The document discusses sweatshops and their role in the fashion industry. While sweatshops have poor working conditions, they provide important jobs for workers in developing countries. Some key points made are: 1) Sweatshops allow economies in poor countries to grow by providing manufacturing jobs. 2) Workers choose to work in sweatshops because alternatives like subsistence farming or prostitution are worse. 3) Conditions can be improved, but sweatshops need to exist for countries' economic development. The document examines both criticisms of sweatshops but also their necessity.

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The Impact of Sweatshops in the Fashion Industry
Emily Cook
MCS 429
May 14, 2015

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Introduction
Sweatshops, a primary means of garment production, are a very
controversial and widely discussed issue within the fashion industry. Although viewed in
a negative light there are still positive aspects of sweatshops. Despite the criticism facing
sweatshops, they are inevitable. A number of things must be discussed when considering
sweatshops; such as, their current working conditions, how they are perceived and used
by Americans, their effect on economies, and their importance in the fashion industry. A
better understanding of the importance of sweatshops will arise once each point is
considered. The fashion industry relies heavily on sourcing materials from other
countries. Many of these countries are undeveloped and have growing economies. The
people in the countries do what is necessary to survive, like work in sweatshops. They
thrive off of the production of garments and other accessories just like the fashion
industry thrives off of them.
Materialistic societies have a price to pay. The value that Americans
put on materials holds heavy over the ones who are in charge of bringing those materials
to life. Although the mere thought of sweatshops make people cringe because of the poor
working conditions, they are necessary in the process of industrializing economies in
undeveloped countries. The fashion industry, sweatshops and the workers in each sector
heavily rely on one another to grow.

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Review of Literature
The term “sweatshop” was more loosely associated with the
environment in which cobblers, sewers, furniture makers, and laborers of the like worked
during 19th century Britain. They worked in very hot, concreted buildings for extremely
long hours. Over time the term began to develop a more socially unaccepted meaning.
Sweatshops are now known as factories that employ workers to work for very long
periods of time in an unsafe and unhealthy working environment. On top of that they are
paid a low salary to work under these conditions. Sweatshops are primarily thought to be
in other countries but there have always been and still are sweatshops in the United
States. The industrial revolution brought about harsh workplaces in bigger cities like New
York. The same issues were present then as are today. The issues include; safety hazards,
child labor, and low salaries. One event that occurred in 1991 brings light to the ongoing
issues pertaining to sweatshops. One hundred and forty six workers who were mainly
young women were killed in a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory because the doors
were locked so that the workers could not leave. Working conditions improved after
World War 2. Unions were able to achieve healthcare and pension funds and wages were
much higher than before. Although these times did not last long as sweatshops prevailed
a decade later. By this point, unions were not as strong as before, immigrants had flooded
into America and globalization was quickly dominating the industry. There were 255,000
sweatshops in the U.S in 2000. (De Jesus & Kay, 2012) Needless to say, there are still
many sweatshops currently operating in the United States as well as in other countries.

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There have been several terrifying instances having to do with
sweatshops that stand out in the media. The Rana Plaza factory collapsed in Bangladesh
in 2013, which killed at least 1,000 people. The top floors of the factory were built
illegally and were unsafe for workers to be on which caused them to collapse.
(Ross,2014) There was also evidence of electrical wiring being exposed causing fire
hazards and blocked exits so that the workers could not leave. The only positive aspect in
this situation is that the wages were raised to $16 per week after the collapse.
(McManus,2014) In fact, Bangladesh seems to be a center for tragedies when it comes to
sweatshops. The Tazreen factory in Bangladesh caught fire in 2012 and ended with over
200 deaths (Ross,2014). To put things in to perspective when it comes to the economy in
Bangladesh, their citizen’s wages are only one fourth of what they are in China. This
statistic is mind-blowing. (Mcmanus,2014)There was also a fire in Pakistan right before
the Tazreen fire. The fire occurred at the Ali Enterprises and resulted in the death of
nearly 300 workers. The fire in New York’s Triangle Factory was previously discussed.
(Ross, 2014) These instances are disturbing and sad to hear about. Apart from fatal
accidents there are also smaller accidents that happen in sweatshops on a daily basis. The
Centre for Health Policy and Research at the University of Massachusetts researched and
found that there were over 5,000 injuries in workplaces from 1987-2000(Kanj,2013).
Workers are also exploited. They are sometimes expected to give sexual favors, work
longer hours and take pay cuts to their already low salary. Women, children, and men of
all ages tend to work in sweatshops. When unions, religious groups, celebrities and other
activist work towards boycotting sweatshops because of the injustices that occur, they are
not acting in the appropriate manner. Boycotts lead to fewer consumers, which in turn

