Fast Fashion Brands: “Who are the people behind the Sewing Machines”

Whenever I see the words “Garment Workers” I automatically think of factories in third world countries, filled with women, and children working in conditions that are unheard of in this day an age—>modern world we live in. With little or no rights, lack of basic facilities that employers should supply in a working environment— what the issue is here and what is of concern and of course important, is a decent wage and a contract of employment.. Also what echoes in the air is health and safety!! Of course different countries operate under different rules but in developing countries it is predominantly non-existence and these policies are discussed but not often visible.. It has been rumoured that procedures are implemented by expectations of the factories, and the bosses who run these operations have only one goal—>that is too complete the order and feed the needs of a never ending appetite for Fast Fashion garments —>copies with a slight difference in design, low in quality, and affordable prices.. To be delivered in the time frame set by the subcontractors who are usually never visible only on collection day —>deadline.

The truth is that this way of life exists all over the world and heavily in western countries, who are so well hidden that the clients —> Fashion Brands are none the wiser, or so disconnected that they have switched themselves off too what is happening in the manufacturing and production of their sought after clothing items and collections.

For instance, it was reported that in Los Angeles there are factories that pay their workers {machinists/seamstresses ~ mainly female} very little and the majority are undocumented, which breeds silence. Bosses are focused upon delivering fast results in competition with overseas factories they tend to charge less and pay the workers less, to retain large multiple orders. Subcontractors the bosses have a pattern of hiring those who are illegally in the country or awaiting residency therefore, cheap labor and unsafe working conditions can never be challenged by the garment workers.

Many of the people behind the sewing machines are undocumented, and unlikely to challenge their bosses. A tiny minority {no exact data on this} of machinists are legally permitted to be in the country for instance in the USA & UK, but the majority {little evidence on this mainly hearsay as fear of being deported reigns} are off the books and working illegally hence why they anonymously speak out.

With subcontractors {bosses} battling overseas competitors that can pay even less too complete contracts, remain more attractive to the brands who mostly don’t care who makes their garments whilst fulfilling the expectations and meeting the ridiculous deadlines. Furthermore, the garment workers are treated at the lowest level of the chain yet they are the ones responsible for bringing creations together and getting fashion items on social media platforms for their brand owners to reap the profits and flourish in accolades from the none the wiser influencers, and fast fashion consumers who are like vultures surrounding the prey awaiting the drop of another fast fashion collection or from a blatant luxury brand copy..

Generally a tiny percentage of consumers {me being one of them} give thoughts or concerns or curiosity too where or who has made the garments being purchased, and under what conditions. I find it extraordinary that in the 21st century nobody or very few seem to care about this and I have to ask WHY?

With technology today and the expanding telecommunications era that we live in allows these areas of concerns too still go unnoticed. This just cannot be right it cannot disappear right before our very own eyes, and nothing is being done to create and improve this chain of mass production in the fashion industry. And yet the demand and appetite for fast fashion is evolving at such a rapid pace and few care about the “waste and the environment” which is my other concern actually I find it frightening to say the least and yes I shall be taking a stand on this and I feel something has to be done “Spoken”. I am already in motion with speaking about this in a firmer way and yes I shall lobby my country’s {UK} Parliament about doing something legally to protect our lands and air from being filled with wasted fashion items..

Follow up blogs on my journey to address this major issue and I shall be stitching-everyone up along the way as I am outraged by the silence..

Photo Shouts: http://www.fashionnova.com @cardib http://www.newyorktimes.com