The COVID-19 pandemic has had massive impacts all over the globe, but how as this time impacted the fashion industry? Unfortunately, the answer is not pleasant.
For decades the mass production of clothing, now commonly referred to as “fast-fashion” has resulted in damaging effects that harm both the environment and the lives of garment workers. The anti-fast fashion movement has been growing massively in recent years, with documentaries like Stacey Dooley’s Fashion’s Dirty Secrets and The True Cost exposing the shocking impacts it has had. But despite increasing awareness of these issues, the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted just how far the industry still has to go.
How has the pandemic impacted garment workers?
The Clean Clothes Campaign recently revealed that garment workers across the world are owed an estimated $3.19 to $5.79 billion in unpaid wages for just the first three months of the pandemic. Order cancellations, factory shutdowns and dismissals have all meant garment workers lives have been significantly impacted by the measures that large corporations have taken to protect themselves.
A report from the Worker Rights Consortium last month also revealed just how devastating the consequences of this have been, finding that 77% of garment workers reported that they or a member of their household had gone hungry since the start of the pandemic. A massive 80% of the workers with dependent children also reported that they had to skip meals themselves to be able to feed their children.
Deprivation and hunger aren’t the only issues faced by garment workers during this time, many have been forced to work in unsafe conditions during the pandemic as the health of workers has remained a low priority. Outbreaks of COVID-19 within garment factories have been common, with workers showing symptoms being forced to return to work rather than given time off.
What’s next for the future of the fast-fashion industry?
In response to the exploitation of garment workers during the pandemic, Remake launched the #PayUp campaign to fight for the rights of garment workers all over the world. The campaign makes seven demands of large clothing corporations:
- Pay workers for orders that have been completed or are in production
- Keep workers safe by protecting those protesting for their wages and guaranteeing severance pay for laid-off workers.
- Be transparent by providing annual data and information about where their clothes are made, who by and how much they are paid.
- Give workers a voice by letting them lead the conversation surrounding worker’s rights.
- Sign enforceable contracts that put worker’s rights first
- Increase the wages of garment workers by paying more for their clothes, ensuring they aren’t left in poverty.
- Help pass laws by working with the voluntary organisations that have been trying to achieve this.
Thanks to the campaigns work, brands such as H&M, Primark, Nike and Next have all agreed to pay for orders that have been completed or are in production. But there’s many more that still haven’t made this commitment, just a few of these include Forever 21, Fashion Nova, Amazon and Walmart. For those that have made a commitment to pay, many have still not been transparent about their plans to do this.
Clothing brands seemed to finally be responding to the growing movement against fast-fashion, with various pledges of sustainability and ethical employment. But whilst these commitments seem promising, the treatment of garment workers throughout the pandemic has shown that little action has actually been taken and companies hiring foreign workers have failed to deliver on their responsibility to protect them.
Despite the perceived advancement of the industry, it’s clear that systemic change, which is greatly needed, is yet to happen. Massive inequality in the balance of power within supply chains must be addressed to put an end to the exploitation of garment workers. To do this, apparel companies and policymakers have to start working with workers, trade unions and the organisations campaigning for ethical practices. Empty promises aren’t enough, and the longer companies continue to ignore these issues, the greater the damage will be.
