Week 4: Excusers vs Changers

Haley Bergman
Week 4
ASA 141 

http://davidreport.com/201512/dark-side-fashion-true-cost-change-shop/

I found this weeks readings to be extremely eye opening as we delved deeper into the world of fast fashion. The reading that really stuck out the most to me would be Santa's Sweatshop by William Holstein looked at specific companies and the conditions in which their clothing is made. 

River Containing Industrial Wastewater With Toxic Chemicals
http://makeitlast.se/2015/03/27/ask-the-expert-the-water-issues/

William reveals the horrific abuse of laborers in the fashion industry, making sure to point not only to companies like Disney who outsource to other countries as a means to find cheap labor, but also to companies like Guess whose clothes are "proudly made in the USA" by laborers in eerily similar circumstances to those in third world countries. All of these companies hide behind the excuse that there is no possible way for them to regulate the conditions of all of their factories because these factories are merely subcontractors and are not directly under the rules and regulations that the companies themselves hold. 

River Turned Toxic in the Philippines by Dyes and Chemicals
http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/multimedia/slideshows/Greenpeace-Water-Patrol-visits-Tullahan-River/

Now after reading all of the different instances of human rights violations from major companies that I myself have bought from I was beginning to feel like the whole system was a lost cause since there did not appear to be anything these companies could/would do to change. William then brought up the company Levi's, and showed how all of the claims made by the other major companies saying how impossible it was for them to truly protect their laborers was in fact extremely possible, and being done. The brand Levi's has gone above and beyond when helping its workers and the country they are living in, and has even sparked a wave of other companies joining Levi's and their movement for becoming a socially conscious brand. 

Villagers' homes sit just 50m from dyeing factories, due to growth by the textiles industry

https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/5589-Officials-failing-to-stop-textile-factories-dumping-waste-in-Qiantang-River

This information about Levi's and all of the other various companies being more socially aware of their impact gave me hope and has led me question where do my favorite brands stand? Are they on the dark side of fashion and using worn out excuses or are they on the socially conscious side of fashion striving to be the frontrunners of change?

http://davidreport.com/201512/dark-side-fashion-true-cost-change-shop/