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Article

11 Jun 2020

Author:
Kalkidan Legesse, Guardian

Commentary: Racism is at the heart of fast fashion – it's time for change

'The killing of George Floyd while in police custody and the global outrage and protest that followed is bringing a dawning collective understanding that white supremacy relies on the exploitation of black and brown people... 

'In the fashion industry the evidence to support this awakening is rife. Racism in fashion runs to the very core of the industry, from the experience of black employees at companies such as @reformation to the lack of black models in your Instagram feeds...

'The fast fashion industry has been reliant on the exploitation of garment workers since its conception. The UK spends billions on clothes every year and yet some garment workers only take home £20 a week.

Of the 74 million textile workers worldwide, 80% are women of colour

Brands have created a production model that keeps garment workers poor and working in unsafe conditions to maximise their own profits. The buying practices of fast fashion include turning a blind eye to illegal subcontracting and allowing forced and unpaid overtime. These practices have incentivised the erosion of garment worker rights by manufacturers and government...

'In many countries such as Bangladesh and Cambodia, brands are refusing to pay for billions of pounds worth of orders they had already placed with suppliers. What that means is manufacturers that purchased material destined for our high streets are now stuck with piles and piles of unwanted clothes. They are also unable to pay their workers. Hundreds of thousands of garment workers will lose their jobs because of this refusal to pay up.' 

 

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