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Where do our clothes (and other products we use) come from? What are working conditions like in those factories? What can we do, as individual consumers, to support ethical working conditions?

The proposed audience here would be my 8th graders at the end of our unit on fashion. I am hoping to get them more familiar with the conditions in which the products they use daily are fabricated, and I want them to understand how these conditions came to be and what can be done to change things.

With this topic, I am also hoping to learn, as an individual, how to shop more ethically, so I am guessing that my fellow educators may find it interesting as well.

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Where do our clothes (and the products we use daily) come from ? Who works there, why, what are the conditions like?

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Where do our clothes (and the products we use daily) come from ? Who works there, why, what are the conditions like?

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Measures taken by China to improve conditions now

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Measures taken by China to improve conditions now

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What practices can we - the individual consumer - incorporate in our daily lives in order to discourage sweatshops and encourage better working conditions for people who make the clothes we wear/ products we use daily ?

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What practices can we - the individual consumer - incorporate in our daily lives in order to discourage sweatshops and encourage better working conditions for people who make the clothes we wear/ products we use daily ?

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Documentary : China Blue, Micha X. Peled, 2005.

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Documentary : China Blue, Micha X. Peled, 2005.

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Summary:
China Blue is a documentary that follows a 14-year-old girl, Jasmine, as she works in a Chinese factory that makes jeans for US retailers like Walmart. We see the hardships of Jasmine and her fellow teenage workers as they live far away from home and family, do not receive an education, and work many hours for a measly pay and under strict supervision. The movie was shot in contemporary times.

Why it is in the Padlet:
The movie is on the older side now, but it has several strengths. First, it relies on its authenticity, especially since it was shot undercover, and it presents an objective recording of the workers’ lives in the factory, since there is no editing or soundtrack to guide the viewer in a certain direction. Second, the age of the main character will help students identify with her dreams and struggles, and consider how different children’s access to basic rights (like education) is around for the world. Third, the documentary also won the Amnesty International DOEN Award in 2005.

Essential questions for students:
Who makes our clothes? What are their working conditions like? Why do they accept them?
This documentary is older now. Do some research and answer the following question: is China still the main place for sweatshops? Where else can they be found and why?

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Article: Shein, the new ultra-fast fashion brand

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Article: Shein, the new ultra-fast fashion brand

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Summary:
This article relates the new phenomenon of ultra fast-fashion and how one Chinese brand, Shein, is producing ever cheaper clothes that do not last long, therefore creating an impact on the environment, and that are not produced in ethical conditions, therefore creating an impact on human rights.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
This article describes the most recent situation in China regarding sweatshops. Before, they used to produce clothes for foreign brands and now, they encourage the practice with their own brand, often by using cheap labor from other countries.

Essential questions for students:
What is the downside of the brand Shein? Contrasting the situation described in this article with the documentary "China Blue", explain how China has shifted labor conditions with this new clothing brand.

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Article rédigé par

En faisant son shopping sur Shein, Myriam n'a pas le sentiment d'acheter n'importe quoi. La jeune femme de 27 ans renouvelle sa garde-robe plusieurs fois par an, à chaque fois pour une centaine d'euros sur Shein. "Ça fait au moins cinq à dix vêtements avec par exemple deux jeans, des tee-shirts et des pulls, détaille-t-elle. J'achète aussi beaucoup de tenues pour mon travail." Avec Shein, on ne parle plus de "fast fashion", cette mode à bas coût qui renouvelle régulièrement ses collections, mais "d'ultra fast fashion". La plateforme de vente de vêtements promet plus de 500 nouveautés chaque jour à des prix renversants.

Mais derrière le site plébiscité par les ados, il y a un géant chinois très critiqué notamment pour la qualité de ces produits. "Clairement, je n'achète pas sur Shein pour la qualité parce que ce sont des vêtements qui s'abîment assez rapidement, poursuit la jeune femme. En tant que personne grosse, je le fais tout simplement parce que je n'ai pas le choix. Des grandes tailles sont généralement très chères. Ça rend abordable le fait de s'habiller au quotidien."

Des méthodes en Chine dénoncées

Le prix moyen d'un vêtement Shein est de 7,40 euros, soit deux fois moins que ses concurrents. Des centaines de nouveautés chaque jour sont proposées sur les réseaux sociaux. Les plus jeunes sont accros. "Aujourd'hui sur le marché, Shein est le lieu où les femmes achètent le plus de robes sur une année, explique Hélène Janicot, directrice du pôle mode chez Kantar. 2,2 millions de robes de la marque H&M ont été achetées en 2021 contre 3,8 millions de robes sur Shein."

Le site chinois fait déjà partie des cinq plus gros vendeurs de mode en France.
Une progression fulgurante, mais grâce à des méthodes en Chine dénoncées par les défenseurs des travailleurs du textile comme Nayla Ajaltouni, du collectif Éthique sur l'étiquette : "On a vraiment l'impression d'un retour au Moyen Âge de la mondialisation textile. On a finalement des travailleurs chez ses fournisseurs et sous-traitants qui sont payés à la pièce. On repère qu'il y a 11 à 13 heures de travail par jour, soit à peu près 75 heures par semaine, quasiment le double d'une semaine de travail d'un salarié normal. C'est réellement un recul considérable."

"Ces travailleurs ont seulement un jour de congé par mois, voire aucun congé, donc travaillent sept jours sur sept. Cela s'appelle de l'exploitation."

