THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAST FASHION: A study into consumer concerns about the ethical and

environmental issues which surround fashion manufacturing.

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UNIVERSITY OF HUDDERSFIELD

School of Art, Design and Architecture

Department of Design

The consequences of Fast Fashion:

A study into consumer concerns about the ethical and environmental

issues which surround fashion manufacturing

Megan Hudson

A Major Project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for

BA (Hons) Fashion, Communication and Promotion.

Module THD1038 Fashion Communication Promotion Case Study

The candidate confirms that the work submitted is their own and that appropriate credit has

been given where reference has been made to the work of others.

The University of Huddersfield

School of Art & Design

Department of Design

Huddersfield

West Yorkshire

ENGLAND

11/02/2014

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ABSTRACT The ‘Fast fashion’ phenomenon is growing at a rapid pace, high street stores stock new lines

weekly and clothes are bought without the intention of lasting beyond the current season.

The increased speed of production comes with a plethora of environmental and ethical

problems; this case study will look at the issues which surround the manufacturing stage of

the fashion industry.

Many other industries have already vastly improved upon their environmental and ethical

credentials; however, the fashion industry is only in the preliminary stages of tackling these

problems. Perhaps lack of public awareness is restricting improvements which could be

developing much more quickly.

The media are influential in building awareness on an issue, with live news streams 24 hours

a day updates are constant. The issues surrounding fashion manufacturing, however, only

seem to gain coverage after the occurrence of fatal incidents.

Younger consumers are the worst offenders for buying into the fast fashion culture, but how

aware are they of the problems it creates? This case study will present the issues and

coverage of these to the consumers themselves, discover whether consumers are more or

less aware now than previous generations and determine whether these problems even

concern them at all.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks go out to a number of family members, friends and lecturers for their support and

encouragement throughout the long process of this case study. To all respondents who

completed the survey, in however much depth, the findings would not have been half as

conclusive without the overwhelming amount of responses. Finally, to the participants of the

focus groups, for their enthusiasm and belief in the purpose of the case study.

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CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background/Rationale

1.2 Aims and Objectives

1.3 Methodology

1.4 Case Study Structure

2.0 FASHION MANUFACTURING- THE SURROUNDING ISSUES

2.1 Introduction

2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

2.2 i Energy Use

2.2 ii Waste Reduction

2.2 iii Pollution

2.3 ETHICAL ISSUES

2.3 i Wages

2.3 ii Working Conditions

2.4 SUPPLY CHAIN

2.5 CODES OF CONDUCT

2.6 CONCLUSION

3.0 COVERAGE WITHIN THE MEDIA

3.1 Introduction

3.2 MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

3.3 MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE ETHICAL ISSUES

3.4 Conclusion

4.0 CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUES

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Buying Habits

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4.3 Knowledge of environmental issues

4.4 Observation of environmental issues in the news

4.5 Knowledge of ethical issues

4.6 Observation of ethical issues in the news

4.7 FINDINGS

4.7 i Which issues gain more coverage?

4.7 ii Which concern them more?

4.8 Conclusion

5.0 CONCLUSION

6.0 REFERENCES

6.1 Figures

6.2 Bibliography

7.0 APPENDICES

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

This case study will discuss the range of environmental and ethical issues which surround

the manufacturing stage of a garment’s life cycle, focussing on the area of ‘Fast Fashion.’

The issues concerned have been heightened in recent years due to the surge in demand for

Fast Fashion. The term Fast Fashion refers to ‘Low-cost clothing collections that mimic

current luxury fashion trends. Trends run their course with lightning speed, with today’s latest

styles swiftly trumping yesterday’s, which have already been consigned to the trash bin.’

(Joy, A. 2012)

Once the issues have been determined, the case study will look at their representation within

the media, and discover whether the environmental or ethical issues gain more coverage.

These issues will then be put to consumers from a range of age categories to discover what

they know of the issues, what they see of them in the news and if they are more concerned

about the environmental or ethical problems. Once all research has been collected and

conclusions have been drawn, the case study will establish whether there is a link between

consumers’ concerns with their age categories.

(Fig. 1 telegraph.co.uk)

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1.1 Background/ Rationale

This case study provides valuable insight into the opinions and concerns of fashion

consumers in today’s society. After examining the depth of the issues which surround

garment manufacturing and discussing these with consumers, the case study will indicate a

gap in public knowledge of the issues.

