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Allison Sloan
Dr. Cooper Guasco
Core 412- Ethics

Who Is Really Paying The Price For What We Love To Wear?

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All across America and Europe, many young consumers are obsessed with todays
high fashion ideas and what is coming down the runway. With our world becoming more
and more advanced each day, it is even easier to get our hands on these fashion trends,
even at the click of a button. According to comScore's quarterly State Of Retail report,
In the first quarter of 2014, 198 million U.S. consumers bought something online. That
translates to 78% of the U.S. population age 15 and above (Smith 2015). The idea of
fast fashion is centered on the mass-production of what is popular and what people want
at low prices. This rapid turnover of clothing being produced, however, has no connection
to the quality of these clothes or the conditions under which they are being produced. To
put this issue into perspective and to understand just how huge the global market of the
fashion industry is now, 1 in 6 humans on Earth are somehow involved in the global
fashion industry. In the mid-1960s, 95 percent of Americas clothes were made
domestically; today, 97 percent are made abroad (The True Cost).
In a world where we are constantly connected to seeing whats new and what we
can get our hands on, companies like Forever21 and H&M have reduced the pricing of
their clothing to meet consumer needs. But who are the hands behind the thread? Who are
the people making these clothes and what conditions are they working in? Where is the
seed to this rapidly growing ethical concern of unfair labor laws and conditions for
factory workers? Thinking critically, the question that must be asked is, should
consumers purchase products manufactured by exploited workers?
What we wear is more than just fabric covering our skin; it has evolved over
centuries as pieces that express our individualities and sometimes can be seen as pieces of
art. In addition to being mass produced, low cost clothing aimed at young women, fast

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fashion is a contemporary term heard often in the fashion world describing the fast
turnover within companies to get whats hot in this season and even the next out and in
your hands at the fastest rate. In the article, Polka Dots Are In? Polka Dots It Is, Seth
Stevenson writes about the international retail store, Zara. Stevenson says, up to 50
percent of Zaras clothes are designed and manufactured smack in the middle of the
season. If mauve and velour suddenly become the rage, Zara reacts quickly, designs new
styles, and gets them into stores while the trend is still peaking (Stevenson 2012). These
stores are able to replicate runway looks within days, sometimes at the price of quality.
On average the price of a shirt from Forever 21 would be about $15- $25. At first glance,
this may seem only beneficial to the consumer who is getting the most current fashion at
a fast rate and a low price. But what we as the consumers never stop to think about, until
it is right in our face, is what is happening before these clothes hit the store.
The National Public Radio podcast, Planet Money, has also expressed the same
concern about the fashion industry. Over a span of several episodes, the hosts and
journalists of Planet Money set off on an adventure to see each step of how one
individual t-shirt was made. In one episode in particular, Caitlin Kenney and Zoe Chace
of Planet Money got to see this first hand, and what they found was more than just a tshirt factory. The Planet Money staff started in Mississippi to see the cotton that was
grown to make the yarn. That yarn was then threaded in Indonesia. Next, they found their
way to Chittagong, Bangladesh, where their Planet Money Mens T-shirt was being
produced. However, in Bangladesh, Kenny and Chace didnt just get a t-shirt as a
souvenir from their adventure. Instead, they met two sisters Minu and Shumi, who are
workers at the Deluxe Fashion Limited Garment Factory. These two sisters not only work