Nayla Ajaltouni, collectif Ethique sur l'étiquette

à franceinfo

Les multinationales ne sont pas responsables de leur chaîne d'approvisionnement. Une directive européenne soutenue par le parlementaire Raphaël Glucksmann pourrait peut-être en 2022 changer la donne.

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Shein : le géant chinois de l'ultra fast-fashion aux méthodes très critiquées

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La plateforme de vente en ligne Shein est plébiscitée notamment par les adolescentes grâce à sa présence sur les réseaux sociaux. Le site propose des vêtements à des prix très bas mais ce géant chinois est blâmé pour la qualité de ces produits et accusé d'exploiter des travailleurs du textile.

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Article: the forced labor of Uighurs in Chinese clothing factories

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Article: the forced labor of Uighurs in Chinese clothing factories

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Summary:
This article mentions the opening of an investigation against China for crimes against humanity, for the alleged use of forced labor by the Uighurs in prisoner camps in order to create products for famous clothings brands such as Uniqlo and Skechers.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
This article is showing that even though working conditions in China have improved in the past decade, it does not mean that sweatshops and/ or unethical working conditions do not exist anymore, it may just be that a different part of the population is being used.

Essential questions for students:
Why is there suspicion that the Uighurs are being used for forced labor in China? How does this investigation reflect the current political situation in the country?
How does this article highlight the potential status of sweatshops in China? Is this casting an optimistic light?

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Article rédigé par

Le Parquet national antiterroriste a ouvert une enquête pour "recel de crimes contre l'humanité" visant quatre géants du textile, dont Uniqlo, soupçonnés d'avoir profité du travail forcé de Ouïghours, minorité majoritairement musulmane, en Chine, a appris franceinfo de source judiciaire jeudi 1er juillet, confirmant une information de Mediapart.

Cette plainte déposée début avril vise les sociétés Uniqlo France, Inditex (marques Zara, Bershka etc), SMCP (Sandro, Maje, de Fursac) et le chausseur de sport Skechers. Elle a été déposée début avril à Paris par l'association anti-corruption Sherpa, le collectif Ethique sur l'étiquette, l'Institut ouïghour d'Europe (IODE) ainsi qu'une Ouïghoure ayant été internée dans la province du Xinjiang (nord-ouest de la Chine) qui accusent ces quatre multinationales de "recel de travail forcé et de crimes contre l'humanité", dans un communiqué publié le 9 avril.

Le pôle "crimes contre l'humanité" saisi

Les géants de l'habillement profitent-ils du travail forcé de Ouïghours en Chine ? Les vêtements et chaussures de ces grandes marques ont-il été fabriqués dans des usines où des Ouïghours ont été soumis au travail forcé ? Questions auxquelles va tenter de répondre l'enquête ouverte au pôle "crimes contre l'humanité" du Parquet national antiterroriste.

Les associations estiment également que les sociétés visées ne justifient pas d'efforts suffisants pour s'assurer que leurs sous-traitants ne sont pas impliqués dans les persécutions des Ouïghours. Des ONG accusent Pékin d'avoir interné, depuis 2017, plus d'un million d'entre eux dans des centres de rééducation politique. Le régime communiste dément ce chiffre.

L'ouverture d'une enquête "historique"

L'ouverture de cette enquête est "historique", a réagi le député européen Raphaël Glucksmann sur Twitter. Il s'est montré très critique envers les autorités chinoises à propos de leur traitement des Ouïghours. Selon lui, cette enquête est ouverte contre des géants du textile "parce que leurs produits sont fabriqués par des esclaves Ouïghours". Raphaël Glucksmann estime donc que la plainte déposée par les ONG est "recevable" et que "c'est énorme".

Ces multinationales "risquent des amendes record et des poursuites pénales. Le message envoyé est clair", ajoute le fondateur du parti Place publique. Ces entreprises "ont longtemps été au-dessus des lois. Nous allons leur montrer que le droit s'applique à tous, même aux plus puissants et aux plus riches. Cette enquête est un moment-clé d'un combat plus vaste. Une autre étape cet automne : le devoir de vigilance européen", a -t-il écrit sur Twitter. Sanctionnée par l'Europe, la Chine avait, en mars dernier, interdit l'entrée sur son territoire à dix personnalités européennes, dont Raphaël Gluksmann.

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Travail forcé des Ouïghours en Chine : ouverture d'une enquête en France pour "recel de crimes contre l'humanité" visant quatre géants du textile

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Article rédigé par Le Parquet national antiterroriste a ouvert une enquête pour "recel de crimes contre l'humanité" visant quatre géants du textile, dont Uniqlo, soupçonnés d'avoir profité du travail forcé de Ouïghours, minorité majoritairement musulmane, en Chine, a appris franceinfo de source judiciaire jeudi 1er juillet, confirmant une information de Mediapart.

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Summary:
This article shares statistics about the clothing production in China and is addressed to teenagers, so the language is easier to follow. There are specific examples about child labor, for example how children in a jeans factory in Xintang, China, get paid 1,5 cents per pair of pants where they cut thread that stick out.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
It gives students a lot of statistics and simpler phrasing, because the text is aimed at teenagers, so it is a simpler description of the topic for this age group.

Essential questions for students:
What is China's role in the world's textile industry? Who is making clothes in China and what are their working conditions like? What can be done to improve these workers' lives ?

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Vêtements : il y a quoi derrière l'étiquette ? - Economie Matin

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Ce sont de grands groupes distribuant leurs produits : Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), Inditex, Gap Inc. et Fast Retailing (voir infographie). Ils décident quoi produire, où et comment. Grâce à l'organisation en CVM (lire C'est quoi), ils font appel à des sous-traitants pour la fabrication. H&M, Inditex et Gap Inc.

