https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa This Padlet will address the topic of unethical work conditions in China, and what is being done to improve them. en-us 2023-03-05 21:25:51 UTC 2025-12-28 11:23:59 UTC hello@padlet.com starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504191373 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.]]> 2023-03-05 21:31:41 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504191373 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504193104 2023-03-05 21:35:51 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504193104 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504193252 2023-03-05 21:36:18 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504193252 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504193533 2023-03-05 21:37:07 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504193533 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504198594 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?]]> 2023-03-05 21:49:11 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504198594 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504200124 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.]]> 2023-03-05 21:53:11 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504200124 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504201701 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?  ]]> 2023-03-05 21:56:25 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504201701 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504203112 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 ?

]]> 2023-03-05 21:59:49 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504203112 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504207076 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?]]> 2023-03-05 22:10:47 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504207076 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504209647 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 ?]]> 2023-03-05 22:16:09 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504209647 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504211259 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?]]> 2023-03-05 22:19:40 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504211259 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504219994 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? ]]> 2023-03-05 22:41:05 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504219994 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504221223 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?]]> 2023-03-05 22:43:58 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504221223 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504222235 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?

]]> 2023-03-05 22:46:34 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2504222235 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2516065730 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? ]]> 2023-03-14 13:01:07 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2516065730 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2516089031 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?]]> 2023-03-14 13:15:33 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2516089031 starczaknathalie1 https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2516292802 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?

]]> 2023-03-14 15:14:51 UTC https://padlet.com/starczaknathalie1/1qpnui89g55xaaaa/wish/2516292802