I recently watched a documentary called the True Cost' as part of my FCP studies that explored the impact of fashion on people and the planet.
Oh my goodness did it make me stop and think.
I am the epitome of a selfish shopper in that whenever I purchase anything, whether it be a new pair of jeans or a slightly more expensive designer bag, I never stop and think "I wonder who made it?" or "Do they get paid enough for the job they've done?"
Without even realising it, the price of goods just keeps on dropping, particularly in high street stores. Of course, this suits the majority of human beings just fine who have disposable income to spend - who doesn't love getting a bit of money off their purchase?
Not long ago it was 'Black Friday'. In America where it initially came about - it marks the unofficial beginning of the Christmas season, acting as a holiday due to employers giving their staff the day off as part of Thanksgiving weekend. Now, us Brits have adopted it into our yearly routine but for all of the wrong reasons - with retailers just using it as a ploy to make extra cash through cutting prices by around 50% or more. (I love a good bargain but can't think of anything more stressful than going shopping and having to deal with people fighting over items that they really don't need!)
'The True Cost' gave us a raw representation of what goes on behind the scenes, including the horrific work environments staff in third world countries are forced to be in daily, as well as the excessively poor amount of income they receive for their efforts. In 2014 it came to light that Garment factories in Bangladesh were failing to pay their workers minimum wage - leaving the majority earning just $2 for a full days work.
Such bad press in itself explains why there has been an increase in UK retailers 'reshoring' their manufacturers and suppliers back into the UK - undeniably more expensive but a whole lot more ethical (Jack Wills being just one example!)
Now more than ever, consumers are becoming much more aware and care about where products they buy are made - hopefully this will continue!
If you haven't seen this documentary then I highly recommend it - although a bit upsetting its the wakeup call everyone needs. If you have a Netflix account you'll be able to find it on there but if not then here's a link: http://truecostmovie.com
Love, Lana Skye x
Photo Credit: Google Images.
Quotation Reference: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/10671738/Why-are-UK-firms-bringing-manufacturing-back-home.html
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