Fashion+to+Die+for....

Student Number: n8859078 Tutor: Michelle Newcomb ** Fashion to Die For… ** // An analysis of sweat shops and the globalised fashion industry in affecting human health and quality of life. //

The above cartoon depicts a women in a shop looking at a dress that she wants to own. She uses the phrase “I would simply die for this dress”. The image on the right side of the cartoon shows an image of a clothing factory in Bangladesh that has been destroyed with the words “Many have”.

The public health issues of sweatshops is that they can result in poor health, both mental and physical health. Workers in sweatshops are subjected to 60 to 80 hour weeks. They are intimidated, forced to work overtime, work in dangerous and unhealthy environments. Often handling toxic chemical paints, solvents and glues with their bare hands as they aren’t provided with any safety equipment. These conditions can cause both physical and mental health problems.
 * The Public Health Issue **
 * Literature Review **

The issue of sweat shops and the globalised fashion industry in affecting human health and the affect it has on quality of life. Firstly sweatshops and globalisation need to be defined.

The Oxford Dictionary describes globalisation as the process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale. Sweatshops can be defined as a factory that violates more than one of the many laws including the payment of a minimum wage, keeping of a time card, paying overtime and the paying on time as well as providing conditions that meet workplace health and safety standards (Global Exchange, 2011).

Sweat shops and globalisation is a worldwide issue as it doesn’t just occur in developing countries as sweatshops are a problem in the USA and Australia. It is estimated that 85% of workers are females aged 15-25. 250 Million Children in developing countries between the ages of 5 and 14 are forced to work in factories. This therefore stops them from having an education and living a “normal” childhood. Many well-known Australian brands like Bonds and Just Jeans are produced in Sweat Shops in both Australian and Overseas factories. In Australia there are laws and regulations to try and stop sweatshops like a law for a minimal wage by setting a minimal amount of pay per hour. Despite these laws many factory owners exploit people with poor English skills and many are immigrants that don’t know their rights, paying them below the minimal wage because they aren’t registered. These workers are called outworkers. In 2007 it was found 300 000 ‘outworkers’ were paid $2-$3 an hour to make school uniforms (Do Something. Org, 2013).

Companies like Nike, Wal-Mart, Disney, Reebok, Forever 21, Ralph Lauren and the Gap, have all found ways around labour laws in the US. By hiring companies and paying them to say that working conditions meet standards in their factories overseas. With their factories being some of the worst. A report in 2012 found that Forever 21 clothing is being produced in “sweat shop like” conditions in factories in Los Angeles. The clothes are being made by people who are being dramatically underpaid. It has been found that $11 million dollars in back wages is owed to about 11 000 employees (The Huffington Post).

It was found that 67% of Los Angeles and 63% of New York garment factories violate Workplace Health and Safety Standards in the US with blocked fire exits, unsanitary restrooms and poor ventilation. With 50% of all factories in the US can be considered as sweatshops. China is the world’s largest clothing exporter producing 34% of the world’s clothing exports in 2009. In China labour rights are regularly violated as independent unions are band, leaving the Chinese communist party the only representative organisation. On average a worker would earn $1 a day. Many workers in Chinese factories are migrants 6.5 Million of the 150 Million migrant workers work in the clothing industry.

An Apple Factory in China workers are paid just under $2 an hour. These factories are covered in suicide nets to try and prevent suicides as 18 people had killed themselves at the facility. Between the years 2009 to 2011 there was at least 18 suicide attempts linked to workers at the apple factory. Apple’s increasing demand is putting pressure on the factories to produce more products at a faster speed. Last year Apple sold 93 million iPhones, 40 Million iPads, 38 Million iPods and 17 Million Computers.

Oxfam recently carried out a report on Nike and Adidas factories in Indonesia it states that tens of thousands of their employees are living in extreme poverty and work in dangerous conditions, with many of these workers fearing for their lives. Full time wages for employees can be as low as $2 a day. Workers are too afraid to seek union action in fear of losing their jobs or being attacked.


 * Cultural and Social Analysis **

This issue has an effect on people in both developed and developing countries. In developing countries the workers undergo poor working conditions whilst people in developed countries would be affected by the rise in clothes prices. The rise in clothes prices would have an effect on the retail industry as shops would need to raise their prices in order to get the same profit margin a before. The rise in prices would affect the amount of clothing purchased by consumers, particularly those of a lower socioeconomic class.
 * Social and Cultural Groups Affected **

This issue is important and needs to be sorted on a global scale, as this issue has a different effect on different places around the world. Careful consideration would need to be made to ensure all parties benefit from the change.
 * Importance of the Issue and how it should be redressed**

The political cartoon above is a representation of how the fashion industry effects both the consumer and the producer. With the consumer talking figuratively about dying to own a dress whilst the producers are dying to create it. The picture is particularly making reference to the Bangladesh factory collapse earlier this year that was producing clothing for brands like Forever 21.
 * Analysis of Artefact and Learning Reflections **

Act Now (2007). Sweatshops in Australia. Date Accessed 27th September 2013. From http://www.actnow.com.au/Issues/Sweat_shops_in_Australia.aspx Do Something. Org, (2013). Background on Sweatshops. Date Accessed 27th September 2013. From http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/background-sweatshops Global Exchange, (2011). “Free Trade” and Sweatshops. Date Accessed 29th October 2013. From http://www.globalexchange.org/fairtrade/sweatfree/faq Oxford Dictionary, (2013). Definition of Globalisation. Date Accessed 29th October 2013. From http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/globalization Various Authors (2013). Sweatshops. Date Accessed 1st October 2013. From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/sweatshops Wanda Emblar (2011). Sweatshops and Child Labour. Date Accessed 27th September 2013. From http://www.veganpeace.com/sweatshops/sweatshops_and_child_labor.htm
 * References **

Fashion and Sweatshops []
 * Learning Reflection **