much? U.S. fashion companies have developing countries, like Bangladesh, Cambodia, and India manufacture clothing, so these large fast fashion companies can profit off of globalization. Some might think that this is great for people living in 3rd world countries, because it is creating jobs. Creating jobs means people being able to support their families. However, this is not the case, because garment factory workers get paid very little money, they have to work long hours, and in unsafe work environments. Shima, a garment factory worker, says she makes ten dollars per month. Take a second and try and wrap your head around that. As a person living in the United States, with your lifestyle, think about how bizarrely different we live. This summer I worked at a retail store and made twelve dollars an hour. I make more money an hour, standing behind a register in an air conditioned building, than this young girl makes a month, working all day long in poor work conditions. These people are treated like they are worth nothing, when really these are the people physically making the clothing on our backs. Shima formed a union at the factory and decided to go to the managers and owners of the factory to demand better work conditions and a raise. The managers locked the doors and attacked the people part of the union. I don’t mean verbally attacked, but they were physically beaten and kicked. Can you imagine having to come back to work, knowing your managers not only attacked you but also couldn’t care less about you? However, as evil as these managers sound, they don’t have as much control over the situation as you may think. Fast fashion companies in the U.S. demand the cheapest cost of goods, so they can charge consumers a low price in order to beat their competitors and make a profit. If clothing manufacturers tell these large companies “No”, they will drop them and find another manufacturer that will give them the lowest price. If these large companies drop them, they will lose business and be forced to close the factory. When fast fashion companies are demanding these low prices, these garment factory managers have no choice but to neglect the work environment and pay the workers less, in order to afford to manufacture the desired products.

In India, farmers walk the cotton fields spraying pesticides and fertilizers everyday. A couple of doctors have come to the realization that these chemicals are causing severe health problems, such as mental illnesses and cancers. Some children in India have mental disabilities, leaving them with a very poor quality of life. Because of such unsafe work environments in India, there have been 250,000 recorded farmer suicides. It’s common to see people with rashes, deformations, skin discoloration, tumors, and many other physical defects. This is the effect of living and working in an environment with so many harsh chemicals.

The fashion industry is the runner up for producing the most waste in the world. Fast fashion, from a consumer’s point of view, seems amazing. You get to buy more clothes for a lower price. Unfortunately, the meaning of fashion has changed. Fashion used to be focused on craftsmanship, quality, and only owning a couple of pieces. People would spend more money for staple items. Our generation is very “faddish”. Trends come and go faster than ever before. Consumers will buy a jean jacket and then in a month or two give it away because it’s out of style. Fast fashion has picked up on this new way of consumer thinking. There used to be two seasons of clothing and now there are 52 seasons. Fast fashion will get a look-alike dress that Hailey Baldwin was wearing in stores in a week. When trends come and go so quickly, people buy at the same pace. But, before you know it, consumers are onto the next trend. So what do we do with a closet full of clothes with “dated” clothing? People give them away or worse, throw them away. Fashion is not and should not be a disposable product. Fashion should be garments you buy, adore, and keep for life. Some consumers in the U.S. send their old clothes to people in need in Haiti, which is very thoughtful. But, this has turned into a big problem. A ton of clothes are being sent to Haiti, and it’s creating waste and taking up more than enough space. The fashion industry is toxic and quickly destroying Earth. The dyes and chemicals that are used to manufacture clothing ends up polluting the water in developing countries. Chromium can get in the water, and cause health problems, like Jaundice and Liver Cancer. Vegetables can be contaminated as well, causing serious health issues. Fast fashion wants new trends in their stores quickly, so manufacturers have to produce even faster. When we are manufacturing, buying, and throwing away clothes at such an alarming rate, it seems impossible to slow down.

I have watched this documentary a couple of times and every single time I watch it, it shakes me to my core. Honestly, it makes me want to change my major and stay as far away from the fashion industry as possible. But, then I realize that I need to be in the fashion industry more than ever before. I want to change the world of fashion. Documentaries like this one try to make people aware of what’s happening and once you know what a negative impact fast fashion is making, you realize it’s time for a big change. I don’t want to be a designer or CEO of a company that just cares about money and ignores all of the issues in the industry. I want to face them head on. Fashion needs to be about beautiful people wearing beautiful clothes and feeling confident, in a safe and sustainable way. It doesn’t have to lower people's quality of lives or cause severe health issues to children. It doesn’t have to cause farmers to want to end their own lives or rip off the people that are physically making our clothing. Fashion was once a beautiful thing and it has turned ugly and made people greedy. Consumers just want more, more, more and then they throw it away like it means nothing. That is not what fashion should be. I strongly believe more people should be aware of these negative impacts of the fashion industry, acknowledge them, and change our ways.

When it comes to globalization, it is important that we understand and respect other cultures and people from other countries. Whether they are a very wealthy country with a booming economy or a very poor country, we need to respect everyone the same. I believe, designers and people dealing with supply chain management should visit the countries that manufacturer our goods. Honestly, it’s a lot easier to care less about certain situations over the phone. It’s a lot easier to try and rip off garment factories over emails. But if you physically visit these developing countries, go to the factories, and speak with the employees, you will have more perspective and naturally more compassion for these people. When we work in air conditioned buildings, talk on Apple iPhones, and sit in padded chairs, it’s so easy to forget that not everyone lives that way. It’s very easy to forget about all of the struggles of developing countries. Why? Because we don’t live under those circumstances.

In order to create opportunities for developing countries, we simply need to change the mindset of consumers and make them more aware of sustainability and transparency. We must slow down fast fashion and either take down large retailers, like H&M, or make them change their ways. We can’t keep shopping with prices this low. Consumers need to realize the negative aspects of these low prices. Next, we need to pay manufacturers more for their products. The employees deserve to be paid enough to support their families. They work harder than anyone in retail and corporate. Even if a company is operating at a loss for a year or two, it is a risk we should take. We need a big change in this industry and it calls for drastic measures. The supply chain management is a team. We are all working to get a certain product to the consumer and we should treat these people like a team.

This is a must-see documentary, not only for people in the fashion industry, but consumers too. People need to become aware of what is currently happening in this industry right now. It needs to shock people and make them feel something. It’s the only way we can change the mindset of consumers and designers. I truly feel like retailers need to take accountability and use their power to change fashion for the better.

Sources:

(2015, July 17). Retrieved September 26, 2018, from https://www.netflix.com/watch/80045667?trackId=13752289&tctx=0,0,f57cdd9ca912004c9d39ef34d993a055ec3bac47:0776ac0c1bbb55050a5acc1484e6b934f0a32b77,,

U. (2015, April 23). Retrieved September 26, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaGp5_Sfbss