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together, but also live together in a one-room apartment in the city of Chittagong.
Working hard for their paycheck, these two sisters work 6 days a week, 10 hours a day
making about 6,000 Taka (about $80 USD) a month. In addition to the low wages the
working conditions in which the girls work is not great, though the sisters do say they
could be a lot worse. In Bangladesh, there are over 2.5 million workers in the garment
industry and a majority of them are women (Chace episode 497). Many of these workers
are making their pay and sending it back to their loved ones in their home villages. This
is exactly what older sister, Minu, is doing and what many before her have done for many
generations. Immanuel Kant, like Minu would even say this is her duty and her
responsibility to support her family. Minus daughter lives in her home village with her
grandparents where she attends school and is taken care of. Minu works hard for the
money she makes to send back to her daughter in hopes for her to have an even better life
than her own. She made the choice to move to the city to make more money to send back
to her family (Chace episode 497). In Minus case, motive does matter; she works hard
each day for her daughter to have a better life, even in horrible conditions.
Unfortunately, garment workers in the US are working under substandard
conditions for low wages as well. In a study titled Undocumented Workers in the US
Garment Sector: An Assessment and Guide for Brands conducted by the Verite
Organization, the U.S. Department of Labor found that garment workers are typically
paid per each garment they sew or cut, resulting in payments of as little as $6 per hour,
which is well under the federal minimum wage of $7.25. The U.S. Department of Labors
2000 survey of garment workshop conditions indicated that more than half of the

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countrys 22,000 sewing shops violated minimum wage and overtime laws, and 75% of
U.S. garment shops violated health and safety laws (Verite pg.8).
In the documentary, The True Cost by Andrew Morgan, much like Minu, we meet
Shima Akhter who is also a garment worker in a factory in Bangladesh who is working to
better the life of her four-year-old daughter. However, Shima works in much worse
conditions than that of the factory Minu works in, and is demanding something finally be
done about the conditions at the factory. She formed a union at her work with other
workers who also wanted to see changes to their working environment. Shima and her
union wrote up a list of demands and turned them into their factories manager. In her
interview, Shima explained there was later an altercation between a group of workers and
30-40 of the factorys management staff who locked them in a room. The women were
then beaten in response to the list of demands they turned in. In her interview, Shima also
states, People have no idea how difficult it is for us to make the clothing. They only buy
it and wear it. I believe the clothes are produced by our blood. A lot of garment workers
die in different factory accidents. A year ago, there was the collapse in Rana Plaza. A lot
of workers died there. Its very painful for us. We want better working conditions, so that
everyone becomes aware. I never want this, I want the owners to be a little more aware
and look after us (The True Cost). As Shima stops talking and looks away from the
camera, she begins to cry. In cases like these, and even some as horrible as the factory
collapsing in Rana Plaza last year, factories are under horrible working conditions that
just arent improving.
Unlike many foreign countries, the United States does have a regulatory agency to
monitor the workplace and the conditions under which workers are manufacturing

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clothing. According to the federal website for the Occupational Safety and Health agency
(OSHA), the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed to prevent workers
from being killed or seriously harmed at work. The law requires employers to provide
their employees with working conditions that are free of known dangers. The Act created
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which sets and enforces protective
workplace safety and health standards (OSHA.gov) It is impossible to know whether an
agency like OSHA could have prevented a disaster like Rana Plaza if similar laws were in
place in Bangladesh.
Another ethical theory used to analyze this situation is that of John Rawls because
those like Shima believe it is up to the factory owners to make these changes to better the
lives of their workers. She believes there should be equal liberty for all workers. Shima
believes if the owners were placed under the veil of ignorance, they would understand the
hardships the workers endure. The veil of ignorance, theorized by Rawls, can be seen as a
temporary prevention of being able to know anything about who in particular you are
(Sandel pg.141). However, not all factory owners are selfish or ignorant to human rights.
Arif Jebtik, a factory owner in Dhaka, Bangladesh, speaks up about the collapse in Rana
Plaza, and points out there should be equal liberty for all. Those 1000 poor workers lost
their lives because everybody didnt bother, didnt give a damn shit and they just wanted
a good price and a good product. It shouldnt be like that. Everybody should take
responsibility for those workers. Ignoring lives is not right (The True Cost).
Considering the other theories we have learned about through this semester, it is
important to notice the cost versus the benefits of the central question. A utilitarian would
not have a problem with the idea of another human being exploited in order to make the