There is a growing amount of pressure being placed on industries to improve upon their

sustainability both ethically and environmentally. Some industries are thriving in this area,

proving their environmental and ethical credentials through transparent supply chains, strict

codes of conduct and innovative schemes set up to improve working conditions for

underprivileged communities, whilst equally benefiting the industry itself. Fashion is an

industry in the preliminary stages of improving on it’s impacts, therefore this study will look at

the surrounding issues which create cause for concern, and whether those buying into the

industry are aware of the issues’ existence.

This study is of particular importance due to the immense popularity of ‘fast fashion,’

especially amongst younger fashion consumers. The demand for fast fashion is continuously

increasing; therefore the issues surrounding manufacturing are currently growing. The power

held by the media in today’s society, could drastically heighten awareness almost overnight,

however, whether these issues gain coverage is another question. When the problems reach

crisis point, news reports are in abundance, however this coverage is usually short lived.

The case study will uncover to what extent the media can actually influence consumers,

along with conducting in depth primary research to discover which issues concern them

more- if any. Analysing the results in terms of age groups should indicate whether

consumers are becoming more or less concerned about the impact of their clothing as

generation’s progress.

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1.2 Aims and Objectives

Aim

The aim of this case study is to determine whether consumers are more concerned about

the environmental or ethical issues which surround manufacturing in the fashion industry.

Objectives

- To identify the environmental and ethical issues which surround garment manufacturing.

- To investigate the portrayal of environmental and ethical issues which surround

manufacturing within the media.

- To determine whether there is a link between media coverage and consumer awareness of

the issues.

- To identify whether a connection can be drawn between consumers’ opinions about

environmental/ethical issues in comparison with their age.

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1.3 Methodology

A range of books, journals, academic papers and news articles (see bibliography) were read

in order to gain in depth knowledge of the subject and the context surrounding the issues

discussed in chapters two and three.

In order to meet objectives three and four, relevant primary research was undertaken. A

survey was completed by 102 females who shop on the British high street, ranging from

ages 15-62. Results from the survey were then examined in terms of selected age

categories so that the objectives could best be concluded.

Two Focus groups were also conducted; the first, Focus Group A was carried out with five

women from the youngest (<18 year old) category of the survey and the second involved

three women aged between the oldest two age categories (41-50 year old and 50+). These

were conducted in order to gain more in depth responses to the topics and, to be able to

identify if there is a difference in responses between older and younger respondents.

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1.4 Case Study Structure

Chapter two of this case study will examine the range of environmental and ethical issues

surrounding manufacturing within the fashion industry. Following this; chapter three will

investigate the Media portrayal of these issues, and determine whether one topic gains more

coverage than the other.

Chapter 4 will discuss with fashion consumers both the issues and their coverage in the

Media, establishing how much they know of the subject in question. Conclusions will be

made on whether consumers are more concerned about the ethical or environmental issues

surrounding the fashion industry’s manufacturing process and whether a link can be made

between responses and age of consumers to identify whether, as a society, people are

becoming more or less aware of the problems.

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2.0 FASHION MANUFACTURING- – THE SURROUNDING ISSUES

2.1 Introduction

The aim of this chapter is to explore the range of ethical and environmental issues that

surround manufacturing in the fashion industry, focusing on the area of ‘fast fashion’. ‘Fast

Fashion’ refers to the lines which are produced and sold generally in high street stores.

Many high street brands continuously stock new lines so garments are bought without the

purpose of lasting longer than the current season, meaning that the life cycle of a product is

being vastly sped up. When referring to environmental issues the chapter will discuss those

that concern damage to the environment and planet. Whereas, the ethical issues

surrounding manufacturing refer to human rights and the issues that directly affect the

factory workers. Following this analysis, company’s actions towards these issues such as

their codes of conduct/working practises will be discussed to determine what sort of action is

being taken.

Over recent years the fashion industry has begun to trail behind other industries when it

comes to tackling the problems it creates in terms of its ethical and environmental impacts.

The food and agricultural industries are currently leading the way when it comes to

addressing these issues.

