Pop-up Vending machine teaches real cost of cheap clothes. The Independent
Pop-up vending machine selling €2 T-shirts shows shoppers the real cost of cheap clothes
As part of the Fashion Revolution Day, a social experiment shows shoppers the poor production conditions of the women and children making cheap clothing
WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL 2015
A pop-up T-shirt vending machine in Berlin offered shoppers the chance to buy a €2 (approx. €1.40) T-shirt, but instead of being sold a tee, customers were shown shocking images of the production conditions that went into creating the t-shirt.
We all want fashion at bargain prices, but rarely do we get to see the conditions under which the cheap clothes are made. This social experiment, however, confronted people with the reality and their reaction, which was documented in a fascinating video, shows what little knowledge people have about who makes our garments and where.
The experiment coincided with Fashion Revolution Day last week to help raise awareness of the safety standards of the workers behind the production of the clothes we all wear, highlighting the conditions that people work to produce one of the cheap t-shirts.
The video shows the production conditions of the cheap clothes we wear
As soon as shoppers inserted their money, the machine preceded with normal questions such as size, but after that a movie flashes up, showing shocking pictures from textile factories (mainly based in Bangladesh), where women and children work in the production of clothes for 16 hours, for 9p an hour, without a break.
“People want fashion at a bargain but would they still buy it if they knew how it was made?” reads the video.
“Meet Manisha, one of millions making our cheap clothing for as little as 13 cents an hour each day for 16 hours.”
The video appears to shock shoppers who thought they were snapping up a bargain.
The video appears to shock shoppers who thought they were snapping up a bargain. Then the question “Do you still want to buy this €2 t-shirt?” flashes up on the screen, followed by the options “buy” and “donate”.
The turquoise vending machine successfully managed to get nine of 10 shoppers to donate the money instead of buying the cheap white tee, proving that more efforts like those during Fashion Revolution Day can help improve the workers’ production standards.
READ MORE: PEOPLE WORE THEIR CLOTHES INSIDEOUT ON FASHION REVOLUTION DAY
#WHOMADEMYCLOTHES CAMPAIGN REMEMBERS RANA PLAZA DISASTER
BANGLADESH ALLIANCE IS FUNDING CLOTHING FACTORIES TO BOOST SAFETY STANDARDS