Fashion is one of the industries most dependent on manual labor, as each product/garment must be handcrafted along a long supply chain.
The fast fashion industry employs about 75 million factory workers worldwide, and the majority of these workers are women. Every year, we all collectively buy billions of new clothes and it is estimated that by 2030 the fashion industry will consume resources equivalent to two planet earths to meet the predicted demand for clothing.
Over the years the fashion industry has quickly chosen to transfer its work to Asian countries (Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, Philippines, etc.) where less than 2% of workers earn the minimum living wage. The conditions of factory workers in Asia are described as "slave labor". They work up to 16 hours a day, 7 days a week including children, because the work requires minimal knowledge and children can be exploited at a younger age.
This also happens in Albania, where many women work in minimal working conditions for well-known firms, such as "Max Mara", "Polo", "Hermont & Blant", "Clarks", "Geox", "Dolce Gabbana" shoes, "Gian Franco Ferre", "Zara", "Triumph", "Wolf Lingerie", etc., but also for Albanian textile lines.
Workers' rights are constantly being violated in the fast fashion industry such as working hours, workplace safety, low wages, etc. which cause workers to live in poverty, psychological damage and health problems. On your next purchase, ask yourself, Who makes my clothes and what are the consequences?
