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Discover: What's the real cost of a $2 t-shirt?

What is the real cost of a $2.00 t-shirt? Ethical Tees takes a look at the complexities of international supply chains and some of the realities behind fast fashion and the ever-increasing pressures to find more cost-effective sources of labour.

The fashion industry, under all its glitz and glamour, has an unethical side. Approximately 170 million child workers are part of the hidden and complex fashion supply chain. That's a staggering 11% of the world's child population.

Generally, the fashion industry does not require incredibly skilled labour; some of the tasks necessary are quite often more suited to youngsters because they have small, nimble fingers. Employers prefer to engage children in the cotton-picking process because their little fingers do not cause damage to the crops.

The lack of social regulations and unions mean that children are caught up in an endless cycle of forced labour. They are low-skilled workers who have no voice, so they are easy targets. There are no age standards or ethical working conditions to speak of; much of this industry manages to slip under the radar. 

Employers can possess a distinct lack of integrity and transparency, so big brands and consumers might never know the real source of their clothing. Buyers in Oceania, Europe or the US might only know their first supplier but not those who have control of the lower tiers; it's sometimes challenging to know from where cotton comes.

Challenging child labour is hindered because it is a symptom of intensely deep-rooted problems. Extreme poverty automatically attracts children to the workplace; they are willing to work cheaply and are guilelessly tricked into poorly paid and often unsafe work. 

To add to the complications of tracing these children, they are quite literally all over the world. Children work at each stage of the clothing phase; cotton seeds are produced in Benin, harvesting takes place in Uzbekistan, yarn is spun in India, and garments are sewn together in factories throughout Bangladesh. Within these factories children also take part in gruelling tasks such as cutting and trimming threads, packing and moving garments and the somewhat harmful dying process. Homeworking children are often tasked with making sequinned and smocked fabrics.

Sadly it is a vicious circle. If parents have no education, they will end up in low-paid employment. Their children will miss out on their own education and be forced to work. The cycle appears to be unbreakable and those on this ladder and pushed further and further down the chain. 

Ethical Tees is all about supporting fairtrade companies that provide good working conditions, local sustainability and fair offerings for farmers and workers in the developing world. Fairtrade addresses the inequalities of trade which traditionally victimises lowly paid producers. Simple shopping choices allow you to give farmers better opportunities and thus allow them to make their own decisions and live a self-respecting life.

The Ethical Tees team is committed to producing environmentally friendly products. Based in Sydney, the manufacturing process is carried out locally using organic, fairtrade products and sustainable printing practices. 

Mel McKenzie, production manager of Ethical Tees, says "we are committed to providing ethical t-shirts and apparel. We create each item with care and ensure that our organic t-shirts are unbelievably soft and have a beautiful printed finish. All our products come with an ethical guarantee so you can be sure you're doing your part for the planet". 

She continues 'first and foremost; we produce excellent quality products that last. We work closely with the world's best ethical clothing suppliers to offer an unparalleled range of organic, fair labour, fairtrade, and sweatshop-free apparel. We only use socially responsible suppliers and sustainable printing practices. We use water-based, eco-friendly vegan ink that doesn't have a single trace of toxic plastic that contains harmful resins and other nasty waste products. Our inks are good for the environment and even better for your skin".

 

Discover: What's the real cost of a $2 t-shirt?

What is the real cost of a $2.00 t-shirt? Ethical Tees takes a look at the complexities of international supply chains and some of the realities behind fast fashion and the ever-increasing pressures to find more cost-effective sources of labour.

The fashion industry, under all its glitz and glamour, has an unethical side. Approximately 170 million child workers are part of the hidden and complex fashion supply chain. That's a staggering 11% of the world's child population.

Generally, the fashion industry does not require incredibly skilled labour; some of the tasks necessary are quite often more suited to youngsters because they have small, nimble fingers. Employers prefer to engage children in the cotton-picking process because their little fingers do not cause damage to the crops.

The lack of social regulations and unions mean that children are caught up in an endless cycle of forced labour. They are low-skilled workers who have no voice, so they are easy targets. There are no age standards or ethical working conditions to speak of; much of this industry manages to slip under the radar. 

Employers can possess a distinct lack of integrity and transparency, so big brands and consumers might never know the real source of their clothing. Buyers in Oceania, Europe or the US might only know their first supplier but not those who have control of the lower tiers; it's sometimes challenging to know from where cotton comes.

Challenging child labour is hindered because it is a symptom of intensely deep-rooted problems. Extreme poverty automatically attracts children to the workplace; they are willing to work cheaply and are guilelessly tricked into poorly paid and often unsafe work. 

To add to the complications of tracing these children, they are quite literally all over the world. Children work at each stage of the clothing phase; cotton seeds are produced in Benin, harvesting takes place in Uzbekistan, yarn is spun in India, and garments are sewn together in factories throughout Bangladesh. Within these factories children also take part in gruelling tasks such as cutting and trimming threads, packing and moving garments and the somewhat harmful dying process. Homeworking children are often tasked with making sequinned and smocked fabrics.

Sadly it is a vicious circle. If parents have no education, they will end up in low-paid employment. Their children will miss out on their own education and be forced to work. The cycle appears to be unbreakable and those on this ladder and pushed further and further down the chain. 

Ethical Tees is all about supporting fairtrade companies that provide good working conditions, local sustainability and fair offerings for farmers and workers in the developing world. Fairtrade addresses the inequalities of trade which traditionally victimises lowly paid producers. Simple shopping choices allow you to give farmers better opportunities and thus allow them to make their own decisions and live a self-respecting life.

The Ethical Tees team is committed to producing environmentally friendly products. Based in Sydney, the manufacturing process is carried out locally using organic, fairtrade products and sustainable printing practices. 

Mel McKenzie, production manager of Ethical Tees, says "we are committed to providing ethical t-shirts and apparel. We create each item with care and ensure that our organic t-shirts are unbelievably soft and have a beautiful printed finish. All our products come with an ethical guarantee so you can be sure you're doing your part for the planet". 

She continues 'first and foremost; we produce excellent quality products that last. We work closely with the world's best ethical clothing suppliers to offer an unparalleled range of organic, fair labour, fairtrade, and sweatshop-free apparel. We only use socially responsible suppliers and sustainable printing practices. We use water-based, eco-friendly vegan ink that doesn't have a single trace of toxic plastic that contains harmful resins and other nasty waste products. Our inks are good for the environment and even better for your skin".

 

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