Fast fashion brands need to #PayUp

Garment workers and the environment have suffered at the hands of the fast fashion industry. For years, non-profit organisations like Fashion Revolution and Remake have been fighting for fair wages, safe working conditions and against extreme waste and environmental destruction.

With COVID-19 and the increased attention around the #BlackLivesMatter movement, the industry is facing new pressures.

The impact of COVID-19 on the garment industry

Image: Fran Hogan

Like most of the world, fast fashion companies have been hit hard by COVID-19; stores are closed and with more people staying at home, the necessity or desire to buy new clothing has decreased. As such, some $2 billion worth of clothing orders have been cancelled by major fashion brands. However, this money should be paying garment factories in countries like Bangladesh, where the garment industry accounts for 84% of the city's income. When major fashion brands don't pay up, this puts 4.1 million workers at of risk of going hungry in Bangladesh alone. The fashion industry employs 80 million people worldwide, so seeing 5% of the workforce at risk of homelessness - and in one city alone - is heart-breaking.

Payments cancelled by big fashion brands are often for money already owed to factories or costs incurred on their behalf. Suppliers often pay for the materials and workers upfront, so without this money, factories have had to lay off their workers by the hundreds of thousands and many ready-to-be-shipped garments have nowhere to go. These 'unwanted' goods are being destroyed as we speak. This in turn - especially if the garments are made of polyester - is taking a huge toll on the environment.

Big brands like Topshop, Gap and Walmart (Asda, George brands) refuse to take responsibility for their impact on the people working in their supply chains and are breaking their contracts by refusing to pay for orders already placed. Thousands of garment workers are currently living on the streets and if these companies don't start paying up, thousands of people will starve.  

Garment workers in India, Cambodia and Myanmar are protesting poor conditions and the terrible treatment they have faced. Not only are the few still working doing so in unsafe conditions that offer no ability to social distance, factory owners have been actively firing union members. The factory owners are using coronavirus as a cover to lay off union members who are demanding workers' rights are met. They are even attempting to send these garment workers to prison for speaking up. This is how a young single mother of two, named Sros, ended up in a prison cell for 55 days with 70 other women - a filthy cell that's about 10 by 20 meters, with only one toilet. These conditions made social distancing or quarantining impossible during the height of the coronavirus. Sros' union, with the help of non-profit organisations Clean Clothes Campaign and Worker Rights Consortium, have been pleading with luxury brands that hire the factory to step up, but Micheal Kors, Jimmi Choo, Versace and others remain silent.

Luckily for you, we’re watching them. Movements have started to save unwanted garments and pressure is now being put on big brands to #PayUp. A few of the big brands, including Adidas, Nike and M&S, have now started to pay their suppliers accordingly, but there are still many more to go.

Are fast fashion brands using #blackouttuesday for their own gain?

With #blackouttuesday taking over social media a few weeks ago, many brands have taken the opportunity to show their support to the Black Lives Matter movement. Many major fashion brands filled their feeds with black squares to take time to ‘educate their followers’ on the current climate in America and protests around the world fighting for equality and against systemic racism. There is an irony in this when these brands refuse to even pay their garment workers - who are mainly People of Colour - for the work they’ve done. In most cases, these brands have chosen to set up a supply chain in a country where they can pay their garment workers below an average living wage and let them work under horrible conditions.

For example, Primark has promised to #PayUp, but instead has set up a relief fund which will be nowhere near the $273 million USD they owe. All the while, they have used their social media feeds to comment on the Black Lives Matter movement stating: “We are a brand for everyone. We want to use our platform to help support positive change. To all of our customers, our colleagues and their loved ones - we see you, we hear you and we are with you.”

H&M also posted: “let’s change” and “we believe in equal rights for everyone. We stand with and support the Black community – today and every day.” H&M have responded to the #PayUp movement and have announced they will pay up, without actually making any payments so far. 

The same goes for Fashion Nova, Forever21, Gap, Topshop and many others. Remake’s Pay Up Tracker is a brilliant source to keep track of the #PayUp movement, and which fashion brands are actually paying up!

What can you do to help?

1. Sign petitions and send emails to the big brands through non-profit organisations like Fashion Revolution, Remake and Labour Behind the Label. You can also donate a couple of pounds to spread the word.

2. Call out brands via social media by tagging them and adding #PayUp to your messages.

3. Buy a box with Loststock to help laid off garment workers in Bangladesh. Loststock are saving clothing from being destroyed or ending up in landfill and their proceeds are going towards the SAJIDA Foundation, who have already helped over 50,000 garment workers and their families by handing over food and hygiene supplies as well as installing portable washing devices in 28 districts in Bangladesh.One box costs £35 and has clothing worth over £75. It’s a ‘surprise’ box, you can choose your size and the style and you’ll receive around 3 items in your box, all pieces of clothing come without brand tags. 

4. If you really want to make a difference, stop buying from brands who don’t care. Look for brands who pay their garment workers decently, have a safe space for them to work and use organically grown textiles. Apps like Good On You help you to make better choices for the future.

5. Donate to non-profit organisations who are fighting for garment workers rights. Two very helpful organisations are the Worker Rights Consortium and the Clean Clothes Campaign.

6. Learn about the clothing industry. What is the impact of your clothing purchases?How is your clothing made, where do your textiles come from, who made your clothes?

Words by Anne McCully