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According to the US Department of Labor (DOL), a sweatshop is defined as a factory that violates two or more labor laws. The DOL enforces more than 180 labor laws pertaining to wages and hours, workplace health and safety, worker’s compensation, and more. Each nation has its own labor laws, as well as international agreements determined by the International Labour Organization.
“In the 1960s, the average American family spent 10 per cent of its income on clothing, buying 25 pieces of apparel - almost all of it made in the United States. Fifty years later, around the time of the Rana Plaza disaster, the average household was spending only about 3.5 per cent of its income on clothing - but buying three times as many items, 98 per cent of which were imported.”
“In the 1960s, the average American family spent 10 per cent of its income on clothing, buying 25 pieces of apparel - almost all of it made in the United States. Fifty years later, around the time of the Rana Plaza disaster, the average household was spending only about 3.5 per cent of its income on clothing - but buying three times as many items, 98 per cent of which were imported.”
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Many “affordable” retailers (H&M, Forever 21, Walmart, etc.) are able to offer low prices because their clothes and products are made in sweatshops. These retailers contract with suppliers from undeveloped countries, who then outsource production to unregistered vendors that do not have to abide by any laws. By removing themselves several steps away from the actual production via these intermediaries, popular retailers are able to skirt requirements and avoid responsibility for providing fair and safe working conditions. And just like the retailers themselves, consumers turn a blind eye to these practices in pursuit of a bargain.
“This highly competitive environment, with people at each step of the process looking for the lowest price and no guarantee of longer-term relationships, gives suppliers incentives to cut corners - particularly when under extreme pressure to deliver on time. This can translate into exploitative labour practices or unsafe conditions that violate local laws, but enforcement capacity is weak.”
In several manufacturing nations, including Bangladesh, China, and India, the minimum wage only covers half to a fifth of what a family needs to make ends meet.
Workers in the garment industry are required to put in 14 to 16 hours per day, seven days a week. In their worst form, workers sometimes work up to 72 hours straight.
Workers who complain or try to unionize may be verbally or physically abused, sexually assaulted, or detained against their will.
In some countries, workers who flee their employers can be fined and arrested.
250 million children between 5 and 14 are forced to work in sweatshops in developing countries.
Workers are exposed to harmful substances and extreme heat while working without enough ventilation.
In April 2013, a multistory sweatshop collapsed in Bangladesh, killing 1,000 workers and injuring an additional 2,500. Ten years later, it remains the worst accident in the history of the apparel industry.
The International Trade Commission draws attention to workers rights by rating each country based on their record of how well they comply with these agreements. Ratings range from 1-5, with 1 representing only sporadic violations and 5 representing an absence of worker’s rights. In 2023, the top ten worst countries for workers are Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Guatemala, Myanmar, Tunisia, the Philippines and Turkey, with the Middle East and Asia taking the title of worst region for workers for the past ten years. The United States currently ranks at 5, with “union busting” being the primary violation.
How transparent is your favorite fashion brand about their practices? Find out on the Fashion Transparency Index.
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