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Article - fast-fashion creating environment pollution in China

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Article - fast-fashion creating environment pollution in China

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Summary:
This article talks about the environmental impact that fast-fashion is creating on China and how the culture itself is not helping by promoting buying new clothes as showing wealth instead of buying second-hand clothing and promoting recycling, because it is viewed as a thing that poor people do. The article also mentions that China actually values the incineration of discarded clothes as an energy source.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
This article shows how China does not seem to take measures against the fast fashion industry, even though it is directly affecting its environment.

Essential questions for students:
What are the consequences of fast fashion in China? How is China viewing these issues and what is China doing about them?

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Le constat est désormais connu: le prêt-à-porter moderne est une catastrophe environnementale. Selon certaines estimations, l'industrie de l'habillement représente au total 10% des émissions humaines de gaz à effet de serre et 20% de la production d'eaux usées. L'urgence est donc grande de trouver une parade.

Comme le relate Bloomberg, et si l'Occident n'a en la matière aucune leçon à donner, un pays semble encore bien loin de s'affranchir des effets délétères de cette fast fashion destructrice: la Chine. Grand centre mondial de production de vêtements à bas coût, le pays produirait ainsi chaque année 26 millions de tonnes de déchets vestimentaires, dont elle ne sait que faire.

Créer dans l'empire du Milieu une industrie circulaire capable d'absorber tout ou partie de ces rebuts se heurte à un mur culturel infranchissable. Dans une nation où il est possible de s'habiller pour quelques poignées de yuans, porter des vêtements de seconde main est ainsi considéré comme non hygiénique et perçu comme un signe extérieur de pauvreté, voire de malchance.

"C'est pour une grande cause, explique Chen Wen, 38 ans, interrogé par Bloomberg. Mais même ma famille et mes amis ne comprennent pas pourquoi j'achète de la seconde main quand je pourrais me permettre d'acheter des marques internationales. Quand les gens voient des vêtements d'occasion, ils ne pensent pas "écologie", ils pensent "pauvreté"."

Le Covid-19 n'a pas arrangé les choses. Pas plus que la loi, qui prohibe la revente de vêtements à des fins autre que charitables et interdit le profit aux entrepreneurs qui désireraient se lancer dans le recyclage.

Raz-de-marée

Le pays est donc submergé par des tsunamis de tissus, qui emplissent à trop grande vitesse les 654 décharges géantes créées pour absorber le surplus. Jiangcungou, la plus vaste de ces poubelles, fait la taille de 100 terrains de football mais a déjà atteint sa capacité maximale -vingt-cinq ans plus tôt que prévu par les autorités.

Que faire alors de ces déchets? Les exporter, du moins en partie. Souvent vers l'Afrique, parfois en transitant par l'Europe ou les États-Unis, pour faire artificiellement gonfler les prix: au Kenya, 30% des habits de seconde main proviennent désormais de Chine, le plus gros fournisseur du pays.

Certaines entreprises s'essaient à la transformation. 15% des déchets traités par le centre de Baijingyu, près de Hangzhou, sont réutilisés dans d'autres industries comme la construction, l'agriculture, le jardinage ou la production d'énergie. De plus petites structures tentent un recyclage davantage circulaire, en utilisant les matières premières des sapes usagées pour créer de nouvelles pièces artisanales, parfois très prisées.

Mais tout ceci n'est pas suffisant. Une partie de ces montagnes de déchets finissent dans les océans: selon le ministère de l'Environnement local et tout compris, la Chine a déversé 200 millions de tonnes de ses poubelles dans la mer en 2018.

L'autre partie est incinérée. De manière très surprenante et malgré les émissions qu'elle provoque, la Chine considère la valorisation électrique des déchets comme une forme d'énergie renouvelable, et a essayé d'en doubler la production ces cinq dernières années. Sans doute pas la solution idéale pour une nation qui espère atteindre la neutralité carbone dès 2060.

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Empire de la fast fashion, la Chine croule sous les déchets vestimentaires

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Noyée dans les océans de déchets produits en continu. Le constat est désormais connu: le prêt-à-porter moderne est une catastrophe environnementale. Selon certaines estimations, l'industrie de l'habillement représente au total 10% des émissions humaines de gaz à effet de serre et...

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Blog - What does the Made in China label currently mean ?

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Blog - What does the Made in China label currently mean ?

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Summary:
This blog presents a detailed situation of the current textile production in China, how the country is still the first textile exporter in the world, how the minimum wage has consistently increased and yet still remains insufficient. The blog also mentions the resort to working illegal additional hours to supplement the low wages, as well as child and forced labor. The blog also mentions that there are stricter working laws now, but that they are rarely applied and that workers' representatives are generally nominated by the head of the factories themselves, which limits the workers' freedom of speech.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
This is a quite recent article (2017) with many sources quoted at the end, images and a good breakdown of ideas, which should make navigation easier for students than with other documents.

Essential questions for students:
How have working conditions evolved in China for the better in the past decade? What still remains problematic ?