“‘Facing the Future’, the Government’s Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food,

set out the way ahead for the farming sector – and good progress is being made in

its implementation. The Food Industry Sustainability Strategy builds on this and sets

out the key priority areas for action beyond the farmgate.” (Beckett, M. 2006)

These industries have worked hard to make changes to a number of areas throughout the

food chain including the growth of products, transportation and packaging. However, the

fashion industry is not alone in its delayed reaction to the problem; the technology industry is

also continuously coming under scrutiny. Leading technology brand Apple have been found

to be engaging in unethical practices throughout their supply chain, ‘“Apple suppliers often

“fail to properly dispose of hazardous waste”’ (Barboza, D. 2011) Production for many

technology brands is located in third world countries making it difficult for consumers to keep

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track of the impacts these brands are creating. Similar problems arise to those which are

also created by outsourcing fashion manufacturing.

With the growing demand for so called ‘Fast Fashion,’ fashion leaders are continuously

looking for cheaper and faster means of production, with little consideration of the

detrimental issues being caused along the way.

This chapter will discuss both the environmental and ethical issues that occur during the

manufacturing process, considering both sides of the arguments.

(Fig. 2 ecouterre.com)

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2.2 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Environmental issues are those which concern the environment and overall damage to the

planet caused by human activities, relating also to the sustainability of such practises. This

refers to the concept of safe guarding the planet for future generations, in the case of this

case study referring solely to fashion manufacturing processes.

2.2 i Energy Use

Garment manufacturing is a highly energy-intensive process, with a range of machinery

necessary in order to put the garment together from start to finish. ‘Materials, energy and

other resource are used inefficiently throughout the apparel supply chain’ (Agbonkhese,

S.E., 2010) Insufficient use of this energy, however, has led to reports that energy use

during this stage of the garment life cycle is at its highest, adding largely to the overall

carbon footprint of a garment.

‘High energy and inefficient production processes mean that the energy costs of textiles and

clothing are high.’ (Bryson, R. 2011) The high amounts of energy necessary to keep

production lines moving add a lot to the total expense of producing garments, therefore also

causing the cost of garments to be inflated. In order to avoid this, this could cause

companies to try to cut production costs in other areas.

‘Environmentally and socially sustainable supply chains can yield cost savings from the

reduction of waste and energy consumption’ (Agbonkhese, S.E., 2010) Improving on their

sustainability i.e. by reducing energy use could not only benefit them in terms of reputation, but

could have cost advantages for the company in question.

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2.2 ii Waste Reduction

Waste is another major issue at this stage and is prominent in a variety of formats; gases,

liquids and solids- the nature of the waste generated depends on the type of facility. Fabric

waste is prominent in excess due to the vast range of fabrics that are constantly changing to

keep up with demands caused by Fast Fashion. Fabric waste is an area that companies

strive towards improving on reducing most frequently due to the cost advantages it has for

them. If they can reduce the amount of fabric being wasted during production they will be

able to purchase more accurate quantities in the first place, therefore saving generously on

overall costs.

Reducing waste not only greatly benefits the companies in question, but is a key step

towards improving on sustainability at this stage. It has recently been estimated that more

than one million tonnes of textiles end up in landfill sites every year in the UK alone

(Birtwistle, G. 2007), a level which has been heightened over recent years due to the sudden

demand for Fast Fashion. This causes particular problems in the landfill sites as 58% of all

fibres produced globally are synthetic (Turner, C. 2012). Since synthetic fabrics such as

polyester are proven to take longer to decompose than natural fibres like cotton, this means

that landfill sites are being clogged with an abundance of textile waste which could easily

have been reduced.

(Fig. 3 ecouterre.com)

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2.2 iii Pollution

Air pollution is an important issue to discuss due to the scale of the problems they add to;

‘Gaseous emissions have been identified as the second greatest pollution problem for the

fashion and textile industry.’ (Parvathi, C. 2009) Air pollution can be difficult to identify and

quantify due to samples being hard to obtain, however, most processes performed in

garment manufacturing facilities emit gases of some kind and there are minimal regulations

in place for identifying these and how much damage they cause in particular to the

environment.

