The Colossal Cost of Cheap Fashion

      The world was stunned by the sudden collapse of a factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh last week, which killed 370 people. Although the factory’s owner is currently being held by police after he was accused of illegally building 3 floors to the workplace, the true cost of cheap fashion is being realised by the public, as well as the connection between bargain produce and workplace tragedies such as this. Over 900 people are still missing after the partly Primark owned factory tumbled into rubble causing members the British public are campaigning against cheap fashion by protesting outside Primark’s flagship store on Oxford Street.

Want, Want, Waste

    A century ago hand-me-downs were on trend. It was both fashionable and necessary to own just a few key items of clothing, many of which once belonged to older siblings, parents or even grandparents. Nothing was thrown out until it was literally worn out. But now, many of us are so charmed into what’s on trend this season that the content of our wardrobes alters in the blink of an eye. In fact, a survey by QVC UK found that the average British woman owns 22 garments she never wears yet refuses to throw out. It seems British women spend £2.5billion a year on 500 million times of clothing we’ll never make use of. Even men own an average of 19 items of clothing they never use.

   The survey also discovered that only 12% of us regularly clear out our closets, implying that the majority of the British public keep buying new items of clothing without getting rid of what they already own. And with trends changing quicker than most of us can keep up with, it’s no wonder cheap fashion seems like the only option given the current difficult economic climate. But if you want to look good on a budget, who is suffering for your purse-friendly purchases? How do high street stores manage to keep their prices so affordable?

Recession’s Shadow

      Let’s face it, national law varies from country to country and therefore, the rights we have in the UK rarely expand to workers in the developing world. Executive director of Alternative Movement for Resources and Freedom Society (AMRF) reported that there are over “2.5 million garment workers in Bangladesh” alone. She explained that they tend to work 13 hour days for as little as £12 a month, which is the minimum wage in Bangladesh. And with families to take care of, homes to maintain and food to buy, it’s obvious that employees refuse to confront those in authority for fear of losing their job.

   High street favourites such as Topshop and Forever 21 offer an economical way of keeping up with fashion and adding to our ever-expanding closets. Perhaps British shoppers, 54% of which feel guilty for wasting money on clothes, just don’t have the money to purchase ethical clothing. Yet a Cambridge university report shows that in just 4 years, the amount of clothes bought grew by one third despite the recession. Even Marks and Spencer’s have opted to have their products manufactured aboard due to company cut-backs.

    

Change Your Ways & Your Wardrobe

     Third-world factories simply do not have the same health and safety standards that we are used to on our shores. The fact is, western stores supplied by factories, such as the site in Dhaka, should take responsibility for the production line of their goods. Instead, they take advantage of the minimal workers’ rights abroad, as well as how crucial the fashion industry is to the economies of countries such as India.

   However, H&M have taken a stand and are aiming to produce 100% ethical clothing by 2020 and last year began using more organic cotton than any other high street store in the country. Perhaps this bold move will cause more shops to follow suit given that children as young as 10 were found to be manufacturing clothing for Gap in Delhi. Although Gap denied the allegations, they have vowed to invest £98,000 into improving conditions for their workers in India.

      Cheap fashion can not only be a waste of resources such as fabric and fuel, it can also cost lives. Good quality, ethical clothing is an investment into something you’ll wear regularly, even if that means you have to dig a couple more coins out our pocket. So next time you hit the high street, look out for fairtrade fashion or even visit a charity shop and help put an end to the devastating cost of bargain attire.