“Oh my god, that shirt is to die for!”

Dhaka in April 2013, was the deadliest garment factory accident in history. The death toll totaled over 1100, more than any other accident before. Even more than the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City, the accident that prompted radical new workplace fire safety laws guaranteeing the safety of those working in the factories. Yet following the disaster in Bangladesh, no new legislation was passed. Who was this company supplying for? Fast Fashion companies like Primark. This leads us to pose the question, “What is the true cost, of your clothes?” 

This a question and phrase thrown about a lot in futile attempts to get people to change their buying habits. However, it is a genuine question of great importance. Not only does your cheap garment result in incredible low wages, horrid working conditions, and child labor illegal in most “western” countries. But those “cheap” prices also result in actual quantifiable medical issues and deaths. From the fires, building collapses, gas inhalation and scoliosis related deaths and complications, the cost of your shirt might be a human life, is it worth it?

In September 2012 two fires on the same day in separate garment factories in Pakistan killed more than 300 workers. Between 300 and 400 workers were inside the first factory. Many of the deaths that day were caused by suffocation as all the emergency escapes were locked and the windows had iron bars encapsulating the workers in prison-like conditions. 

Another medical complication, and casualty of fast fashion is the production of jeans and denim. Sandblasting is a common practice in jean factories. Sandblasting actually creates early onset Scoliosis within workers. Also without proper ventilation the dust and fumes intake is also toxic, “In 2003 Turkish investigators published a case study in the Journal of Occupational Health that looked at a number of small workplaces employing 10 or less workers carrying out sandblasting of jeans contracting to larger companies. None of the five workplaces examined had sufficient local exhaust ventilation and workers were not using effective respiratory protective equipment.” (Hobson, 2013). Of 11 Sandblasters studied, over a third had radiological evidence of silicosis. After multiple deaths and lifelong illnesses in sandblasting workers who were only in their 20’s, Turkey finally banned Sandblasting practices. But Turkey was not the only country to employ this technique. 

While Capitalism seems to hold the world in its iron fist the fundamental structure of the economic system is that the market meets supply and demand, meaning we have the power to change it. Just look at the availability of milk alternatives. Three years ago it would be rare that you could walk into just about any cafe and find oat or almond milk, now dairy free milk is readily available almost everywhere you go. There are examples of consumers changing the market completely and we are witnessing one right now in the rise of veganism. With this power that we hold do we as a consumer have the collective responsibility to not only be aware of how our clothes are produced but also influence how they are produced?

With new research and information coming to light about how our clothes are produced maybe the Fast Fashion ethical question should no longer be, "What is the true cost of your clothes?" but instead be, "Is that shirt really 'to die for'?"