The most widespread method of fabric dyeing, for example, takes between 100-150 litres of

water to dye approximately one kg of fabric. (Laskow, S. 2012) Various chemicals are added

to the water, including bleach as it is processed; following which it is disposed of, most

commonly into nearby water sources. A number of companies are striving to promote more

environmentally friendly processes such as waterless or natural dyeing. AirDye, a US

company, use carbon dioxide to disperse dye into fabric by spraying the gas amongst the

fibres. Once there, the dye condenses into the fabric whilst the CO2 is pumped back into the

container ready to be reused. (Kaye, L.,2013)

(Fig. 4 iamgreeny.com)

Discussions on water pollution emitted by factories have gained more attention recently due

to high profile brands such as Nike and Adidas gaining negative attention in the press,

‘Greenpeace International singled out Nike, Adidas and other major brands for doing

business with a big Chinese textile group found to be discharging toxins into a local river.’

(Plambeck, E. 2011)

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Although these brands usually strive towards engaging in sustainability during their practices

‘The report (Adidas’s) focuses on milestones en route to a set of environmental targets for

the year 2015, including a 15 percent reduction of its environmental footprint compared to

2010.’ (King, B. 2012) Negative reports as shown above, brought to public attention can

damage all efforts made so far to work against this image.

Water pollution sways dangerously close to the line between environmental harm and public

harm since the large volumes of wastewater discharged from factories usually contain a

wide variety of chemicals. ‘These (chemicals) can cause damage if not properly treated

before being discharged into the environment.’ (Parvathi, C. 2009). The problems caused by

these types of waste are to such an extent that the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)

actually considers many textile manufacturing facilities to be ‘hazardous waste generators

under the resource conservation and recovery act,’ (Claudio, L. 2007). This title takes into

consideration things such as the harmful gases discussed and the dangerous chemicals that

leave the textiles manufacturers via waste water.

“In the EU the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals

(REACH) require clothing manufacturers and importers to identify and quantify the

chemicals used in their products. Also requiring manufacturers to inform consumers

about potentially hazardous chemicals that may be present in their products.”

(Claudio, L. 2007)

Some of these chemicals are deemed so harmful that they must come with warnings if they

may be present in garments within the EU. However, such strict guidelines are not in place

in the countries of production, therefore factory workers can come into contact with a range

of so-called ‘hazardous’ chemicals on a daily basis.

Recent reports that certain harmful chemicals have been detected in children’s clothing sold

in Europe have caused outrage towards the companies involved. ‘Many of the chemicals

tested for are known to disrupt our hormone systems, and mess with the normal

development of our bodies. We may only see these adverse effects much later in lives of our

little ones.’ (Haiama, N. 2014) There is immediate concern for the safety of children who may

have come into contact with hazardous chemicals, yet factory workers involved in

manufacturing these products have no concerns raised for their safety. Violations of basic

human rights similar to this issue will be discussed further in the next sub-chapter.

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2.3 ETHICAL ISSUES

Ethical issues take into consideration human rights, ensuring that all people involved are

treated justly and fairly throughout each process.

When discussing the ethical issues in manufacturing the term ‘sweatshops’ is one that

occurs all too frequently. ‘Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the (sweatshop)

debate and are demanding changes to create greater alignment with the recommendations

of intergovernmental organizations.’ (Arnold, D.G. 2006) It is impossible to ignore that many

of the issues to discuss occur in this environment and are gaining media attention so

regularly that sweatshops have immediate negative associations.

(Fig. 5 businessweek.com)

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2.3 i Wages

One of the main factors for companies to outsource their production to Eastern countries

such as China and Bangladesh is due to the vastly lower labour costs. As a result of the cost

of living being greatly lower in these countries minimum wages are extremely low-if the

country in question does actually have set minimum wage guidelines. ‘Because of its labour

intensity, production in the apparel industry is concentrated in low wage countries.’ (Rivoli, P.

2003) Due to the amount of manual labour that is needed in manufacturing, companies

could save massively on wages even with the added cost of shipping if they do choose to

use manufacturing facilities in these countries. However there have been a lot of arguments

raised surrounding the idea of these ‘minimum wages’ not constituting as a ‘living wage’ for

the labourers. This follows studies concluding that ‘Legally-mandated minimum wages, even

when paid, may not be sufficient to sustain workers and their families.’ (Rivoli, P. 2003) The

idea of ‘living wages’ takes into consideration the welfare of workers and their families,

ensuring that pay allows them to comfortably afford the basic human needs.