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Sur son site, lamarque américaine de vêtements haut de gamme Everlane parle de chacun de ses fournisseurs, photos à l'appui. Parmi eux, une usine chinoise. Local impeccable, ouvrières souriantes et machines dernier cri... On est loin de l'image du " made in China ", avec ses sweatshops et ses ouvriers travaillant à même le sol. Depuis une dizaine d'années, l'industrie textile chinoise se transforme. Les salaires des ouvriers ont augmenté et le pays a adopté des lois pour améliorer la protection de leurs droits. Résultat : des travailleurs ont vu leurs conditions de travail améliorées. Le " made in China " est-il pour autant redevenu innocent ? Aujourd'hui, c'est un fait, on peut trouver de bonnes usines en Chine. On peut y produire de manière éthique, comme le fait Patagonia par exemple. Mais la réalité reste difficile pour une majorité des travailleurs. Je trouvais intéressant de faire le point sur les salaires, les lois, les contrôles... Voici les infos que j'ai trouvé. Vous avez toutes mes sources en bas de l'article !

D'abord, quelques chiffres : la Chine est toujours le plus grand exportateur mondial de vêtements (39% du marché), avec 100 000 usines de production et plus de 10 millions d'employés.
● UN SALAIRE MINIMUM DE 230€ ET UN SALAIRE VITAL DE 525€ ● Usine Everlane ● DES HEURES SUPPLÉMENTAIRES ILLÉGALES ●
Ces évolutions ont d'ailleurs mené à des délocalisations massives : des marques (H&M, Adidas) et leurs sous-traitants chinois déplacent leur production vers des pays où la main d'oeuvre est encore moins cher : Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Indonésie, Cambodge et Myanmar. En Chine, l'ouvrier moyen gagne $27,50 (26 €) par jour, contre $8,60 (8€) en Indonésie et $6,70 (6€) au Vietnam. Le Myanmar est un nouvel eldorado pour des marques comme H&M et Gap avec un salaire minimum de $63 et une semaine de travail de 6 jours (par comparaison le salaire minimum au Vietnam et au Cambodge est compris entre $90 et $145).
● DES LOIS PLUS STRICTES, MAIS PEU APPLIQUÉES ●
Usine Everlane
● DAVANTAGE DE REVENDICATIONS ●
Vu que les revenus sont insuffisants, les heures supplémentaires illégales se sont généralisées. La loi prévoit un maximum de 44 heures par semaine et de 36 heures sup' par mois, majorées du salaire de base de 150 %. Dans les faits, et particulièrement dans l'industrie textile, cette limite de 36h est largement dépassée, du fait des bas salaires, d'un système de rémunération parfois à la pièce (avec des objectifs de production irréalisables) et de la pénurie de main d'œuvre. L'enquête de la Fédération internationale des droits de l'Homme (FIDH) note que le nombre d'heures hebdomadaires était généralement de 60 h et pouvait s'élever jusqu'à 80 h. Il arrive également que ce soit du travail forcé. Les sanctions envers ceux refusant ces heures sont répandues. La pénurie d'ouvriers a aussi eu comme effet une augmentation du travail des enfants.
● UN DIALOGUE SOCIAL SOUVENT ABSENT ●
Mais ces lois sociales ne sont parfois que très peu mises en œuvre. Dans certaines usines, les prestations sociales sont en option. Les autorités sont régulièrement accusées de détournement des fonds, du coup très peu de travailleurs migrants bénéficient de ces assurances. Et les usines ne remettent pas toujours un exemplaire de leur contrat de travail aux ouvriers.
● DES CONTRÔLES PEU EFFICACES ●
Les travailleurs prennent davantage conscience de leurs droits. Le nombre de mouvements de protestation a été multiplié par 20 depuis les années 1990. Les grèves sont plus efficaces : la répression n'est plus systématique et la nouvelle génération utilise les réseaux sociaux.
● ● ● Est-ce que vous boycottez le made in China ? Que pensez-vous de ces évolutions ? N'hésitez pas à partager cet article 🙂 ● ● ● SOURCES Livres
La loi sur le contrat de travail prévoit la négociation d'une convention collective avec l'employeur, et les salariés peuvent élire leurs délégués au suffrage direct. Mais l'enquête de la FIDH montre une absence de négociations collectives, car les délégués sont nommés par la direction de l'usine. En Chine les syndicats indépendants sont interdits, seul le syndicat officiel, All China Federation of Trade Unions, est reconnu par le gouvernement. Fin 2015, une vague de répression sur des syndicats mène ainsi sept militants en détention, l'un d'entre eux est condamné à une peine avec sursis, un autre à 1 an et 9 mois de prison.

Voilà. Même si des évolutions positives ont eu lieu, la situation reste critique. Le rôle des marques apparaît donc central ! Espérons que la loi sur le devoir de vigilance, adoptée il y a quelques semaines, fasse rapidement évoluer les choses (les entreprises sont désormais responsables des atteintes aux droits de l'homme et à l'environnement de leurs sous-traitants et fournisseurs). D'ailleurs je n'ai volontairement pas abordé le sujet de l'environnement, mais bien sûr, la production chinoise pose d'énormes problèmes ...
Articles
CLINE Elizabeth, Overdressed, the shockingly high cost of cheap fashion, Penguin, 2013.

SIEGLE Lucy, To die for, is fashion wearing out the world ?, Fourth estate, 2011.

