The Importance of Transparency in the Fashion Industry Essay Sample

Less than 10% of the clothing we wear is produced in a location where the workers get paid with their monthly salary under safe working conditions (Odell). Companies and committees need to be more transparent in the fashion industry and do things the right way so that people can get the clothes they want but still be able to make a living. Although the consumers also need to be upstanders and well aware of what is going on around them in the industry so that they can demand ethically manufactured clothing and good working conditions for the workers. Even so, some believe that the companies are actually not that bad because they give workers conditions that are better than those on the streets. Though many would argue that the people bear more responsibility, it is companies that are actually the most liable for ensuring clothes are ethically manufactured. 

With more transparency in the fashion industry, more and more companies will be held accountable for their actions. In the fashion industry, many companies are choosing not to and feel that they do not have to sign the transparency plague mostly due to the fact that if they do sign it, it could cause problems for their business. “While the transparency pledge has no real enforcement mechanism, Waxman says once a company is on the record saying it's going to disclose more information about its supply chain, this will lead to greater accountability.” If companies refuse to be transparent with consumers about how clothes are made, then people will continue to be unaware of the situation blindly following these companies. If something were to happen that negatively affects the people, then no one would be held accountable because all the big brands are keeping all of their information private. The people are being led by this facade the companies have put in place and if they continue to follow believing that everything is alright when it isn’t then many more problems will continue to occur. 

Many companies have the power to do what is right and be sure that their clothing is being produced under the right conditions but many choose not to. The collapse of the Rana Plaza building was a horrific tragedy but because of the collision, people have started to speak up and demand more transparency. With more transparency, people will be able to know beforehand if something is wrong in the industry. There will also be a chance for companies to take the proper measures to be sure that their workers are working in the proper environment. “But four years later, a report on supply chain transparency released by Human Rights Watch finds only 17 of 72 apparel and footwear companies contacted by a coalition of labor and human rights groups and global unions have agreed to implement a transparency pledge by the end of this year.” (4 Years After Rana Plaza Tragedy) The Transparency Pledge was created to help track where companies manufacture their products. The pledge is an easy source that companies can use to track their products but only a small fraction of companies agreed to it showing that companies can easily check where their products are from but choose not to. 

Many businesses say that they are not responsible for the problems caused in the fashion industry because consumers keep buying cheap clothing. In the article “Bangladesh Factory Collapse: Who Really Pays for our Cheap Clothes?”, the author Anna McMullen shows the response companies are having to the situation. “It is not our fault – they bought it (McMullen).” Defending consumers, McMullen brings out the statement, “It isn’t the responsibility of the consumer to feel guilty about buying what is readily available in shops.”(McMullen). Many of  the companies know that their clothes are not being made ethically, even though it goes against the United Nations guiding principles. Many consumers would be more likely to buy ethically manufactured clothes but are unable too because such clothing is unavailable in stores. Consumers can protest all they want but if the companies continue to ignore the people then nothing will change and if companies don’t change the way they make their products, consumers will have no choice but to continue to buy it.