Threading the Connections between the SDGs and the Current Fashion and Textiles Industry
Written by: Isabelle Sain, Communications Designer @ Threading Change
Editor: Sarah O’Rourke, Communications Manager @ Threading Change
[3-minute read]
This first intro is an unpacking of Goal 1: “end poverty in all its forms everywhere”. The progress on this goal is facing compounding threats. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised the global poverty rate for the first time in over 20 years. With the threats of the ravaging pandemic, conflict and reactions to climate change the UN has expressed its realistic assessment that this goal will not be achieved without significant and advantageous action taken around policy and systems in place for protecting health, well being, income, employment and social protection to the most vulnerable members of our society. They have predicted that 600 million people by 2030 will still be living in extreme poverty.
The fashion industry has contributed to maintaining poverty and disproportionately impacted the improvement of ending poverty in all its forms.
This goal is directly tied to and affects the vast majority of the people working within the production and distribution parts of fashion’s supply chain. Companies for decades have relied on the exploitation of garment workers as it allowed them to outsource cheap labour in order to sustain competition and hide behind the veil of fashion. There are major connections between fashion and poverty that can be explained through globalization and colonialism, modern slavery and the mistreatment of the livelihoods of young and female workers. Having workers work at poverty wages contributes to many other issues that the Sustainable Development Goals also addresses like poor housing, poor nourishment, inadequate access to health care, the risk of child labour, occupational accidents and violence against women.
The industry, brands and company leaders have a responsibility to the current broken global supply chain as it is affecting local economies' fight to escape poverty and is worsening climate disasters, which ultimately is further displacing people and affecting their livelihoods.
Companies are able to hide as the production is often done out of their local economies and in the Global South knowing they can get away with minimum wages or piece work wages which are not enough for a decent standard of living.
The industry must take steps in improving how supply chains are organized, fair living wages and improvement of every worker's well being. Commitments through policy and social protection services are ways in which we can hold the fashion industry responsible for the role it plays to sustain poverty.
There have been some targets hit or wins within the fight for fair wages and in the achievement of reaching zero poverty.
Labour Behind the Label is an organization that campaigns for garment workers’ rights worldwide. Their team of workers rights supporters worked tirelessly to campaign on the front lines to protect the Bangladesh Accord for Health and Safety. On August 25th 2021 apparel brands and labour unions announced the new International Accord for health and Safety in the textile and garment Industry. The new agreement is preserving, extending and is ensuring the important expansion of coverage beyond Bangladesh. This renewal has been a huge win for garment workers, labour unions and organizations fighting for fair living wage within the garment industry.
Worker Rights Consortium is another organization working with labour unions and factories/ production facilities. They investigate and work with factories like Premium Apparel, a factory in Haiti and their July termination and have worked to remedy their wrongful mass firing of union leaders and activists. They collaborated with the union leaders, workers and the factory management to adequately resolve and compensate the workers with the 13 months’ wages per employee and severance payments.
Brands may outsource their labour but they must take responsibility to protect the people within their supply chains and stand up for the workers and their family's livelihoods and human rights.
About the Author:
Isabelle is an artist whose work is an ongoing sensory experience that explores the relationships between body and space. Her work is grounded in establishing connections and events that define shared experiences to understand human interaction within the physical, political, social, and spiritual environment. Isabelle obtained her BFA in Textiles and Fashion at NSCAD University. Isabelle’s work has been exhibited in Toronto, Halifax, and Copenhagen. She has conducted a number of research projects investigating the future of fashion with KEA University, and has collaborated with several brands including Samsøe & Samsøe, and the Green Cannabis Co. In her art practice and experiences, she has created textile based design processes and solutions that establish connections to reinterpret textile production into a more environmentally and socially conscious industry. She is grounded by the preserving and passing of tradition while focusing her research on designs and systems, intersectional environmentalism, and climate justice.
Sources:
“Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network.” Sustainable Development Goals, www.sustainabledevelopment.un.org/partnerships/FashionNetwork. Accessed 15 October 2021.
“Poverty Wages.” Clean Clothes Campaign, www.cleanclothes.org/poverty-wages. Accessed 15 October 2021.
“Solutions.”The Garment Workers Protection Act, www.garmentworkeract.org/. Accessed 15 October 2021.
“Poverty and Pay in the Fashion Industry.” Common Objective, 31 May 2018, www.commonobjective.co/article/poverty-and-pay-in-the-fashion-industry. Accessed 4 October 2021.
What She Makes. OXFAM Australia, www.whatshemakes.oxfam.org.au/. Accessed 10 0ctober 2021.
“A Living Wage is a Human Right.” Labour Behind the Label, www.labourbehindthelabel.org/living-wage/. Accessed 8 October 2021.
