The holiday season is approaching and with this period comes the tradition of shopping for gifts. Therefore, this holiday season most people will purchase new sweaters, shoes, shirts, jeans, and other accessories. Clothes are a top priority for most holiday shoppers because developments within the textile industry have made these valuable items cheap to obtain. For instance, some of the leading global stores are able to sell clothes at low prices to their customers but this advantage comes at a hefty price to humanity (Goldstein, 2015). Approximately, ninety-eight percent of the clothes that are sold in North America and other places around the world are manufactured in developing countries such as Bangladesh, Mexico, and India where labor and other costs of production are favorable.
Consequently, clothes manufacturing has become a burden to humanity and a viable tool for capitalistic interests (White, 2015). A spot check around the world indicates that currently, the clothes industry carries with it the burden of exploited labor, child labor, and other inconspicuous human costs. Even reputable brands such as GAP and Nike are perpetrators of the evils that surround the modern clothing industry. The only way the madness within the textile industry is for the consumers to take the initiative of influencing change within this industry. This paper argues that if all clothes’ consumers refrained from purchasing clothes that harm humanity and the environment, the entire clothing industry would autocorrect itself.
Purchasing clothes has destroyed social and economic life in many developing nations especially in Bangladesh. No single place on earth has borne the suffering that comes with the clothing industry like Bangladesh. The high population of the area and its close proximity to sources of raw materials has made Bangladesh the unofficial fashion capital of the world. This tag has come with a heavy price for the region. The United States (US) has found a manufacturing haven in Bangladesh mostly because the numbers add up. For instance, manufacturing a high quality denim shirt in Bangladesh costs approximately $4 but this cost soars to $14 if the same item is made in the US (Anisul Huq, Stevenson, & Zorzini, 2014).
Consequently, the only attractive quality about Bangladesh is the area’s ability to deliver economies of scale to capitalists. Nevertheless, Bangladesh foots the bill for other related costs. For example, the recent factory building collapse in Bangladesh was an eye-opener for the rest of the world. The collapse led to the death of 1,127 workers and caused approximately 2,500 injuries (Burke, 2013). Those who live in the developed world cannot begin to fathom the proportions of this tragedy mostly because there are too many industrial and safety guidelines. However, these same people are directly responsible for the Bangladesh tragedy because their consumerism is the main enabling factor for the tragedy. The only way to stop the fleeting disaster that is the Bangladesh unsafe-clothing industry is to stop consuming clothes, thereby putting a stop to the cycle of events. When the system train comes to a stop, it is possible to conduct repairs on it. A review of the Bangladesh tragedy indicates that all the owners were doing was to try to meet the ever-rising demand for clothes in Europe and the US.
The clothes that we buy are also actively ruining the life chances of the entire generation through child labor. It would be interesting for consumers of clothes to know that collapsing buildings are not the only evil associated with the industry. A reporter for the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom (UK) presents photographs “that show the grim reality for thousands of children in Bangladesh who are forced to work long crippling hours stitching labels into clothes” (Poulton, 2014). The authorities in Bangladesh have tried their best to arrest the scourge of child labor, but transgressors have always found a way to exploit the innocent children. Westerners are often quick to pass the blame on to someone else but the solution lies with the individual who wants to buy a good item of clothing for a low price.
Everyone else in the supply chain has the needs of the consumer in mind, including the children in Bangladesh whose fingers bleed regularly. Therefore, for all of us who depend on the clothes from sweatshops to look good, we should gladly accept the responsibility for the lost generation missing school just to get our taste in clothing right. The argument that we are not responsible for this social evil can disintegrate quite easily if we all stop buying these clothes. Without the market for these cheap clothes, some of the children workers in Bangladesh and other areas around the world might have no other option but to go back to school and pursue more long-term goals. Instead of complaining about governments and capitalists, the easy option would be to eliminate the market altogether (Haider, 2007).
Buying clothes comes at high but hidden human and environmental costs. We are all happy about the alliance between globalization and capitalism because it has made it possible for a crop-top to cost less than a cup of coffee. There is no good reason that can be given as to why a piece of garment that can be worn for months should be cheaper than a beverage. However, this value system also means that it is our responsibility to adjudge the true cost of what we consume. The true cost of the clothing industry includes factors such as “environmental impact, exploitative labor, and gender discrimination” (Goldstein, 2015). In an investigative documentary, the filmmaker concludes that the garment industry is only second to the oil enterprise when it comes to environmental degradation. This is yet another reason why we should stop buying clothes altogether. There are better alternatives to the current garment industry, and all consumers have to do is to take a stand and then make a change.
The liabilities of buying clothes in modern times outweigh the benefits by a wide margin. This is why all human beings of goodwill should stop buying this exploitative commodity until another path is charted. Initially, the clothing industry was a domestic affair, but the advent of globalization led to the prioritization of capitalist over human interests. The oppressed citizens in Bangladesh, the children in sweatshops, and the distressed environment are all indicators that it is time to stop. Moreover, the problem with the clothing industry is not its efficiency but the hidden costs that humanity and the environment continue to pay. It is pointless for consumers to continue to lay blame on policy makers because as long as there is demand for cheap clothes, humanity will continue to suffer. Therefore, the clothes’ consumer is the best placed to influence changes in the clothing industry. It is clear that the current industry is shaped by selfish interests. Therefore, a new regime should be pursued with the goal of ensuring fairness across the board.
References
Anisul Huq, F., Stevenson, M., & Zorzini, M. (2014). Social sustainability in developing country suppliers: An exploratory study in the readymade garments industry of Bangladesh. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 34(5), 610-638.
Burke, J. (2013). Bangladesh factory collapse leaves a trail of shattered lives. Web.
Goldstein, J. (2015). The true cost of the five-dollar crop top we’d rather forget. Web.
Haider, Z. (2007). Competitiveness of the Bangladesh ready-made garment industry in major international markets. Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Review, 3(1), 3-27.
Poulton, L. (2014).The shirt on your back. Web.
White, G. (2015).All your clothes are made with exploited labor. Web.