Are Vulnerable Women Paying the True Cost of Your Denim Jeans?

Ethical Consumer
Nov 4 · 5 min read

Recent research from Ethical Consumer shows that the denim industry, notorious for its poor working conditions and lacklustre environmental practices, continues to have a disastrous impact on those that work in the industry.

Fran de la Torre from Ethical Consumer magazine explains more…

Women sewing jeans in a Chinese factory.
Women sewing jeans in a Chinese factory.
Image: SACOM from War on Want report Breathless for Blue Jeans: Health hazards in China’s denim factories

Fast fashion impacts

The ‘fast fashion’ industry, where garments are made quickly and cheaply to satisfy fleeting trends, continues to hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons with many jeans producing brands part of the problem.

In our recent guide to jeans, we ranked the 37 brands of jeans according to their ethical and environmental record, shining a spotlight on the ethics and sustainability of leading manufacturers.

Unfortunately, many jeans brands continue to carry an enormous cost for those working on the factory floor, especially women.


“For the women, this is about survival and nothing else… If you say no, you won’t get the job, or your contract will not be renewed.”


A threatening working environment

In many regions, garment manufacturing provides a much needed source of income for millions who may be otherwise unable to house and feed their family but no one should have to work in a job that frequently puts you at risk of physical and emotional violence, sexual harassment and sexual assault.

The Global Fund for Women reports that about 80 percent of garment makers around the world are women. They sometimes face gender discrimination and typically occupy the lower paid, less skilled jobs in factories. Unfortunately, garment factories often exploit the precarious situation of their employees, aware that the money they pay their staff can be the line between basic survival and absolute destitution.

A shocking report by the Workers Rights Consortium released in August this year found evidence of a culture of gender based violence and harassment in factories operated by the Taiwanese firm Nien Hsing in the southern African kingdom of Lesotho. The report, which compiled two years of research, claimed that women sewing blue jeans for Levi’s, Wrangler, Lee and The Children’s Place faced systematic sexual abuse at the hands of managers and supervisors.

One of the report’s most jarring revelations was that managers and supervisors coerced women into sexual relationships through offering maintenance of employment contracts or more favourable working conditions in exchange for sex.

Lesotho is a country ranked 159 out of 180 countries on the UN’s Human Development Index. Here the loss of steady income can mean falling into dire poverty. A worker said, “For the women, this is about survival and nothing else… If you say no, you won’t get the job, or your contract will not be renewed.”

In response, the brands that outsourced their manufacturing to Nein Hsing expressed their outrage. However, they were advised by the report’s publishers and local charities not to pull out of their contract because of the economic devastation that could ensue in the local area where they employ over 10,000 staff. Instead, the brands have agreed to bring in outside oversight and enforcement for a two year period.

Nien Hsing has agreed to work with local unions and women’s rights organisations to develop a code of conduct and enforcement actions. It will undoubtedly be difficult to achieve significant change in a factory system where a culture of sexual violence was so widespread.

Image: SACOM from War on Want report Breathless for Blue Jeans: Health hazards in China’s denim factories

Sandblasting

Ever wondered how ‘off-the-shelf’ jeans get that distressed, worn-in look before you even buy them? Well, the answer is through some of the most destructive manufacturing processes for workers’ health in the entire textiles industry.

Often jeans are manually sandblasted using a hose, an air compressor and ordinary sand to create worn patches on the denim surface. Small particles of silica from the sand can be breathed in by workers who often have poor or non-existent safety equipment. When this silica is embedded in the lungs it causes silicosis, an incurable disease characterised by shortness of breath when resting, weakness and weight loss. In its acute form it can be fatal.

The first silicosis epidemic in denim workers was recognised by Turkish doctors twenty years ago, and by 2010 forty of the world’s major jean manufacturers, including Levi’s and H&M, had banned the practice. However, there is evidence that sandblasting has continued in many jeans factories, usually hidden behind closed doors.

In our ranking of jeans brands, we marked down Abercrombie & Fitch, Levi’s, Diesel, Guess, Wrangle, Lee, Thought, Finisterre, Howies, Pepe, Sainsbury’s and Tesco for having no or insufficient policies on sandblasting. Because the dangers of sandblasting have been apparent for some time, we expected all companies selling denim to have a policy against the practice.

Alternatives to sandblasting include acid washing and the use of potassium permanganate. Potassium permanganate can cause pulmonary oedema, skin irritation and burns in addition to kidney damage. Acid washing uses chlorine, which is renowned for its harmful effects on the environment. Moving from sandblasting to these methods can mean moving to a production process equally as dangerous for workers and the environment.

Choosing raw denim jeans means buying jeans made from denim in its purely dyed state. It hasn’t been sandblasted, nor have any bleaching chemicals been added. The worn-in look is achieved the old-fashioned way — by wearing them!

Of course, another way to get that distressed look would be to buy second-hand jeans, worn-in for free by the previous owner.

How consumers can lower the social cost of their jeans

It’s clear from that consumers need to make more ethical, informed choices if they are to avert the crippling cost that jeans manufacturing takes on its workers. Purchasing jeans ethically means refusing to support a system that squeezes workers on the factory floor, lowering wages and safety standards.

First of all, consumers need to consider whether they actually need to buy that new pair of jeans. Denim is designed to be a hard-wearing material that’s usually better to repair than replace. Hiut and Nudie Jeans offer free repairs for life on all pairs. Otherwise you can support your local seamstress or have a go at mending them yourself.

If you really need a new pair, our recommended best buys, which take into account the environmental and ethical costs are a great place to start. Charity and thrift shops are also worth checking if you want an extra pair but there are some sustainable clothing brands who make improving the lives of their garment producers and overall sustainability central to what they do. Look for brands or charity brands that emphasise ethical production overall such as MUD, People Tree and Kuyichi jeans.

Ethical Consumer

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