Sweatshops | The Exploited And Ignored

Clothes often come at the cost of human suffering. Sweatshops are notorious for their long hours and low pay. Workers face constant abuse whilst risking their lives daily. Being aware of where your clothes come from is the first step toward being able to close these factories. Educate yourself on the dark reality behind your wardrobe and join the movement for change.

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WHAT ARE SWEATSHOPS

Sweatshops are factories with terrible and often illegal working conditions. Workers endure long hours, minimal pay, dangerous environments, and severe overcrowding. They often face verbal, physical, and sexual abuse.

Sweatshops have existed since the Industrial Revolution, but they remain disturbingly common today, especially in the garment industry. Garment factories produce clothing cheaply and quickly to meet the demands of fast fashion. 80% of these workers are women. They face constant harassment, with reports of forced pregnancy tests, the development of diseases from poor conditions, and regular exposure to hazardous chemicals without proper protective equipment.

Factory Worker — ©Christian via Unsplash

WHERE ARE THEY

These factories are mostly in the Global South, in countries like Bangladesh, India, China, Vietnam and Cambodia. These countries have large labour forces, weak law enforcement and ambiguous minimum wage regulations. The minimum wage often fails to cover basic living costs, and weak law enforcement means frequent underpayment. Low production costs in these regions attract multinational companies in the Global North, like Zara and Shein.

China and Bangladesh are the two largest garment-producing countries in the world. China employs nearly 8 million workers and Bangladesh has nearly 3,500 factories and employs around 4 million in the garment sector. The majority of these workers are operating under sweatshop conditions.

INFAMOUS SWEATSHOP DISASTERS

One of the most devastating sweatshop disasters was the Rana Plaza factory collapse. In 2013, this building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, collapsed and over 1000 workers died. Despite warnings about cracks in the building’s foundation, factory owners forced workers to stay to meet production deadlines. The event garnered international attention about the dire conditions in sweatshops, especially when it was revealed that well-known brands such as Primark and Mango were outsourcing production there. Initiatives were created to tackle the problem, however, they have since ended and sweatshops remain commonplace.

Unfortunately, Rana Plaza was not an isolated incident. Another tragedy was the Tazreen Fashions Fire in 2012, killing at least 112 workers due to poor safety measures. In Cambodia, protests for better wages in 2013 and 2014 ended with government violence, resulting in injuries and deaths.

These frequent incidents demonstrate the dismal conditions of sweatshop workers. They highlight the need for greater action from governments, the international community, and consumers.

COMBATTING SWEATSHOPS

Combatting sweatshops is crucial for ensuring fair labour practices and safe working conditions. Consumers can help by choosing ethically produced goods, supporting brands with transparent supply chains, and reducing fast fashion consumption. Public awareness and education can drive advocacy for better conditions and policies. Shopping from brands such as Shein and Zara facilitates the abuse taking place in sweatshops. Organisations like The Clean Clothes Campaign and Fair Labour Association expose labour abuses, advocate for workers’ rights, and work with brands to implement humane labour practices. But, despite these efforts, sweatshops remain the backbone of the fast fashion industry.