Ethics of the Textile Industry

The primary purpose of this essay uses persuasive writing to get her point across. Informing the reader about the eco dangers of buying outsourced clothing material. Most people often want the cheaper alternative without going to the flea market or charity clothing banks. But all the clothes get worn down, shrink, fade or just deteriorate in the end because the fabric is unsustainable. Resulting in the t-shirts and jeans to be tossed away and put into a landfill. Where they have been found to transmite “more than three million tons of carbon dioxide emissions”. (Siegle, 7)

Unfortunately, the same factor that contributed to Nike’s exponential growth (low-cost labor and production) also contributed to hurting Nike’s public image as a leader in “athleticism, health and fitness, and innovative marketing and design” (Locke, 2002). Nike was criticized for unethical practices by their subcontractors, which included underpaid workers, poor working conditions, child labor, and abuse (Locke, 2002).

Since the 1990s, Nike has been embroiled in controversy over its use of sweatshops. Including numerous media reports of workers earning very little an hour (14 cents per hour), and even workers abused by sub-contractor (Allarey, 2015). Incidents such as these are ingrained in Nike’s history and not quickly forgotten. However, as CEO I would like to attempt to correct wrongs.

Bob Jeffcott’s article, “Sweat, Fire and Ethics” examines the problems surrounding the clothing industry and examines the world of sweatshops and the exploitation of women and girls around the world. Jeffcott writes regarding the harsh working conditions workers inhabit and what consumers can achieve to try and make a difference. His central focus is to educate consumers on the rampant problem of unsafe working conditions that goes on behind the scenes of major brands in today’s society. While Jeffcott successfully gets his point across by using historical examples to educate readers, emotionally drawing readers in, and presenting sensible solutions that consumers can do in order to support.

In this report I will be talking about how my chosen organisation, which is Primark, uses ethical issues to consider in its every day operational activities. Primark may not have some ethical issues that I will be discussing about in this report, but I will talk in detail about how they could use them, issues in their business. I will be explaining how Primark’s way of selling affects ethical issues and will be discussing about the things they need to be aware of whilst selling their clothes.

The highly recognized name brand—Nike— fails to notice the faults that are happening in factories that are violating a few disturbing rules. The company’s reputation has decreased due to demands and claims Nike; implying that they utilize sweatshops to produce more products at a lower pay. The company has been sued numerous times for abusing and exploiting their employees in factories for years. Another problem that Nike has faced throughout the years was making employees work in poor environments that affected the health of many— which contributed to being abused by the manager for not going to work. Nike distributes and sells merchandise of high quality for a high value. The company is giving the satisfaction of quality service to their

It is essential to select a representative and accurate sample. The population of interest this study will be the adults in Australia who are over 18 years old. In other words, a consumer should own understandings of fashion and unfashion independently. Due to time limitation, 4 samples come from QUT blackboard sources.

I am writing this letter to express my concerns over Nike's labor practices in Asia. There has been much debate and controversy recently concerning Nike's Asian labor practices. It is very difficult to determine which side of the argument to defend, as both acknowledge the problems yet put a completely different spin on the facts. I will try to show that Nike has created a cloud of smoke in Asia that the public cannot see through.

Generally, globalism has been attributed to better worldwide communication, advanced technological development, and a higher international standard of living, and rightfully so. However, with all these new worldwide advantages comes a new type of human exploitation. Many companies, specifically American ones, have been quick to take advantage of the cheap and dangerous labor available in most of the undeveloped world. Countries who are working through their period of Industrialization are being siphoned off and used to maintain America’s economy, while their developing country reaps no reward from the low paying, dehumanizing jobs that American companies offer their low class workers. This type of inhumane job outsourcing can only be compared

The True Cost, by Andrew Morgan, was a truly eye opening documentary on what price workers who make our clothes have to pay in regards to their health, finances, and sacrifices they have to make. Most of us purchase clothes and do not think twice about where they came from, who made them, and impact it is having on our society. Stores such as H&M and Forever 21 sales clothes for very cheap prices; however, the more the prices are reduced, the more the environmental costs are raised. Our society revolves are materialism and most believe our clothing portrays who a person is, to a certain extent. If this is the case, our clothes may be saying more about ourselves than we think, if we are wearing clothes that workers in other countries are paying a price for.

Furthermore, Jeffcott proves his point of view by mentioning important brands such as Nike who certainly become a part of the sweatshop abuse for their employees. He then mentions a way in which all the readers can stop

Geoffrey B. Small is a fashion designer that opens our eyes to a new perspective on the quality of one’s clothing. Small ties his clothing to a standard of excellence not only for the customers’ satisfaction, but also to make a statement about how one can have an effect on the or community through the choices of clothing you choose to invest in. What sets Small apart is his unwavering view on the high quality of his products. It may take a period of time to get the piece of clothing made, however the relationship Small builds with the customer, the service he provides, and his communication with the customer is profoundly more important to him. He bases his morals in honesty and is clearly an activist for multiple social and environmental causes. His following has been established soundly on the foundation of his honesty, his active role in the community, and

The Australian economy has experienced large changes in the structure of what it produces and how. These have been caused by technological change; by fuller integration into world markets, along with the rise of competition from lower wage countries in the production of manufactured goods (and increasingly, services); and by changes in the pattern of consumption as real incomes rise. The sustained loss of jobs in the production of goods has lead to a major decline in job opportunities for men who have only modest levels of formal education. But it is also evident in the withdrawal from the workforce altogether of such men. In contrast, the expanding areas of the economy have been particularly likely to employ women, whose share of paid work has been rising steadily (especially for married women and women with dependent children).

During the late 80s and early 90s Nike was faced with a series of labor strike back at home due to unethical labor practices by its independent countries in third world countries. It is well known for Nike to outsource almost all its production from third world countries at cheap prices and sell them in U.S. market at an abnormal profit. The company began outsourcing its products from Japan where labor was competent and wages were very low. The living standards were raised which prompted Nike to outsource its products from Thailand, Pakistan and Indonesia since wages in these countries were extremely low and labor for these products were competent due to rapid development of the Japanese economy. The outsourcing of footwear products from Asian countries enables Nike to earn high profits and enjoy a competitive advantage over its rivals in the footwear industry. The company invests the high profits realized in marketing its products through celebrities. For instance, Michael Jordan was used to advertise the positive image of Nike Company (Lipschutz and James, pp. 87-96).

There are a large amount of social and environmental problems within the global apparel industry.