Who made the clothes you’re wearing? 

Look down at what you’re wearing right now. Your favourite jeans, that cool hoodie, or the top you grabbed in last week’s sale—do you know where they actually came from? Sure, the tag might say ‘Made in India’ or ‘Made in Australia,’ but what does that really mean? More importantly, who made it?

The truth is, even many fashion brands don’t know exactly who is making their clothes. Despite an obligation to be transparent, most retailers don’t publish supplier lists, meaning we have no way of knowing the real story behind our outfits. And that’s a problem, because behind every cheap T-shirt or trendy jacket, there’s a whole supply chain of workers—many of whom are being exploited.

Case in point: The Rana Plaza Crisis

In 2013, the fashion industry had a major reality check when the Rana Plaza clothing manufacturing complex in Bangladesh collapsed, killing over 1,000 workers.  It was a wake-up call about the true cost of cheap clothes, but sadly, things haven’t improved much since then. Today, workers in the fashion industry continue to face dangerous conditions, unfair wages, and even forced labour.

The cotton industry: How common is exploitation?

Cotton is everywhere — our clothes, our bedsheets, our towels. But did you know the cotton industry is linked to forced and child labour?

Globally, around 300 million people work in cotton production. Up to 99 per cent of the world’s cotton farmers live and work in developing countries, the majority residing in India or China.

In some regions, workers—many of them young women and girls—are trafficked into forced labour. Trapped in unsafe factories, they work for long hours with little or no pay.  This is a form of modern slavery. 

The cotton they produce is shipped worldwide, meaning the clothes you buy here in Australia might have been made under these conditions.

How to know whether your clothes are made in sweatshops:

If you’re wearing brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma or Australian-owned brands like Bonds or Just Jeans, chances are that your clothes were made in places that can be described as sweatshops by people working in exploitative conditions. While sweatshops are particularly common in countries where labour laws are often not enforced, they are not limited only to these countries. We can find them in our own backyard.

Here in Australia, exploitative practices take place in garment factories and sometimes even in people’s own homes. Those subject to poor working conditions are often recent immigrants with poor English who are exploited by major brands and largely ‘hidden’ from society. 

The problem with fast fashion

We all love a cheap find—especially students and part-time workers on a budget. But experts warn that the lower the price, the more likely it is that someone, somewhere, has been exploited. That doesn’t mean expensive brands are always ethical, but if a T-shirt costs less than $10, it should raise red flags.

Luckily, there are ethical, budget-friendly alternatives! Op-shops, clothing swaps, renting outfits, and upcycling old clothes are all accessible ways to stay stylish without contributing to exploitation.

The environmental impact of fast fashion

Cheap fashion doesn’t just harm workers — it’s also destroying the environment. And, over the last 20 years, global fashion consumption has increased by 400%. Consider this: the cotton for just one T-shirt requires 600 litres of water to grow. Then, that cotton is processed in one country, shipped to another for sewing, and sent somewhere else to be sold. Every step burns energy, creating massive pollution. In fact, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions — more than international flights and shipping combined!

But on top of that, clothing is often shipped from one place to another during production. This means that often the cotton is grown in one country, and then processed into fabric somewhere. After that, the fabric is shipped somewhere else to be sewn into a t-shirt by an underpaid and overworked person. And finally, the finished product is shipped to the country where it is sold. 

This process requires a lot of energy to complete, creating massive amounts of pollution. The top you’re wearing right now has probably travelled more than you have! 

To learn more about the impact of a cotton t-shirt, watch this TedEd video. 

To learn about the toxic advertising tactics of fast fashion brands watch this Vox video. 

How to buy exploitation-free clothing – an ethical fashion alternative

Want to curb your fast fashion habits? Want to ensure your wardrobe is exploitation and traffic-free?

1. Read up: Find out more about the cotton production process here and about forced and child labour in the cotton industry
2. Buy from ethical brands: Check clothing labels and buy products made from ethically certified cotton whenever you can. If clothing carries the Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA) label it means the garment was manufactured in Australia and the manufacturer has committed to ensuring that all of the people involved in its production received, as a minimum the legally stated wage rates and conditions. See the ECA list of accredited brands to find out which Australian garments you can purchase to support fair working conditions. You can also try out the Good On You ethical fashion directory. 
3. Be fashionable and sustainable: There are many sustainable options when it comes to fashion such as op-shopping, upcycling, renting clothes or even making it yourself! 
4. Buy less: Another simple but effective way to have a sustainable wardrobe is to challenge overconsumption by shopping less. The fast fashion industry has tricked us into overconsumption, meaning you don’t need as many clothes as you think you do! Why not try out the #NoNewClothes challenge?
5. Wash less: Washing machines and dryers (especially) require a lot of energy to run. Additionally, over half of your clothes will be made with at least a little bit of polyester – which is made from plastic. This means that each time you wash them, you are releasing microplastics. So by washing on cold, in a front loader, and hanging your clothes to dry – you are doing a lot for the planet! Here are some more tips and information on the impact of how you wash your clothes.
6. Speak up: Join campaigns and support organisations working hard to disrupt exploitative practices in the clothing industry such as Fashion Revolution and Remake.

In a society saturated with images of the latest fashion trends and TikTok feeds littered with Shein hauls, it can be difficult to resist the pressure to conform and buy into a consumer culture that doesn’t think about where and how the products we purchase have been made. By wearing sustainable fashion, we can become more conscious consumers and promote better working conditions for those on the production line. 

Follow accounts that will make your feed more encouraging of slow fashion and low-waste lifestyles! 

• @clotheshorsepodcast – a podcast and Instagram account that gets to the root of fast fashion’s impact. 
• @_sewbysew_  – a sewing account that teaches you how to mend and create new clothes. 
• @thefashionadvocate – promotes ethical and sustainable brands and keeps you updated on ethical fashion news
• @eco.styles – a sustainable fashion advocate and researcher that will keep you educated 

Fashion is about expressing yourself — but that expression shouldn’t come at the cost of human suffering or environmental destruction. By making better choices, you can help create a future where style and ethics go hand in hand.