According to the Department of Labor, over half of the garment factories in the United States are sweatshops. The popularity of sweatshops began at the turn of the 20th century, as consumer demand rose for trendy but inexpensive off-the-rack clothing. Given the difficulty of mechanizing the clothing manufacture process, cheap human labor was needed to produce more garments by hand. Manufacturers reacted by outsourcing production globally to countries like Asia for low-wage, union-free “sweatshop” contractors, allowing them to cut costs and increase profits at the expense of human labor.
The True Cost of Cheap FashionSome of the worst sweatshop offenders in the U.S. are companies like H&M, Forever 21, The Gap, Nike and Guess, who offer disposable, “fast fashion” at a bargain to meet everchanging style trends. Along with other big box brands, these companies employ millions of contract laborers around the world. According to Nancy Jones, the Executive Director of Chicago Fair Trade, Chicago FairTrade.org (CFT)—a local non-profit dedicated to promoting and certifying fair trade businesses, most sweatshop workers earn below minimum wage. This amount provides only half of what is needed for basic nutrition, clothing and shelter, education and transportation. In addition, employees are often subjected to unsafe, toxic working conditions, long hours and physically debilitating quota systems. Away from the watchful eye of union representatives or law enforcement, physical and sexual abuse at the hands of employers is rampant. Since women and children represent the cheapest, most disempowered portion of the sweatshop work force, more often than not, they are the primary victims of these abuses. In addition to hurting people, fast fashion is devastating to the environment. According to the U.S. EPA, the textile industry is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gases and pollution. Each step required to make a garment (including spinning, weaving, dyeing and printing) consumes vast amounts of water and chemicals. In addition, traditional garment manufacturing releases numerous VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
A Just ExchangeAccording to the Fair Trade Federation, Fair Trade is a system of just exchange that honors producers, communities, consumers and the environment. This is done through:
1.) Support of small scale artisans
2.) Fair, safe labor conditions
3.) Payment of a living wage
4.) Direct, accountable trade with producers
5.) Gender equality and no child labor
6.) Community development and reinvestment
7.) Democratic, transparent cooperative organizations
8.) Building capacity through education and best practices
9.) Environmental sustainability
10.) Respect for cultural diversity and heritage.
Jones believes consumers can put a stop to injustice by purchasing fair trade fashion. “As long as people continue to demand disposable fashion at cheap prices, the garment industry will continue to wreak havoc on people and the planet. By purchasing fair trade, we show that we care more about people than money.” Through education and outreach, CFT is helping Chicago become a fair trade city. You can support CFT by attending its annual Globalfest: Africa fundraiser on October 14th at the Akainyah Gallery. The event will include an eco-fashion show featuring CFT designers. Visit their website for details.
Conscious ConsumptionWith rising awareness about injustices in the garment industry, consumer interest in ethically sourced fashion is on the rise. In fact, the market for fair trade products has grown to over $1 billion annually. Socially responsible companies such as Indigenous Designs (
IndigenousDesigns.com), are supplying the demand. CEO and co-founder Scott Leonard and his partner Matt Reynolds are helping turn “fashionistas into passionistas” by empowering them to “wear their commitment to people and the planet on their sleeves—without sacrificing style.” Through his company, a certified B (for benefit) corporation, he produces beautiful hand-knit dresses, sweaters and shawls made by artisans in Peru from natural fibers, including alpaca, peace silk, merino wool and organic cotton. World of Good (
WorldofGood.com) is harnessing our consumption-driven economy to create large-scale, market-based solutions for poverty alleviation in third world countries. Via its online store, it sells hundreds of fair trade clothing, jewelry and gifts. The company was co-founded in 2004 by CEO Priya Haji and her partner Siddharth Sanghvi while getting their MBAs from Berkeley. At the time, they envisioned a business that would help small artisan producers improve their livelihoods by providing them access to mainstream retail markets. Since then, the company has created online and offline distribution channels in more than 1,200 retail locations across the country (including Whole Foods and Hallmark), and impacted more than 40,000 individual artisans across 70 countries by connecting them with millions of U.S. consumers. In February, World of Good was acquired by Ebay, which is now delivering its fair trade products to the masses worldwide.
Chicago StyleIn Chicago, there are dozens of ways to vote with your dollars on fair trade fashion, jewelry and accessories.
Greenheart Shop This trendy Wicker Park store is a branch of the Greenheart Initiative—an environmental and social program of non-profit Center for Cultural Interchange. They carry a wide assortment of one-of-a-kind clothing, jewelry and home products that are hand crafted by artisans around the world.
Mata TradersMaureen Dunn and Michelle King founded Mata Traders (which means mother in Hindi) to work with organizations in India that educate, employ, and empower women, giving them a voice. Their designs are made from fair trade certified cottons that are hand-block printed with eco-friendly vegetable dyes, and support an artisan based textile tradition which has existed in India for centuries.
Modahnik Created by Ugandan-born designer Kahindo Mateene as a mix between Western contemporary lines and traditional fair trade sourced wax print fabrics from her homeland. Modahnik debuted last year through Fashion Focus Chicago’s design incubator program. This month, their spring/summer 2011 line will be featured at the “Sexy & Sustainable: Vert Couture” eco-fashion show on October 24th benefiting Chicago Gateway Green.
BoutiquesGreenola
Andersonville Galleriawww.GreenolaStyle.comFair Earth
Andersonville Galleriawww.OurFairEarth.comFive Accessories
Andersonvillewww.FiveAccessories.comTen Thousand Villages
Oak Park, Evanston & Glen Ellenwww.TenThousandVillages.comThe Fair Trader
Hyde Parkwww.TheFairTraderChicago.comOnlineKoru Street
www.KoruStreet.comMalia Designs
www.MaliaDesigns.comMarket Place: Handwork of India
www.MarketPlaceIndia.orgMaya Works
www.Mayaworks.orgMayu
www.ShopMayu.comWorld Shoppe
www.World-Shoppe.comIndigenous Designs
IndigenousDesigns.com. Save 25% off online purchases
with promo code “VertCouture” at check-out through
December 15th, 2010.
Fair Trade Certification OrganizationsFair Trade USA
www.TransfairUSA .orgFair Trade Federation
FairTradeFederation.org- As first published in
Mindful Metropolis magazine