THE TRUE COST

The
True Cost is a documentary film exploring the impact of fashion on people and the
planet. The film highlights the untold story behind the clothing we wear each day
and challenges viewers to ask, who pays the price for our clothing?

Andrew Morgan’s documentary, The True Cost, is an eye-opening trip around the
world to understand fast fashion and its horrific human cost. As part of living a
purpose-driven life, raising consciousness and awareness is key. I’m still wrapping
my head around how to integrate this knowledge into my life.

Andrew read about the building collapse in Dhaka in 2013, where over 1239 people
died. Management forced people to work in a building that was cracking, even after
workers raised concerns.

The documentary starts with a look at the evolution over the past 60 years. In the
50’s and ’60s over 90% of the clothes Americans wore, were made in the U.S.
Today it’s less than 3%. The fashion landscape has changed from fashion being
seasonal, to new clothes arriving every week. Companies work to get customers
to feel like clothing is so cheap it can be thrown away. Prices continue to go down,
even though costs haven’t. Labor is getting squeezed into the equation.

Big clothing retailers, like H&M, Uniqlo, and Forever 21 have been at the forefront
of driving down wages for cheap labor. These companies are not liable for the
working conditions of the factories. They tend to go where countries do not
uphold regulations.

The film shows what conditions are like in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Long hours, toxic
chemicals, and abuse are the norms. In one factory, employees, mostly women,
tried to organize and were beaten. It shows the slums of northern India, where
the chemical run-off from shoe processing is causing jaundice and cancer in the
surrounding communities.

The end of the film focuses on the system that perpetuates this behavior. It takes
a critical look at capitalism. Essentially this system won’t change unless the people
running a big business are less concerned with making a better quarter each
quarter. Essentially corporations need a different reward and punishment system
or things won’t change.

The film isn’t all doom and gloom. There are stories of activists and designers who
are working to raise awareness and create sustainable factories and practices.
Still, so much damage has been done. And it’s hard to believe that this will get
better soon without a huge awareness and behavior shift in consumers.

Consuming less and smarter are the next steps, but I know there is more to be
done.

LET’S BACK OFF THIS ENDLESS, CONSTANT PURCHASING AND INVESTING IN

CLOTHES WE LOVE.