Paula R.

Uribe

FASHION REVOLUTION
world affairs
 fast fashion
Fast fashion is the term used to talk about the sector of fashion in which
big companies are more interested on the profit and money than the
conditions of the workers. Considered a “modern” way of committing
slavery, fast fashion affects millions of people, as workers perform in
terrible situations.
Fast fashion is characterized for its rapid production, low quality and
trend replication, it’s become very popular as big clothing companies
adapt easily to trends. This affects not only the workers but the
environment as well.
 made in India

transparency index: 17%

policies & committees 52%
governance 0%
traceability 15%
know, show & fix 4%
spotlight issues 14%
 Indian industry
In India, women are employed mostly informal in big fashion companies. India is the second biggest
exporter in the textile market after China and in order to reach the demands of fast fashion, workers
are the one to take the consequences. India faces worker exploitation, poverty wages and unsafe
working conditions.

Fast fashion in India (and all over the world) not only affects the lives of million of people but also the
environment brutally. The Indian government has been looking for solutions in order to protect the
environment, specially water.

20% of the wate water worldwide comes from dyeing textiles, fashion industry is the sopecond
biggest consumer of water, it takes 3,781 liters of water to make a pair of jeans according to the UN
Enviroment Program-me.

The textile industry is one of the main income ways of the Indian population. Fast fashion has a
direct impact in India’s economy. This industry in India is characterized by the use of technology in
the mass production of textile, nevertheless the life of millions of people is affected. India has
strengths across the entire production of fiber and yarn.
 made in Vietman

transparency index: 53%

policies & committees 92%
governance 64%
traceability 56%
know, show & fix 32%
spotlight issues 47%
 Vientam industry
Vietnam is one of the only countries that has several campaigns (governmental and non-governmental)
to fight fast fashion slavery and environmental impact. Many local designers have taken action by
promoting clothing recycling, second-handed sales and fair payment to textile workers.

The clothing industry in Vietnam represents one of the most important contributor to their economical
growth. In the clothing industry, Vietnam was the largest exporter in 2017 (fashion revolution.org).
Focusing mainly in outdoor, sports and footwear sector. In Vietnam this industry gives employment to
approximately 4.5 million people, although they don’t work in the best conditions.

The most common violation of rights actions in Vietnam are: presume for productivity, overtime
working (without the correct salary) and lack of safety regulations. In the factories, gender based
violence has been reported as well. This industry has a lot of impact in the environment as well, tons of
clothing with defects and the waste goes directly into the environments and the material with which the
clothings are made takes decades to decompose in the environment.
 made in China

transparency index: 18%

policies & committees 57%
governance 45%
traceability 1%
know, show & fix 22%
spotlight issues 20%

 china’s industry
China has the cheapest labor dues in the world, here is where big companies buy their clothing at the lowest
prince in order to sell it way more expensive and earning a lot of money. China is the main procures of fast
fashion worldwide.

In China, 85% of the poor population lives in rural areas, like in any other country, they seek for a better life so
the best solution in working in a factory that could give them some money. Fast fashion need speedy working
so big companies abuse they poverty to earn more workers at a smaller amount of money. This problem is
directed interconectes to human trafficking in China, in 2018 the Global Slavery Index pointed out that
garments is one of the top five industries that contribute the most to forced labor trafficking. Children in China
also suffer form forced working and their rights are violated as they work in terrible conditions.

Overproduction is one of the main problems in fast fashion in China. The main objective of fast fashion is to
keep up with trends but producing cheap clothing. A lot of the clothing goes “out of style” very quickly so what
brands do, instead of disposing or recycling correctly the unused clothes, is throwing it away, contaminating
the environment brutally but also wasting wearable clothes. In total Chinese companies approximately throw
way 26 million metric tons of clothing each year. (BORGEN magazine.com)
 Sources
FASHION TRANSPARENCY INDEX 2022 : Fashion revolution. (s/f).
Fashionrevolution.org. Recuperado el 6 de febrero de 2023, de
https://www.fashionrevolution.org/about/transparency/

Fast fashion in China: A humanitarian issue. (2020, octubre 14). BORGEN.

https://www.borgenmagazine.com/fast-fashion-in-china/

Indian Fashion Industry. (2006, febrero 8). Fibre2fashion.com; Fibre2Fashion.

https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/91/indian-fashion-industry

Lopes, F., & IndiaSpend.com. (2021, diciembre 23). By creating a false demand for fresh
looks, fast fashion is hurting the environment. Scroll.In.
https://scroll.in/article/1013398/by-creating-a-false-demand-for-fresh-looks-fast-fashion-
is-hurting-the-environment

Vietnam : Fashion revolution. (s/f). Fashionrevolution.org. Recuperado el 6 de febrero

de 2023, de https://www.fashionrevolution.org/asia/vietnam/