" Garment maker retreats as China shifts policy ", Wall Street Journal, décembre 2015. http://on.wsj.com/1TvX7kU

" A tightening grip ", The Economist, mars 2015. http://econ.st/1C9B51n

" Manufacturing - When cheap is not so cheap ", The Economist, septembre 2014. http://econ.st/1pJ9krb

" China manufacturing: Adapt or die ", Financial Time, novembre 2015. http://on.ft.com/2ixKzfT

" Le secteur textile est le secteur où la chaîne de sous-traitance est encore massivement le lieu de violation des droits humains ", Novethic, septembre 2016. http://bit.ly/2iZKnHf

" Pourquoi la Chine n'est plus l'atelier du monde ", France Info, mai 2014. http://bit.ly/2jnNITG

" Le Bangladesh est-il la pire usine textile du monde ? ", FranceTV, mai 2013. http://bit.ly/KhyXMP

" Comment améliorer la sécurité des usines dans les pays émergents ? ", Slate, janvier 2013. http://bit.ly/1vpRaZR

" Can China's textile indystry clean its supply chain ", Greenbiz, juillet 2015. http://bit.ly/2iZPozr

" " Made in China" really doesn't mean what it used to ", Quartz, juin 2015. http://bit.ly/2ixHOLe

" China's clothing industry set for further growth ", Indian Textile Journal, mars 2012.
Rapports
" Next time you buy clothes, think of this ", Refinery29, novembre 2015. http://r29.co/2iCH0Z8

" China's new workplace safety law takes effect ", Society for human resource management, décembre 2014. http://bit.ly/2iCUUu1

Global wage trends for apparel workers, 2001-2011, Worker Rights Consortium, juillet 2013. http://ampr.gs/1LjodVO

BSR http://bit.ly/2jnGuiT

China National Garment Association http://bit.ly/2jouugS

Wages and working hours in the textiles, clothing, leather and footwear industries, International Labour Organization, 2014. http://bit.ly/2jqLaEe

Investigation of two clothing and apparel factories in China, China Labor Watch, 2011. http://bit.ly/2it5V2V

Le contrôle des engagements RSE des entreprises en Chine, ORSE, 2007. http://bit.ly/2jnCs9W

Fair Wear Foundation http://bit.ly/2jAVo2n

China factsheet, Clean Clothes Campaign, février 2015. http://bit.ly/2iZNNd0

A complete guide to 2016 minimum wage levels across China, China-Briefing, décembre 2016. http://bit.ly/2itc52S

Les travailleurs chinois à la conquête de leurs droits - Quel rôle pour les marques ?, Fédération internationale des droits de l'Homme, 2013. http://bit.ly/2jARRkO

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Le point sur les conditions de travail en Chine

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Sur son site, lamarque américaine de vêtements haut de gamme Everlane parle de chacun de ses fournisseurs, photos à l'appui. Parmi eux, une usine chinoise. Local impeccable, ouvrières souriantes et machines dernier cri... On est loin de l'image du " made in China ", avec ses sweatshops et ses ouvriers travaillant à même le sol.

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Article: how do brands reconciliate human rights issue with textile production?

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Article: how do brands reconciliate human rights issue with textile production?

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Summary:
This article presents how, despite growing concern and criticism over the working conditions in textile industries in China, brands continue to have their clothes made there and do not do much about it.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
This article highlights the lack of measures taken not only by China, but by brands themselves, to help improve workers' conditions in the textile industry.

Essential questions for students:
What are brands doing to help improve workers' conditions? How could they be encouraged to do more?

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Défendre les Ouïghours ou vendre en Chine ? L’industrie textile au pied du mur

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A l’origine du conflit, le coton : 20% de la production mondiale provient de Chine, essentiellement de la province du Xinjiang peuplée d’Ouïghours, une minorité musulmane réprimée et exploitée par Pékin selon les défenseurs des droits humains, ce que nie le régime communiste

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Summary:
This video introduces students to a movement asking brands to be more transparent about textile production and workers' conditions. This video presents a couple Chinese workers.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
This video shows students one way to engage into the fight for ethical work conditions by inviting them to learn about the people who make their clothes.

Essential questions for students:
Who are the people who make my clothes? How can I learn about them? How can I make sure that their working conditions are ethical?

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Who Made My Clothes? - Fashion Revolution

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Video: Why we need a Fashion Revolution? | Orsola De Castro | TEDxUAL

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Video: Why we need a Fashion Revolution? | Orsola De Castro | TEDxUAL

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Summary:
This video is describing the current effects of fast fashion on workers and the environment, and invites industries and consumers to change the fashion industry by learning who makes our clothes.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
This video highlights the idea of being more aware of the origin of the clothes and products we shop for.

Essential questions for students:
How can we, the individual consumer, help change the fashion industry? Why should we do that?

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Why we need a Fashion Revolution? | Orsola De Castro | TEDxUAL

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Video - How the forced labor of Uighurs feeds the world textile industry

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Video - How the forced labor of Uighurs feeds the world textile industry

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Summary:
This video describes how 1 out of 5 pieces of clothing made out of cotton and sold around the world comes from China, and how most of the Chinese cotton comes from Xinjiang, a province that is mostly inhabited by the Uighurs. The video then moves on to explain how it is hard to tell how the Uighurs are treated in the textile industry because they do not have the freedom of speech to describe their living situation.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
This video tackles the topic of China's problem with ethical working conditions.

Essential questions for students:
What is China's role in the world's cotton industry? How are the Uighurs connected to it and why are there concerns for their working conditions?

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Comment le travail forcé des Ouïghours alimente l'industrie textile mondiale

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Article - need to pressure brands to do their part

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Article - need to pressure brands to do their part

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Summary:
This article summarizes the issue around sweatshops in the world and describes the differences between the different fair trade labels.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
This article invites the consumer to look at solutions beyond shopping only for fair trade products.

Essential questions for students:
What does a fair trade label mean? Is it the ideal way to shop ethically?

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It’s a long road from field to final factory. Not all certifications look at anything before the clothes are cut and sewn.

