True cost – Documentary Notes Sjuul Visschers
>we communicate our identity through our clothing. Global fashion industry is a 3 trillion dollar
industry.
Reinvention of the fashion industry; only looks after big business interests’. 97% of clothes is
fabricated by outsourcing production to developing countries. -> makes cheaper prices -> “fast
fashion”
Globalized production= production of goods has been outsourced to low-costs economies where
wages are low and are kept low. These companies are the top of the value chain. “Cheap enough to
throw away, without thinking about it”. A lot has come to light when an 8 story sweatshop collapsed
in Bangladesh (rana plaza). Garment workers earn less than 3 dollars a day. Bangladesh > lowest paid
workers.
Lucy Siegle: journalist, focussed on the fashion industry. Has written about problem in the supply
chain. The vulnerable carry the risk of fast fashion. “Why is the trillion-dollar industry unable to offer
safe environment and reasonable wages to all these workers?”. Later in docu. We keep producing
disposable stuff. Fashion should not be a disposable product. + where is the reward for workers?
They are obviously exploited.
People tree; fair trade fashion brand. “fair trade is a citizens response to correct the social injustice in
the dysfunctional trading system”. + development society > helps a village of 3000 people. Learning
the obstacles of delivering social benefit. It is a partnership.
1 out of 6 people alive work in the fashion industry -> labour intensive market! Origin on cotton
farms – a big drive towards industrialization of agriculture. The land is considered as a factory; no
longer in tune with seasons and cycles.
Actors in globalized production:
Sweatshop Factories are hot and contain harmful chemicals. Get beaten up if they have some
workers demands. They don’t see their family/children in a very long time. They find the
owners unaware.
Cambodia -> a lot of protests on the street. Protests against riot police. People get
killed.
Sweatshop There should not be any distrust between owners and workers. Confidence leads to
owner result.
Fashion What says the fashion industry? -> sweatshops are the least-bad option for them, it
companies raises their living conditions and better working conditions over time. The
alternatives for these workers are very different from alternatives in western
countries, and are often much worse.
Major fashion brands declined the request of an interview! This is remarkable!
Brands do not own the sweatshops so don’t officially employ sweatshop workers,
they profit hugely, freely of (social) responsibility.
Consumers More materialistic values lead to less happiness. Advertisers tie the product to a
message of satisfied needs (consumption). > our economy is based on these
materialistic values.
Shopping hauls. Black Friday.
Do customers recognize the impact of their consumption? The customer is in
charge.
>we communicate our identity through our clothing. Global fashion industry is a 3 trillion dollar
industry.
Reinvention of the fashion industry; only looks after big business interests’. 97% of clothes is
fabricated by outsourcing production to developing countries. -> makes cheaper prices -> “fast
fashion”
Globalized production= production of goods has been outsourced to low-costs economies where
wages are low and are kept low. These companies are the top of the value chain. “Cheap enough to
throw away, without thinking about it”. A lot has come to light when an 8 story sweatshop collapsed
in Bangladesh (rana plaza). Garment workers earn less than 3 dollars a day. Bangladesh > lowest paid
workers.
Lucy Siegle: journalist, focussed on the fashion industry. Has written about problem in the supply
chain. The vulnerable carry the risk of fast fashion. “Why is the trillion-dollar industry unable to offer
safe environment and reasonable wages to all these workers?”. Later in docu. We keep producing
disposable stuff. Fashion should not be a disposable product. + where is the reward for workers?
They are obviously exploited.
People tree; fair trade fashion brand. “fair trade is a citizens response to correct the social injustice in
the dysfunctional trading system”. + development society > helps a village of 3000 people. Learning
the obstacles of delivering social benefit. It is a partnership.
1 out of 6 people alive work in the fashion industry -> labour intensive market! Origin on cotton
farms – a big drive towards industrialization of agriculture. The land is considered as a factory; no
longer in tune with seasons and cycles.
Actors in globalized production:
Sweatshop Factories are hot and contain harmful chemicals. Get beaten up if they have some
workers demands. They don’t see their family/children in a very long time. They find the
owners unaware.
Cambodia -> a lot of protests on the street. Protests against riot police. People get
killed.
Sweatshop There should not be any distrust between owners and workers. Confidence leads to
owner result.
Fashion What says the fashion industry? -> sweatshops are the least-bad option for them, it
companies raises their living conditions and better working conditions over time. The
alternatives for these workers are very different from alternatives in western
countries, and are often much worse.
Major fashion brands declined the request of an interview! This is remarkable!
Brands do not own the sweatshops so don’t officially employ sweatshop workers,
they profit hugely, freely of (social) responsibility.
Consumers More materialistic values lead to less happiness. Advertisers tie the product to a
message of satisfied needs (consumption). > our economy is based on these
materialistic values.
Shopping hauls. Black Friday.
Do customers recognize the impact of their consumption? The customer is in
charge.