Some arguments point out that sweatshop workers earn just as much as any other typical

vocation in these countries and that attempting to gain ‘living wages,’ for all workers will

cause harm to the economy on a greater scale. ‘The exploitation of cheap labour supplies

allows developing countries to expand export activities and to improve their economies.’

(Arnold, D.G. 2006) This argument explores the possibility that if wages of all employees

increase, companies would be forced to take on fewer employees in the first place, and this

could result in fewer jobs in the sector and ultimately higher rates of unemployment for the

countries in question.

A handful of brands have begun to work against this negative reputation, choosing to work

with disadvantaged people, rather than exploit them. An example of this taking place is with

high street brand Monsoon. Monsoon work with a number of initiatives across the globe who

support disadvantaged communities by helping them to maintain a sustainable livelihood.

They often make use of unique skills which have been passed down through generations, as

is the case with SEWA, an initiative who works with Indian women creating hand-

embroidered pieces which Monsoon have featured in a homeware line. (monsoon.co.uk) If

more brands chose to work this way they could find that it benefits them equally in ways they

hadn’t previously considered.

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2.3 II Working Conditions

The working conditions and health and safety standards are a prime issue discussed by

activists in the overall sweatshop debate, with a number of pressing problems reported on a

regular basis. Blocked fire exits, cleanliness of living conditions, repetitive motion injuries

and, creating particular cause for concern, exposure to toxic materials- both air born and

through physical contact can severely threaten workers’ health. Appropriate equipment to

deal with such materials are usually in short supply at these factories, therefore workers can

experience a range of health issues from skin complaints to respiratory disorders, as a result

of coming into contact with these hazardous materials.

The issue of health and safety within these factories was brought significantly into the

spotlight in April 2013 when an 8 storey garment manufacturing factory, Rana Plaza,

collapsed killing 1129 of the workers inside. Serious questions arose surrounding the human

rights of the workers, especially after it was exposed that cracks had been discovered in the

building just the day before its collapse. Some workers claimed following the incident that

they had been told they would ‘lose their jobs if they did not turn up to work the next day.’

(Rugman, J. 2013) Survivors came forward with extensive stories discussing conditions

within the factory before its collapse which shocked and disturbed consumers around the

globe, who had never previously considered where their clothes were made.

Even small changes could vastly improve upon these conditions ‘the cost of improving

working conditions varies significantly depending upon such factors as the problem being

addressed and the size of the factory. Some problems can be addressed with little cost.’

(Arnold, D.G. 2006) This is a complex area, and each issue must be addressed individually,

however needn’t be of great cost to the company funding the changes.

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2.4 SUPPLY CHAINS

Nowadays, more than 90% of garments sold on the British high street have been

manufactured outside of Britain. (Turner, C. 2012) These figures show that more and more

brands are choosing to outsource their manufacturing to other companies spread across the

globe. Outsourcing manufacturing escalates the complexity of a brands supply chain,

therefore they become increasingly more opaque. With the typical supply chain now usually

spread across multiple continents it becomes very difficult for a brand to ensure that

everyone along the supply chain is subject to equal working practises, along with engaging

in sustainable working practices. The larger the retailer, the greater the complexity of the

supply chain, therefore it becomes much more difficult for companies to know exactly what is

going on within all tiers of their supply chain.

If guidelines were set for companies to abide by, all supply chains would have at least an

initial level of transparency to which they can choose whether or not to expand on.

2.5 CODES OF CONDUCT

Companies tend to create codes of conduct, in order to set themselves boundaries for their

working practises, but also to ensure that the positive values they hold are publicised as

much as possible

‘Codes of practice (or conduct) are the most common instruments for showing environmental

and social responsibility.’ (Blowfield, M. 1999) Codes of conduct can be voluntarily adopted

by companies and allow them to specify their personal values and identity as a company.

‘Most codes have prohibition on child labour, prohibit discrimination on the basis of race or

sex, and require adherence to minimum health and safety standards.’ (Rivoli, P. 2003) Such

basic guidelines as these within codes of conduct are pretty standard. ‘The mere drafting of

a code of conduct is insufficient. Instead, it is the voluntary adoption and full scale

implementation of a code that is encouraged.’ (Arnold, D.G. 2006) The more in depth a

company’s code of conduct the more likely the general public are to trust them and their

values. When it comes to setting these guidelines however, companies must take into

consideration which ideals are most important to them, and the public that they are hoping to

impress.

