How can I fight back against forced labor in the fashion industry?

Dressember Reading Day #27

Every day during the month of December, we’re answering common questions and breaking down different aspects of human trafficking on our blog and Instagram. Join us in raising awareness about the injustice of human trafficking by sharing, donating, or joining the Dressember campaign (it’s not too late!).

Fashion can be incredibly empowering, particularly when we use it to fight human trafficking, but the fashion industry itself is one of the biggest contributors to slave labor. Fortunately, there are several ways that we can effectively fight back against slavery through our fashion choices.

Try Shopping Fair Trade & Ethical Brands

Fair Trade Certified products are “made according to rigorous social, environmental, and economic standards” that improve the quality of life for their creators. When you purchase a fair trade product, you know that the person who made it was paid a fair wage and treated with dignity. Some are hesitant to shop fair trade and ethical brands because they can be more expensive than fast-fashion retailers. But when you consider factors like cost per wear, the cost of sustainable materials and the cost of paying a living wage, ethically made clothing is worth the price tag. We shouldn’t be questioning why ethically made clothing can be more expensive, but rather, why fast fashion is so appallingly cheap.

Get thrifty!

When you shop at a thrift store or consignment store, you’re extending the life of the items you buy. Not only does your purchase keep products out of landfills, but it also repurposes a garment that’s already been produced, cutting down on the labor required to make a new garment and reducing the need for slave labor. Online thrift stores like thredUP and Poshmark have even made thrifting more convenient and modern.

Ask brands, ‘Who Made My Clothes?’

If you saw the conditions your clothes were made in, would you still buy them? Companies often outsource manufacturing to make it more difficult to identify problematic practices like slave labor, waste, and pollution. If a brand is not transparent about how their workers are treated, consider an alternative brand. DoneGood offers a convenient browser plugin that can help you “discover ethical, sustainable alternatives as you shop online,” making it even easier to find ethically made products.

Don’t “shop ‘til you drop”

The fast fashion trend has led many retailers to begin introducing new clothing items every week rather than seasonally, which encourages consumers to purchase more than they truly need. Because of this, companies have to make a greater quantity of clothes at a lesser cost, and they turn to slave labor to make up the difference. When we don’t shop fast-fashion retailers, we’re sending the message that we care more about the dignity and lives of their workers than we do about inexpensive clothing. Avoiding these retailers will force them to adopt a fairer, more sustainable means of production or face bankruptcy.

Dressember is about reclaiming fashion as a symbol of strength, but it can only be truly empowering when garment workers are treated with dignity. Standing up against the fast fashion industry and changing our purchasing habits are the only ways we can ensure fairness across the fashion industry.