Soul-Searching in Spanish Fashion After Bangladesh Factory Deaths
The [Bangladesh factory collapse and recent factory fires] have triggered questioning about the costs of "fast fashion," a design trend pioneered by Spanish labels that relentlessly rotate collections to keep new styles on store racks...Some Spanish union leaders say the success of Spanish style has done more for corporate shareholders and foreign consumers than for workers at home or abroad...Plant-safety specialists say that companies have to be sensitive to the strain that fast fashion can cause between producing safely and producing quickly...Inditex, Mango and El Corte Inglés are among several European retailers that signed a legally binding agreement to improve safety in Bangladesh plants following the Rana Plaza collapse...Some union leaders called on the companies to take further steps toward transparency, by following the example of sneaker makers such as Nike and Adidas which divulge the names of their overseas suppliers. [Also refers to Hoss Intropia, Zara (part of Inditex)]