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2.6 Conclusion

Having looked at both the environmental and ethical issues surrounding garment

manufacturing, it is obvious that there are a vast range of problems. Since these issues are

constantly developing it is impossible to discuss all matters surrounding the subject.

However, after touching on a number of important factors it is clear to see the massive

impact caused by garment manufacturing in a variety of ways and the impact that these can

have internationally. With fashion being such a leading industry it is surprising to see that it

can have negative influences in such a vast range of areas. It is important now to look at the

way these issues are brought to the attention of the public in terms of media coverage, in

order to properly discuss consumers’ opinions on these topics and how they may have come

to form these.

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3.0 COVERAGE WITHIN THE MEDIA 3.1 Introduction

The influential power held by the media is prominent in today’s society, with live feeds being

updated 24 hours a day. Anyone can gain access to the latest headlines through a range of

different news platforms- print, broadcast and online, leading news companies even have

social media feeds constantly streaming stories live as they unravel, allowing everyone to

input their opinions on the latest topics. Therefore, reporting on an issue can bring it to the

forefront of public awareness, drawing masses of attention that would otherwise not have

been gained.

This chapter will investigate the media’s portrayal of the previously examined ethical and

environmental issues which surround garment manufacturing; determining whether certain

issues are discussed more than others and the possible reasons behind this.

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3.2 MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

The environmental issues previously discussed in this case study can have devastating

effects on the planet in a variety of ways. However, when gathering research on the media’s

portrayal of these issues it became apparent that there is a lack of reportage surrounding

them.

The few articles which placed sole focus on environmental issues- without referring to ethical

issues did not appear on mainstream news publications/websites, instead tending to be on

fashion intelligence sites such as ‘just-style.com.’

In an article published on the site by Fangqing, W. (2013) the potential cost advantages for

all parties involved in the manufacturers supply chain if various environmental improvements

were to be made are discussed.

‘Asian textile firms are seeing opportunities to go green and save money. Initiatives

have helped factories in Bangladesh improve their environmental performance by

cleaning up production…The World Bank body is pushing on an open door in China,

with the new administration in Beijing putting manufacturers under increasing

pressure to improve environmentally sustainable practices.’ (Fangqing, W. 2013)

Fangqing notes improvements being made on a number of continents, in the hope that such

developments can be carried out on an international scale. However, it is clear that this

article is not written with the intention of informing the general public due to its highly factual

style. The article focuses mainly on regulations which are being put in place and how

companies can aim to meet these, appearing to speak to industry professionals rather than

the consumers themselves.

Information featured in these sorts of articles may filter down through the media into

mainstream newspapers/ websites. CBN news have reported on H&M working with their

Bangladeshi factories to improve on environmental and ethical issues aiming towards better

quality of life for their workers.

‘H&M has been lobbying Bangladesh and Cambodia to raise the minimum wage and

in November laid out a plan to pay a fair "living wage" to some 850,000 textile

workers by 2018..Helmersson said working more sustainably should also help long-

term profitability, by, for example, cutting water use to grow cotton, improving energy

efficiency or using fewer chemicals.’ (Thomasson, E., 2014)

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Unlike the just-style website however, this article has a tendency to put emphasis on the

ethical issues rather than environmental ones, even though there is room for equal

discussion of both. Perhaps CBN feel that the interest of their readers lies within the ethical

side and touch on the environmental problems only where necessary.

Similar articles to Fangqing’s have also been posted on ‘Fibre2fashion.com,’ although this

again addresses the issue in more of a business manner rather than as a readable article

directed towards general public.

‘China’s current air and water pollution problems are extremely serious, and so to

alleviate the harmful effect that this new spread of industrial developments could

have on China’s environment, the discharge of pollution needs to be strictly

controlled.’ (IPEA, 2013)

This article was published on the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, therefore

would probably only be found by someone looking into the topic of discussion- pollution

caused by fashion manufacturing. Some environmental issues are being mentioned in

articles published on mainstream news sites; however they are usually only touched upon

alongside the ethical issues, with the discussion of ethical problems being held in priority

within the structure of the article.