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Summary:
Video describing culture of working from 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week, in tech companies.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
This video casts a light on the Chinese, and ultimately Asian, culture of hard work, and could spark interesting discussions over the possible ties between a traditional pride around tiring yourself out at work and having unethical work conditions.

Essential questions for students:
If people in other industries are expected to work this way, what are the prospects for workers in the textile industry? How does this culture connect to China's communist history?

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Article - statistics about cotton and forced/ child labor

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Article - statistics about cotton and forced/ child labor

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Summary:
This website has visuals and many statistics showing the role of China in cotton production and unethical work practices, with the support of many sources.

Why it is included in this Padlet:
The map and lists make it easy for students to get a quick and broad look at China's still ongoing involvement in forced and child labor.

Essential questions for students:
How is the cotton production connected to unethical working conditions and what is China's involvement on the world scale?

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Countries Where Cotton is Reportedly Produced with Forced Labor and/or Child Labor

Cotton is reportedly produced with forced labor (FL) and/or child labor (CL) in the following countries:

Argentina (CL)

Azerbaijan (CL)

Benin (CL, FL)

Brazil (CL)

Burkina Faso (CL, FL)

Cameroon (CL)

China (CL, FL)

Egypt (CL)

India - Cotton (CL)

India - Cottonseed (hybrid) (CL, FL)

Kazakhstan (CL, FL)

Kyrgyz Republic (CL)

Mali (CL)

Pakistan (FL)

Tajikistan (CL, FL)

Turkey (CL)

Turkmenistan (CL, FL)

Uzbekistan (FL)

Zambia (CL)

Top ten countries that produce cotton (lint and seed) worldwide (FAOSTAT 2018, 2019): Cotton lint: Cottonseed:

Top ten countries that export cotton worldwide (International Trade Center 2019):[i]
[i] International Trade Center (ITC Calculations based on UNCOMTRADE Statistics). https://www.intracen.org/

Top ten countries that import cotton worldwide (International Trade Center 2019):[ii]

[ii] International Trade Center (ITC Calculations based on UNCOMTRADE Statistics). https://www.intracen.org/

Where is cotton reportedly produced with trafficking and/or child labor?

According to the U.S. Department of State 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report, cotton is listed as being produced with forced labor or forced child labor in Cameroon, China, India, Mali, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.[1.]

According to the U.S. Department of Labor List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, cotton is produced with forced and child labor in Benin, Burkina Faso, China, India (cottonseed), Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Child labor is noted in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Egypt, India (cotton), Kyrgyz Republic, Mali, Turkey, and Zambia. Forced labor is noted in Pakistan and Uzbekistan.[2]

Argentina is listed as Tier 1 country by the U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report. Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Egypt, India, Tajikistan, and Turkey are listed as Tier 2 countries. Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mali, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Zambia are listed as Tier 2 Watch List countries. China and Turkmenistan are listed as Tier 3 countries.[3]

Cotton production and supply chain:

The cotton industry is one of the largest agricultural industries, employing an estimated 300 million people.[29] Cotton harvesting is labor intensive, and in much of the world, cotton is grown by small-holder farmers.

After harvesting by machine or hand, raw cotton is transported to gins where it is processed. Yarn is spun from lint. Cotton yarn is then woven into textiles, which are made into garments and home goods. Cottonseed is processed such that the meal is separated from the oil; the former is used in animal feed and the latter is used as cooking oil.

These production stages may occur across multiple countries, particularly for garments and textiles, making it difficult to determine where fibers in a given consumer item come from. For example, fibers from Egypt, Mali, and the United States may all be combined into one garment at a textile mill in Indonesia.

China and the United States are the largest exporters of cotton.[30] Both countries produce cotton products as well. China is a major importer of cotton, followed by Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Turkey.[31]

How do trafficking and/or child labor in
cotton production affect me?

Cotton produced using forced and/or child labor ends up in the clothes we wear, the textiles in our houses, and, through cottonseed oil, the food we eat.

Examples of what governments, corporations,
and others are doing:

There are numerous multi-stakeholder initiatives currently working to combat trafficking in cotton production worldwide. The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), a multi-stakeholder group, aims to improve environmental practices of cotton production and improve livelihoods and working conditions by developing "Better Cotton" as a "sustainable mainstream commodity." Better Cotton bales are segregated and traceable from farm to gin in a chain of custody system with guidelines and requirements at each step. During 2018-2019, 22% of global cotton production was in Better Cotton lint. Currently, farmers in more than 23 countries produce Better Cotton,[32] which is sourced by retailers and brands like Adidas, H&M, IKEA, Levi Strauss & Co., Marks and Spencer, and Nike.[33]

The Cotton Campaign is a multi-stakeholder group that includes NGO, government, investment, company and media partners advocating against trafficking in cotton production, particularly in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The Campaign reports on forced labor in both countries, issues recommendations and facilitates dialogues among stakeholders. Most recently the Campaign developed and advocated for a model in Uzbekistan that "would allow producers not using forced labor to access international markets, while encouraging and facilitating responsible sourcing."[34]

The Responsible Sourcing Network Cotton Programalso seeks to end forced labor in cotton sectors by working with a network of NGOs, apparel brands, retailers, investors, industry associations, and trade. The Cotton Program itself operates as a sustainable, responsible, and impact (SRI) investor. The Cotton Program hosts two "Cotton Pledge" campaigns for companies to sign on to, committing to not source their cotton from Uzbekistan or Turkmenistan.[35] The Cotton Program also hosts the initiative "YESS: Yarn Ethically and Sustainably Sourced" which implements a due diligence verification program with cotton yarn spinners.[36]

