A new study suggests disclosure laws to prevent forced labour in the clothing industry are a form of window dressing designed to ease the conscience of consumers rather than protecting workers.
Mike Lee, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
The collapse of Rana Plaza on March 24, 2013, put the focus on fast fashion. But research shows that stressed and struggling consumers don’t have the luxury of making ethical choices.
Martijn Boersma, University of Notre Dame Australia; Alice Payne, Queensland University of Technology, and Erin O'Brien, Queensland University of Technology
Producer responsibility is increasingly being used to deal with the environmental costs of production. It can also be used to deal with social issues.
How could a company highly regarded for its commitment to sustainability do so badly on the industrial relations front, pushing staff to strike for almost a fortnight?
Fast fashion is far from green. But the rapid expansion of online clothing resale platforms could help shrink the garment industry’s negative impact on the environment.
Fashion Revolution week puts a spotlight on the modern slavery conditions of the fashion industry and encourages fashion consumers to ask, “who made my clothes.”
Striking 20th-century garment workers wore their best dresses and hats to send a message that they had the right to be taken seriously and have their voices heard.
We wear the evidence of extreme inequality – clothing made by workers in Bangladesh for 35 cents an hour. But we know how to reduce inequality – we just have to do it.
Family day care workers have much in common with home-based workers in the garment industry. But the latter are classed as employees, resulting in better representation and protected work conditions.
While the fashion industry may want to address worker exploitation in their supply chains, it would open them up to tremendous legal liability. This needs to change.