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leads to factories shutting down. The majority of the people working in the sweatshops
do not want their factories to be closed. The sweatshops are seen as the better choice
when it comes to jobs. The alternatives to working in a sweatshop are often subsistence
farming and prostitution. Others may have to scramble through garbage for a living. The
text suggests that the people choose to work in the factories although they are aware of
the risks. They need to work therefore they do what they have to do to survive. This is a
hard concept to grasp but it is the reality. (Values and Capitism,2011)
Although it is extremely difficult for most Americans to understand the
logic behind working in a sweatshop, America is the biggest supporter of the sweatshop
industry. Two huge companies, Wal-Mart and Gap, import goods form Bangladesh
regularly. Although there are procedures being taken to work towards safety in the
factories, many companies like these do not comply. Wal-Mart and Gap both did not
agree to the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. (Ross,2014) The 5-year
accord requires retailers to contribute $500,000 towards improving safety in the factories
every year as well as independently carrying out safety inspections (Kanj,2013). Many
American companies seem to be less than empathetic. Instead of signing agreements they
are apparently abiding by the Corporate Social Responsibility conduct, which allows
them to self-regulate. These actions are often taken by private companies and are not
performed correctly. (Ross,2014). These companies seem to be doing as little as possible
to only make it seem like they are being precautious. In reality, they only want their
products no matter what it takes to get them. There are also organizations such as the
Worker Rights Consortium and the Fair Labor Association who could never begin to

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carry out as many inspections as are necessary to make a difference (De Jesus
&Kay,2012). CSR only seems to be a way for companies to make their jobs easier while
seemingly caring about the conditions the workers are working in who produce the items
they sell. It is shocking how the U.S government supports sweatshops all over the
country. A factory in Bangladesh produces shirts for the Marine Corps. Many federal
agencies also receive uniforms from sweatshops. A factory in Haiti has a contract with
the General Services Administration to make uniforms for a company in Missouri for $30
million dollars. (Chen,2014) These examples show how heavily the garment industry
relies on sweatshops for production.
Discussion
I certainly understand how extremely unethical the working
conditions are in sweatshops; however, I find them to be necessary. Sweatshops are going
to be open and people are going to want to work in them. I am an advocate for improving
the conditions in the sweatshops but that can only happen to a certain extent. The
conditions could improve so much that the factory owners would have to lay off workers
in order to pay a higher salary. The factory is now not even a sweatshop. Although I do
believe there are certain actions that can be taken to reduce the harshness of the
environment the workers are in on a daily basis. This can be done through careful
consideration of the country and its economical standpoint. As an American, it is hard for
me to imagine working under harsh conditions such as the ones in the sweatshops I have
read about. I would not want to work in one nor would I want to see people working in

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one. I am able to understand that other parts of the world are less fortunate. Actually
other parts of the United States are less fortunate. Nothing can be done to completely rid
the world of poor areas. Some people will never live to know life as I know it. This is
inevitable as are sweatshops. I believe that undeveloped countries will eventually
transition into developed countries but the country must undergo a process to do so. The
United States has not always been as developed as we are today. Everything starts from
the bottom and makes its way up because life is simply not that easy. The world is at a
high level of globalization, which make sweatshops more of a necessity. Countries are
constantly sourcing goods out of other countries. The United States now depends on
importing goods from other countries. We thrive off of the ability to get lower priced
items and don’t care how we do so. Also, many people find it to be a great opportunity to
work in a sweatshop. The alternative may be prostitution but the worker may still be
sexually abused in a sweatshop. I still find those to be completely different because
sexual favors are not the primary focus of work in a sweatshop regardless of what might
happen. The worker is choosing to work in a sweatshop. They could choose to quit at
anytime if the conditions were life threatening. They must stay there for a reason. I am
not implying that I would stay or that I can fully understand why they stay. I certainly
have sympathy for these people but they live in a completely different world than I do.
Sweatshops improve economies in undeveloped countries and are therefore necessary to
the growth of the country.

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Conclusion
Retailers and public agencies use sweatshops widely around the world.
The sweatshops are proven to be the main source of garment production rather the items
are exclusive to the high fashion industry or the U.S government itself. Despite the poor
working conditions in the factories they are essential to the growth of the economies in
the countries that house them. They are also proven to be crucial to the American
economy as a whole as well as the success of the fashion industry. Actions can certainly
be taken to improve the conditions in sweatshops all over the world but only well-
educated persons should take it upon themselves to do so. It is important for all aspects of
sweatshops and the affects they have on society to be considered.

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Work Cited
Chen, M. (2014, January 4). The U.S. Government Uses Sweatshops, Too. Retrieved
May 13, 2015, from http://www.commondreams.org/views/2014/01/04/us-government-
uses-sweatshops-too
De Jesus, J., & Kay, T. (2012, March 31). Ethical Style: There Are Still Sweatshops in
America. Retrieved May 12, 2015, from http://magazine.good.is/articles/ethical-style-
there-are-still-sweatshops-in-america
Kanj, J. (2013, June 13). Modern Day Slave Trade: America's Offshore Industrial Sweat
Shops. Retrieved May 13, 2015, from http://www.globalresearch.ca/modern-day-slave-
trade-americas-offshore-industrial-sweat-shops/5338891
Mcmanus, D. (2014, April 22). Bangladesh's sweatshops: A boycott is not the answer.
Retrieved May 14, 2015, from http://articles.latimes.com/2014/apr/22/opinion/la-oe-
mcmanus-column-bangladesh-garment-fire-20140423
Reconciling the Good and Evil of Sweatshops. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2015, from
http://valuesandcapitalism.com/reconciling-the-good-and-evil-of-sweatshops/
Ross, R. (2014, January 6). Tax Dollars for Sweatshops - FPIF. Retrieved May 14, 2015,
from http://fpif.org/tax-dollars-sweatshops/