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majority of our populations clothing. Both Jeremy Benthams Utilitarian theory and the
story of Omelas that we read in Justice, gave us detailed examples of someone suffering
for the greater good of a higher majority. Benthams views are based on the greatest good
for the greatest number of people. He believes the end result of an action justifies the
means, no matter how horrific the action might be. At first glance, it seems the utilitarian
theory would say that using workers to produce products for the masses at faster rates is
the ethical thing to do. Even though it may be harmful, they are producing at fast rates to
get clothing to consumers quickly. It is the greatest good for the greatest number. It is just
because the greater population is happy and pleased. Therefore, it would go without
saying that even though the workers are suffering a great deal, the majority of our planets
population is benefitting from their suffering. Bangladesh is home to more than 5,600
garment factories, making it the worlds second largest apparel manufacturer behind only
China. About 60 percent of clothes made in Bangladesh end up in European markets on
the whole, apparel exports generates at least $20 billion in annual revenues and is the
largest source of foreign exchange earnings (Ghosh 2014).
Fast fashion has come to be something that helps individuals show their
personalities easier than ever before. The concept of producing clothing at a faster rate
and at a lower cost however is not just a great concept for the consumer, but for the CEOs
and factory owners as well. Since there are making so much profit, they are not willing to
let this trend slow down any time soon.
A human life is a human life and that needs to be treated with respect and justice.
However, these big companies exist and are prosper based in a free market. If big
businesses are taking a side on this issue, they would have to balance the cost and

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benefits that come with keeping pay down for their workers, while keeping their margins
and profits up.
Kant, with his views comparable to those of a libertarian, believed in no
consequences, the most powerful right being human dignity, and that ones true motive
outweighs cost. In The True Cost Shima states, I dont want anyone wearing anything
that is produced by our blood, showing a comparison to the categorical imperative that a
human is a human and not a thing; therefore they should be treated as such. Kants theory
revolves around ones duty to others and to society. Kant theorizes that one cannot
control the consequences of their actions, only their intentions. As such, workers like
Minu and her sister have made a rational choice to leave their families in order to make
the money they need to better the lives of their loved ones. By their actions the sisters
have decided that the choice to support their families is of greater benefit to them than the
adverse conditions of their work environment.
These workers who are working harder than one can imagine are being treated
and forced to act as though they are the machinery that is producing the clothing we wear.
Instead there should be compensation and appreciation for the workers talents. Safia
Minney, founder and CEO of People Tree, a sustainable and fair trade fashion company,
is succeeding at doing just that. People Tree is recognized by customers and the fashion
industry as a pioneer in Fair Trade and environmentally sustainable fashion. For over
twenty years, People Tree has partnered with Fair Trade artisans and farmers in the
developing world to produce ethical and eco-fashion collections. Fair Trade is about
creating a new way of doing business; creating access to markets and opportunities for
people who live in the developing world (peopletree.co.uk). On People Trees website it

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also reads, When you wear People Tree, you look good and feel good knowing your
unique garment was made with respect for people and the planet. The goal of People
Tree has a Kantian viewpoint because it aims to respect universal human rights. As a
company, they are valuing and promoting the unique skills individuals bring to the
garment industry.
In a review of a 2006 research study done by Peter Doeringer and Sarah Crean,
they question why the US apparel industry has failed to tap into advantages like human
talents and production skills in a beneficial way. Based upon the analysis of both
national data and original field research in the New York garment industry, it argues that
the US industry has relied too long on an industry model based on mass fashion
products, the scale and scope economies of large-scale suppliers and mass retailers, and
innovations in information technologies as sources of competitiveness, while ignoring the
importance of niche product innovation, small-scale supply chains and flexible retailing,
and collaboration economies in design and production networks. Even in New York
City, where small firms and fashion markets are important, the dominance of the largescale mass-fashion model has inhibited contractors from developing highly productive
and entrepreneurial supply networks that combine design with manufacturing and take
full advantage of their potential for speed, flexibility and quality production. (Doeringer,
Peter 2006)
It is not just the human tool that is at stake here. There are environmental
concerns raised from fast fashion in addition to those centered on human rights. There is
much more that goes into this equation. The growing toll is not only affecting us but also
our planet. Polyester is the most commonly used fabric in the fast fashion industry. About

