Fast Fashion Workers Sad Conditions

     We wear all kinds of clothes, whether it is a Nike t-shirt or an Adidas jacket, cheap clothes or expensive, whether for fashion or for a good deal. Do you ever ask yourself who made the clothes for you? 

medium.com

     Bangladesh, China, India, Ethiopia, Pakistan are the main countries that produce clothes(textile production). We are interested in garment industry workers’ lifestyle. Let’s focus on Bangladesh.

     Firstly, in Bangladesh, the majority of fast fashion workers(85%) are women. The 3,5 million people work in  4825 garment factories producing clothes and exporting particularly to Europe and North America. They earn 3,000 Taka a month(35 dollars).

     It’s less than the minimum wage estimated to 5,000 Taka a month( 78,96 dollars) to provide for their basic needs.

     Not only they are not well paid but also they are obligated to work seven days a week for shifts of 14 to 16 hours.

https://waronwant.org/news-analysis/sweatshops-bangladesh

     The reason why Bangladesh workers are so poorly paid is that employment is not regulated. Contrary to Canada, there are no laws neither for the minimum wage nor for their working condition. Workers are not protected by laws. That owner industries owners are interested to set their factory to developing countries like Bangladesh because of the workforce. The workforces are very cheap.

     Worst, workers are confronted with dangerous conditions. Many factory collapses or fires are resulting in numerous deaths. As matter of fact, there are no building inspections. One of the collapses had killed over 1000 workers at Raza Plaza.

The New York Times 

     Unfortunately, that is not it. There is another problem that strikes women. They are sexual abuse. In this period of COVID-19, women and spouses are more exposed to sexual assault and sexual abuse by their partners(70% is the percentage). It is estimated that 235 women were killed by their husbands or by their families last year.

     There are people who starve, who die, who are victims of violence while we live in security and we have everything. Instead of wasting our money on buying clothes or anything, we should instead help those people hoping to improve their living conditions.