Fashion industry research in the EU

A 2020 report on ofeminin writes that a total of 108 apparel brands and retail chains from 14 countries – including France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States and Poland – were surveyed. According to the study’s findings on the issue of decent pay, it is none of the brands that offer decent wages to all workers in their supply chain.

As for the minimum wage: first, it does not exist in all countries, it is only a legal solution, and second, even if it exists, it is usually not enough to cover basic needs.

First and foremost, the garment industry is a global industry that for decades had the goal of making as much money as possible, which means producing as cheaply as possible. This means that it has profited from the starvation wages of workers.

Yet seeing a “Made in…” label in any Asian country, we don’t have to conclude that the seamstresses were exploited. As an example that sewing in Asia does not have to be inferior at all, we can give the example of the Polish brand KOKOworld, which sews its first Fairtrade collection precisely in Asia, especially in India. And it sews there not because it’s cheaper that way, because it’s not, but because in order to take care of the whole process, including labour rights, she simply couldn’t do it in Poland[1].

The situation with apparel manufacturing in Europe is twofold. While there are small domestic companies where garments are produced with respect for workers’ rights and sustainability, more often than not the reality is different. Most large European fashion-related companies outsource the production of their products to huge factories, most often located in Asia. These factories most often violate the basic rights of their employees, employ children in production, and the salaries paid to workers usually contradict any fair compensation. Unfortunately, the European fashion industry is dominated by the latter model, and more attention should be paid to local garment manufacturers, supporting them and thus contributing to improving the employment situation in this sector. Statistics and employment figures for garment factories as of today are not encouraging.

It takes an army of artisans to create a product for a customer, which addresses the exploitation one encounters in the fashion industry. There are not just flaws in the industry, but issues that require the utmost attention, as the degree of exploitation has been rampant. Statistically, 31.9% of total employment in the garment industry is female, although an irrational rate of child labour can also be seen. It is high in this industry because of tasks that are potentially more suitable for children than adults. An example is cotton garment manufacturers, which have their own supply chain, for which plucking cotton buds is a complicated activity. Children are hired for such tasks to avoid damage, as children have small fingers for plucking them[2].

Source: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2012/03/01/00/37/buttons-19755_960_720.jpg

[1] ofeminin https://www.ofeminin.pl/swiat-kobiet/kariera/zadna-z-marek-odziezowych-nie-zapewnia-godnych-plac-wszystkim-pracownikom/p1s5fms

[2] Fashion & Law Journal “Legal Issues in Fashion Industry”  https://fashionlawjournal.com/legal-issues-in-fashion-industry/