Clear Cotton project, a four-year project launched on March 1, 2018, aims to eliminate child labor and forced labor in cotton and focuses on three cotton-producing countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, and Pakistan as well as raising awareness in Peru.[37] The Clear Cotton project's main objectives include: promoting "enhanced national legislation and policies," and addressing "the basic needs and rights" of children working in the cotton value chain as well as victims of forced labor.[38] The project is co-funded by the European Union and implemented by the ILO in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization.[39]

Fairtrade works with farmers across the globe and consults with a variety of stakeholders to address economic injustices, forced labor vulnerabilities, and environmental unsustainability. Fairtrade implements a unique pricing model to ensure farmers are paid a livable wage, sets rigorous standards at every step of the supply chain to ensure safe working conditions, and encourages eco-friendly cultivation without the use of dangerous pesticides. Fairtrade works to create demand for ethical goods in countries like the U.S., while supporting producers through local and regional expert networks.[40]

Watch a video by the Environmental Justice Foundation.

Read about the Better Cotton Initiative.

Learn more about Fairtrade Cotton certification and sustainability efforts.

What do trafficking and/or child labor in
cotton production look like?

Cotton is produced with forced labor and child labor in a wide range of countries.[4] The nature of forced labor in cotton production varies greatly from region to region. For example, in India hereditary debt may tie families and communities to the land they work on.[5] In China and Turkmenistan, forced labor in cotton production be enforced through mandatory labor requirements organized by the national or regional governments. In other cases, such as Cameroon, forced labor is tied to regional violent conflict, displacement, and deceptive recruitment.

Government-sanctioned labor trafficking is a somewhat unique feature of cotton production, with much of the recent attention for this issue focusing on China. Hundreds of thousands of Uyghur Muslim and other Turkic ethnic minority laborers are forced to pick cotton in the Xinjiang region under coercive state-mandated labor schemes.[6] Under these labor schemes, Uyghurs and Kazakhs in Xinjiang, as well as Tibetans in the Tibet Autonomous Region, are transferred into labor camps by government officials under "precise poverty alleviation" policies that implement quota systems for the recruitment of poor households in cotton picking. Workers are isolated and surveilled closely by government, and sometimes police, forces. Religious minorities who have been placed in internment camps under the government's ideological "re-education" of religious minorities can be recruited into these forced labor transfers. Secondary-school children are also reported to have been recruited in cotton harvesting in the Xinjiang region.[7]

Government-sanctioned coercion cotton production also continues to be documented in Uzbekistan. While the number of people forced to pick cotton decreased in 2019 by 40%,[8] the International Labor Rights Forum reported that the Uzbek government "remained closely involved in cotton production," "used coercion to meet quotas and production targets" for cotton, and that government officials "required people to pick cotton involuntarily or face consequences including loss of job or problems at work."[9] In Uzbekistan, cotton growing lands are divided and supervised by government authorities. Under the quota system, regional and local officials have been threatened with losing their jobs or other consequences if they fail to deliver quota amounts. Although the government production quota was eliminated in March 2020, local officials are still mandated to meet production targets.[10] Furthermore, as Uzbek cotton production is increasingly privatized, with companies controlling production in their cotton "cluster," farmers enter contracts that closely resemble the quota system as they have to produce contract amounts, and lack bargaining power or choice over which clusters to work with.[11]

Trafficking in the cotton sector in Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan follows similar dynamics as those at play in Uzbekistan. The Turkmenistan government owns all the land in the country, which farmers lease, and enacts punitive measures like fines and land confiscation against farmers who fail to meet the state's inflated production quotas.[12] Farmers are required to sell their produced cotton to the state at artificially low prices. Public sector workers are also required to harvest the cotton under threat of losing their jobs, and private sector businesses may also be required to provide labor or financial assistance to the annual harvesting effort.[13] Similarly, in Tajikistan, teachers and other government sector employees are recruited by the government to pick cotton under threat of losing their jobs. According to news media reports, farmers working on government leased land in Tajikistan face little choice in what they cultivate.[14] In Azerbaijan, restrictive rights to land ownership have resulted in the abuse of power from executive authorities who also coerce farmers into sowing cotton under the menace of land confiscation.[15]

Although has Uzbekistan banned child labor, Human Rights Watch reported in 2020 that following the outbreak of COVID-19, monitors of cotton harvests found more child labor, citing school closings as a likely cause.[16] The COVID-19 pandemic and school closures have also led to child labor in cotton production in Kazakhstan, though evidence suggests this occurred prior to the pandemic as well; the lack of access to technology for remote learning among rural households and interruptions to channels of migrant workers from Uzbekistan for cotton picking have resulted in children being recruited to work in cotton production.[17]

In Azerbaijan, children under the age of 15 were reported to have labored alongside their parents to supplement family incomes. Child labor was also prevalent in Turkey where Syrian refugee children and children of Turkish migrant families and tenant farmers labored in cotton harvesting. Child labor was especially reported in Şanlıurfa where there were lower levels of mechanization and an increased refugee population.[18] Although child labor is banned in Turkey, in the southeastern part of the country (a key cotton production region) it has been documented that some families struggling economically have their children work on cotton plantations to maximize income, since families are often paid based on total harvest.[19]

In much of the world, particularly in African countries like Zambia, Benin, Burkina Faso, and Mali, cotton is grown in a small-holder context. Children often work on their family's plot. Some children may be involved in the worst forms of child labor if they are exposed to dangerous conditions including long hours, heat, and pesticides, and if they forego their education due to their cotton-related work. In other cases, children perform age-appropriate light tasks and continue to participate in schooling, which does not necessarily constitute a worst form of child labor.