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40% of the textiles produced annually are now polyester (Nagurney 2013). Polyester is
not recyclable and is one of the most harmful textiles to the environment. In the last 15
years, production of polyester has doubled as a result of the demand for cheap, fast
fashion (Nagurney 2013). Production of polyester requires large amounts of petroleum,
which is a nonrenewable resource. Burning petroleum releases organic compounds into
the surrounding air and water that are harmful to humans and ecosystems. Emissions
released from burning petroleum contribute to increased levels of green house gasses,
which are responsible for our planets climate change. Some side effects that are closer to
home include respiratory diseases from breathing smog and birth defects from increased
levels of toxins in drinking water (Nagurney 2013). Because of the short-term and longterm consequences that can be applied to this environmental concern, it can be seen as a
Utilitarian point of view. Jeremy Bentham focuses on the short-term consequences, which
would be increased production and/or wage costs for the companies who create the
clothing. However, John Stewart Mill argues the long-term consequences, which would
be the environmental impacts of using textiles that are harmful to the population. Mill
further argues that individuals should be free to do as they please as long as no harm is
being brought to others. One could argue that the environment is being harmed, which
negates the utility of using polyester for creating clothing.
I am someone who loves clothes and who also loves more bang for her buck when
I go shopping. However my love for the human race would surpass my desire for a cheap
(though cute) shirt when I really think about the human and environmental cost of the
way we produce clothing. However, knowing this, am I making a point to take this into
my own hands and actually do something about it? Sadly no. I am not making the

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knowing changes I would need to. The lure of cheap fashion is strong and my pocket
book doesnt allow me to pay the higher price for one-of-a-kind fashion. Yes, I shop at
small businesses and support the fair trade market. However, I am a 22-year-old college
student who is still supported by her parents. I shamefully fall into the category of
choosing to ignore this situation in order to get a shirt for $15 at H&M and choosing not
to think about who or what is suffering because of my actions. I can promise, however,
that I am thinking about this issue much more today than I was yesterday and can only
hope that someday, Ill put my money behind my convictions.

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Reference
Chace, Zoe, and Caitlin Kenney. "Episode 497: The Sisters Who Made Our TShirt." NPR. NPR, 20 Aug. 2013. Web.
Doeringer, Peter, and Sarah Crean. "Socio-Economic Review." Can Fast Fashion
save the US Apparel Industry? N.p., 13 Mar. 2006. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.
Ghosh, Palash. "Despite Low Pay, Poor Work Conditions, Garment Factories
Empowering Millions Of Bangladeshi Women." International Business Times. N.p., 25
Mar. 2014. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
Nagurney, Anna, Min Yu, Amir H. Masoumi, and Ladimer S. Nagurney. Networks
against Time: Supply Chain Analytics for Perishable Products. New York, Heidelberg:
Springer, 2013. Print.
"OSHA Workers' Rights." OSHA Workers' Rights. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
<https://www.osha.gov/workers/index.html>.
"OUR STORY." People Tree. N.p., n.d. http://www.peopletree.co.uk/about-us
Sandel, Michael J. Justice: A Reader. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2007. Print.
Smith, Cooper. "The Surprising Facts about Who Shops Online and on Mobile."
Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 23 Feb. 2015. Web.
Stevenson, Seth. "Zara Gets Fresh Styles To Stores Insanely Fast. How Do They
Do It?" Http://www.slate.com. N.p., 21 June 2012. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.
The True Cost. Dir. Andrew Morgan. Perf. Vandana Shiva, Safia Minney, Stella
McCartney. 2015. Fillm. Netflix.
Verite.org. Undocumented Workers in the US Garment Sector: An Assessment and
Guide for Brands (n.d.): n. pag.8 Verite, Oct. 2014. Web.