Recent Posts
Sustainability June 25, 2018
ENTITY talks about fair trade clothing.
In 2013, a building in Bangladesh packed with factory workers collapsed. This terrible accident caused the death of over 1,000 people Also, numerous people were injured. Heartbreaking incidents like this sparked a dialogue about fair trade, as well as ethical treatment of workers everywhere.
At its roots, fair trade basically means the ethical production and sale of goods. Further than this, fair trade is a movement that focuses on the treatment of employees in developing countries. It makes sure the workers receive fair pay, attempts to alleviate poverty and actively promotes sustainable practices.
Fair trade is made up of a vast community of people who care–people who have a passion for human rights and for the environment. To put it into perspective, everything that you buy is made by someone. From the clothes on your back to the shoes on your feet, there is a person behind everything. Fair trade takes into consideration the daily lives of these people. They try to focus on the workers’ environment, the wages they are paid, and even how many hours they work.
The main reason to support fair trade is to stand up those who do not have the resources to speak for themselves. Many workers are trapped, with no other options. Their only source of income may be the filthy sweatshop making graphic teeshirts for little to no pay.
Huffington Post reports that nearly 80 percent of the workers are female in the garment industry. Some of the terrible things these workers have to live with are extremely low wages and conditions that easily allow accidents to happen.
Another reason to buy fair trade clothing, according to Press-Telegram, is that 97 percent of clothes bought are made overseas, even though America is one of the leading consumers. In addition to this, the people who work in these other countries earn as little as $500 a month. People in America spend that much money in one weekend–imagine making it last an entire month. Many of the garment industry workers are there to support their families. So, the little pay that they do receive is spent on the bare necessities.
The good news is that there are plenty of companies who support fair trade. They have a passion for the ethical treatment of workers. These companies are trying to change the garment industry for the better.
Patagonia is one of the many ethical clothing brands. In fact, according to The Good Trade, they were one of the first companies to foster a fair trade lifestyle. In addition to this, Patagonia also uses organic cotton for their products and uses recycled materials.
Another fair trade clothing brand is Everlane. One of the hallmarks of their company is their openness and honesty. They care about who makes their clothes and where they are made. In addition to this, they make sure to provide quality clothing that anyone would be happy to purchase.
Levis is another ethical clothing brand. Recently, they have made big moves in order to become a more sustainable company. They plan to reduce their amount of waste and to use fewer chemicals in their products.
Overall, buying fair trade products is extremely important. Every little aspect can count towards a greater cause. By not supporting unethical companies, you may be doing good for someone in trouble.
