Overseas sweatshops are a common practice for many companies and industries all over the globe. The production of clothes is one of the most significant sectors that employ foreign sweatshop labor (Stafford). This paper covers a brief history of the issue and reasons why fashion giants decided to move their production abroad. Moreover, it dwells on problems associated with working conditions, like child labor and gender-based violence. The research relies on scholarly articles, reports of international organizations, and analytical overviews of the industry. Arguments presented below support the notion that unsafe working conditions and violation of employees’ rights undermine the ethical permissibility of overseas sweatshops.
Though there is no unified definition for a sweatshop, it generally refers to a place where unskilled workers work long shifts for low wages. This term was first used in the mid and late 19th century when middlemen or ‘sweaters’ set up contracts with tailor shops (Aßländer 2). In the U.S., the demand for ready-made clothes spurred the spread of sweatshops. To reduce costs, shop owners hired women for simple sewing and paid them 25 to 50 percent less than male tailors (“What is a Sweatshop”). Additionally, the flow of immigrants from Europe allowed sustaining this employment model. It remained unchanged even with the emergence of trade unions and stricter labor laws.
Since the fashion industry continued to grow and expand, the regulation of working conditions and labor markets in the U.S. and Europe enhanced too. Therefore, garment producers moved the production process abroad to secure access to the cheap workforce and raw materials. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, turned to their former colonies, including India and Bangladesh, to outsource cotton and other fabrics (Holland and Brewster 117). Nowadays, Bangladesh is the second-largest clothing producer after China, where 85% of the country’s export accounts for the textile industry (Holland and Brewster 117). The unprecedented flourishing of free trade and globalization led to the creation of the fast fashion business model. As a result, the reliance of these businesses on overseas sweatshops exposed problems of unacceptable working conditions and child labor.
Fast fashion brands set trends and put an exceptional value on garments to stimulate constant purchasing. It is a so-called ‘perceived obsolescence’ when consumers are forced to buy new items just because they are fashionable (Hackett). Fashion giants work with manufacturing companies that have unauthorized subcontractors (Stafford). Hence, decent working conditions are not ensured as sweatshops do not adhere to legal standards. In 2013, the Rana Plaza garment factory building in Bangladesh collapsed, killing 1 134 people and injuring more than 2 500 (Safi and Rushe). Public pressure followed, and several brands gave money to their supplier to improve safety at factories. However, there is no consistent cooperation between the government, trade unions, and fashion giants to implement changes.
Furthermore, there are still groups that suffer from gender-based violence and intense exploitation in the workplace. For example, women comprise 70% of the workforce in China, 85 % in Bangladesh, and 90% in Cambodia (International Labour Organization Training Centre and Fair Wear Foundation 31). They are regarded as those less likely to resist violence and assault from the management. Women are often discriminated against and are deprived of the right to maternity leave. They are afraid to report acts of violence or rights violations because they will lose their source of income. Abuse toward women is also linked to the need for meeting growing production targets. Cultural norms and established gender roles in patriarchal societies exacerbate the problem.
Children are another vulnerable group that is exploited by subcontractors in sweatshops. Even though child labor is forbidden in many countries, these practices persist in the developing world. For instance, families in rural India and Bangladesh send young girls to factories or mills with the promise of high earnings (Moulds). In reality, they are working long shifts under hideous conditions in a modern slavery system. Moreover, children are selected for cotton picking as their small hands allow them to work faster (Moulds). The main challenge in coping with child labor is the complexity of supply chains. Even when brands have strict regulations or standards, they do not control subcontractors that recruit children. Slowly, the situation is changing because fashion companies conduct special audits to track how their manufactures source and treat workers.
Nevertheless, it is claimed that overseas sweatshops are ethically acceptable because they ignite industrial and economic development in host countries. Outcomes of economic development are supposed to improve the quality of life. For instance, South Korea in the 1970s supported labor-intensive clothing manufacturing for economic expansion and diversification (Brooks 125). However, there should be strong state regulations of the industry as well as transparent welfare policies. National authorities are not able to control the industry in the global free market where there are low entry barriers for foreign entities. Consequently, local manufacturers cannot compete with powerful brands and prefer to function as subcontractors. They are not interested in creating a better working environment or providing workers with study opportunities.
Demand from consumers may bring about changes in the overseas sweatshop system. People in different corners of the world start to reject fast fashion and the philosophy behind this concept. Some garment firms initiate campaigns to raise awareness about unsustainable consumption. For instance, the outwear brand Patagonia created an advertisement that asked customers not to buy another jacket (Rome 16). To sum up, the environmental impact of the industry and ethical aspects of the production process is questioned by consumers and companies.
Throughout history, unskilled workers have been at the heart of sweatshops. The industrial revolution increased the scale of garment manufacturing without improving the working environment. Rapid economic development and surging demand in the US and Europe pushed sweatshops to the developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Complicated supply chains and the lack of state control prompted subcontractors to exploit the labor force. Workers, especially women and children, do not receive essential protection, health insurance, and decent wages. These factors prove the unacceptability of all forms of overseas sweatshops due to their inhumane nature.
Works Cited
Aßländer, Michael. “Sweated Labor as a Social Phenomenon Lessons from the 19th Century Sweatshop Discussion.” Journal of Business Ethics, 2019. Web.
Brooks, Andrew. Clothing Poverty. Zed Books, 2015.
Hackett, Lisa. “Addressing Rage: The Fast Fashion Revolt.” A Journal of Media and Culture, vol. 22, no. 1, 2019.
Holland, Peter, and Chris Brewster, editors. Contemporary Work and the Future of Employment in Developed Counties. Taylor & Francis, 2020.
International Labour Organization Training Centre and Fair Wear Foundation. Gender-based Violence in Global Supply Chains: Resource Kit.
Moulds, Josephine. “Child Labor in the Fashion Supply Chain” The Guardian.
Rome, Adam. “Fashion Forward? Reflections on the Environmental History of Style.” Environmental History, vol. 23, no. 3, 2018, pp. 1–22.
Safi, Michael, and Dominic Rushe. “Rana Plaza, Five Years on: Safety of Workers Hangs in Balance in Bangladesh.” The Guardian, 2018.
Stafford, Victoria. “Factory Exploitation and the Fast Fashion Machine” Green Business Network, 2018.
“What is a Sweatshop.” Smithsonian.