Child migration in West African countries, such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Benin, is also relatively common. Boys aged ten and above migrate from their rural homes to work on farms in other regions of the country, most often traveling to cotton-producing regions to assist in the cotton harvest. In some cases, these children migrate within well-established family or community "kinship" systems. This migration is not always voluntary as some children are pushed into conditions of forced labor. Some children working for farmers may not be paid until the end of the harvest cycle, if they are paid at all. Many times, payment is deferred even longer, and the end wages are often much less than promised.[20] Some migrant juvenile workers may be paid in goods rather than cash according to verbal agreements with the farmer. For example, a worker may request a new bicycle and clothes at the end of the harvest.[21] In other cases, migration may be under coercion or outright trafficking. In 2012, Interpol rescued over 400 child trafficking victims from Burkina Faso, some of whom were reportedly working on cotton farms.[22] According to media reports, in some instances children from Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali are reportedly sold to neighboring countries like Togo and Côte d'Ivoire to work on plantations.[23] School enrollment among children in these three origin countries is reportedly also low.

In Cameroon, children are recruited for forced labor on cotton plantations. Violent conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions has increased internal displacement, lowered police and judicial enforcement, and worsened economic and educational opportunities. Parents from rural areas may entrust their children to traffickers after being promised the availability of better education opportunities in urban centers. Similar schemes to recruit child labor were reported in Benin.[24]

In India, forced child labor is reportedly used in some regions for the cross-pollination of cottonseed plots. According to NGOs, child labor was reported in cottonseed production across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, in order of highest to lowest incidence.[25] According to civil society organizations, children are forced to work across the cotton supply chain in India including in cotton fields, mills, factories, and home-based operations.[26] Children reportedly often remain invisible to labor inspections, and in 2019 about half of children involved in cottonseed production had dropped out of school. Furthermore, many cottonseed workers, especially women, were paid less than legal minimum wage.[27]

Children can be involved in all stages of the supply chain: cultivation, harvesting, ginning, and manufacturing. In cultivation and harvesting, child laborers are forced to work long hours; exhaustion, heat stroke, and malnutrition are common. Children are also exposed to harsh chemicals as cotton uses more insecticide than any other crop, making up 16 percent of global use. Exposure to these chemicals can cause tremors, nausea, weakness, blurred vision, extreme dizziness, headaches, depression, and even paralysis or death. In ginning, children work without protective equipment, inhaling contaminated air, which leads to respiratory problems.[28]

[1.] U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report. 2020. https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2020-TIP-Report-Complete-062420-FINAL.pdf

[5] International Labour Organization Child Labour in Cotton. 2016. https://www.ilo.org/ipecinfo/product/download.do?type=document&id=29655

[12] International Labor Rights Forum. Comments Concerning the Ranking of Turkmenistan by the United States Department of State in the 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report. 2020. https://laborrights.org/sites/default/files/publications/20200228_ILRF_Turkmenistan_TIP.pdf.

[14] Eurasianet. "Teachers toil in cotton fields as Tajikistan tries to fix trade imbalance." November 14, 2019. https://eurasianet.org/teachers-toil-in-cotton-fields-as-tajikistan-tries-to-fix-trade-imbalance.

[16] Human Rights Watch. "Central Asia: Pandemic Response Threatens Rights". January 13, 2021. https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/01/13/central-asia-pandemic-response-threatens-rights.

[18] Fair Labor Association. Child Labor In Cotton Supply Chains: Action-based Collaborative Project to Address Human Rights Issues in Turkey. 2017. https://www.fairlabor.org/sites/default/files/documents/reports/child_labor_in_cotton_supply_chains_june_2017.pdf

[19] Deutsche Welle. "Turkey: Children at work, not at school." February 9, 2019. https://www.dw.com/en/turkey-children-at-work-not-at-school/av-47408727.

[26] Sekhon, Geeta. The Asia Foundation. "Forced Labor and Child Trafficking in India's Garment Sector." 2017. https://asiafoundation.org/2017/09/20/forced-labor-child-trafficking-indias-garment-sector/.

[29] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, Statistics Division (FAOSTAT). FAOSTAT Database: Food and Agricultural Commodities Production /Countries by Commodity. 2012. https://faostat3.fao.org/faostat-gateway/go/to/browse/rankings/countries_by_commodity/E

UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. UN Comtrade Database. 2012. https://comtrade.un.org/data/

[30] International Trade Center (ITC Calculations based on UNCOMTRADE Statistics). https://www.intracen.org/

[34] Cotton Campaign. "A Changing Landscape in Uzbek Cotton Production." January 27, 2021. https://www.cottoncampaign.org/a-changing-landscape-in-uzbek-cotton-production.html.

[38] Clear Cotton. ILO. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/-ed_norm/-ipec/documents/publication/wcms_650172.pdf

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Cotton Commodity Atlas Research Page with a Map

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Countries Where Cotton is Reportedly Produced with Forced Labor and/or Child Labor Cotton is reportedly produced with forced labor (FL) and/or child labor (CL) in the following countries: Argentina (CL) Azerbaijan (CL) Benin (CL, FL) Brazil (CL) Burkina Faso (CL, FL) Cameroon (CL) China (CL, FL) Egypt (CL) India -