See through Fashion

In April, Bangladesh suffered what is being called its ‘most deadly factory collapse in its history’. The Rana Plaza disaster killed over 1100 men and women and injured thousands more.The ready-to-use-and-abuse garment industry in Bangladesh makes up a whopping 80% of Bangladesh’s exports. Making it the third largest exporter of garments across the world. Extremely cheap labour forged explosive growth over the past three decades, creating more than 3.5million jobs in the sector. Pope Francis condemned as ‘slave labour’ the working conditions of the workers who died in the factory collapse.

The public outcry that followed was more than justified. Companies on our high streets have been operating for far too long without any transparency whatsoever. It’s almost impossible for any of us to know where our clothes are made, by whom and in what conditions. Millions of garment workers in Bangladesh, mostly women, face the difficult choice of going to work in an unsafe building or losing vital but tiny income. In response, 91 fashion retailers have signed the Bangladesh Fire and Safety Accord from around the world, the first ever legally binding agreement that would deliver greater transparency and protect workers from poor conditions. But sadly, not everyone has signed.

The Global Poverty Project is working through its ‘See through Fashion’ campaign to revolutionise the fashion industry and demand greater transparency. We are asking that British retailers put the rights of garment workers ahead of profits. Hundreds of people have taken action already, resulting in Arcadia, River Island and Matalan joining other British retailers in signing the Bangladeshi Fire and Safety Accord. The final remaining British high street retailers yet to sign the Accord are Peacocks (owned by Edinburgh Woollen Mill), and Sports Direct.

A Roman Catholic sister, Daughter of the Cross and Global Poverty Ambassador Gillian Price said that this disaster has finally galvanised the international garment industry into action.

She said: “If we're going to end extreme poverty by 2030 we all have to play our part – and that means businesses too” she said, “As a Global Poverty Ambassador I believe that trade should help lift people out of extreme poverty, not trap them in it”.

It’s absolutely vital that we continue to use our power as consumers to make the world a more safe and just place for those who make our clothes.

For more information and to call on Peacocks and Sports Direct to sign the Accord, visit: www.globalcitizen.org/stf-campaign