(Fig. 6 theecologist.org)

An article published on the Huffington Post website ‘The truth about the clothes we wear:

How fashion impacts health and the environment,’ discusses the issues in this manner.

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“Poor working conditions, minimal environmental regulations, and child and slave labour are

commonplace in the $1 trillion garment industry… "We need to start thinking about people

and planet and not just profit," she added.” (Greer, B. 2013)

Initially both the environmental and ethical issues are mentioned side by side, however as

the article progresses the human issues involved in the article are what take prominence.

Again, perhaps the author feels that Huffington Post readers are more interested in hearing

about the effects that the industry has on people, rather than the planet. Halfway through the

article a heading is used which could reflect this idea:

‘Our health might be at risk.’

This subtitle refers to toxic chemicals which are used in production, but rather than develop

on the environmental issues caused by these chemicals which the previous article refers to,

the issue is looked at from a perspective which solely considers human concerns.

A similar approach is taken in an article from fashionunited.co.uk (Preuss, S. 2013), with the

chapter of ‘Worker safety and wages: much to be desired,’ being reported on in much more

detail than the later section titled ‘Changes on the environmental front.’ There are equally

unsettling issues on both sides of the argument, but even in this article which looks at issues

specifically affecting the Chinese supply chain, the environmental problems seem to be held

in much less prominence.

This take on the topic was the most common approach found during the research; even

when searching specifically for news relating to environmental problems surrounding

manufacturing, the majority of articles seemed to only mention these briefly in passing

before examining ethical issues in further detail. Those articles which did look into

environmental problems exclusively weren’t easily accessible, only when searching for this

specific matter would the consumer be able to find anything remotely relevant.

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3.3 MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE ETHICAL ISSUES

The ethical issues which surround garment manufacturing are much more likely to be found

in the news than the environmental issues; especially over recent years, due to a number of

tragic incidents which have made international headlines. Therefore articles focussing on

these topics were much more frequent and far easier to come across.

Attention grabbing headlines such as, “I got hired at a Bangladesh sweatshop. Meet my 9

year old boss.” (Aulakh, R., 2013) and “Sweatshop horror exposed.” (Jones, D., 2012)

appear in abundance. Shocking statements like these gain immediate interest and create

intrigue with the dramatic wording- ‘horror’. These headlines alone are taken from

mainstream newspapers such as ‘The Sun’ and ‘The Star,’ and there are countless similar to

these across national and international news.

When discussing specific incidents involving human rights violations, most reporters make

direct references to cases, using quotes from those affected.

‘37 year old Bangalore worker and mother, Yamuna gave evidence about a factory,

“The wage was very low. I could not even feed my 3 children with at least bread and

milk. My daughter asked me one day, 'Why you gave birth to me if you are not able

to feed me properly?' I pledged my mangalasutra [equivalent to a wedding ring] to

pay my children's school fees”.’ (Maher, S., 2012)

Quoting such personal anecdotes adds a level of emotion to the article, something which

readers can relate to. This could make the articles more memorable in the eyes of the

reader, in particular the issues concerned.

Another common technique to note was mentioning recognisable brands. ‘Sweatshop

workers were yesterday revealed to face beatings and humiliation as they churn out clothes

for BHS — on slave wages of just ten pence an hour.’ (Jones, D., 2012) Including the name

of high street brand ‘BHS’ aims to give the reader a sense of guilt as they will probably of

heard of the department store, if not been inside. Knowing that such a well-known store as

this is involved in questionable business practices could cause readers to consider how

extreme the situation is and what other problems their desire for fast-fashion can cause. By

bringing into account the morals of consumers the reporter hopes to make readers feel guilty

about their consumption habits, and previous obliviousness to the situation.

‘The workers here are squeezed - by factory owners who need to make a profit - and

by consumers and high street brands overseas who want cheap, cheap prices. And

34

until the rules of this supply chain change, nothing for these people is likely to change

very much.’ (Rugman, J., 2013)

This quote is taken from the channel 4 documentary ‘Inside the sweatshops of Bangladesh,’

the fact that these issues are the subject of documentaries on prominent broadcasters like

channel 4, shows how serious they feel that the issue is. This also means that channel 4

may believe that there is an audience keen to know more on the topic, or that they feel it is

so important that it should be brought to public attention.

(Fig. 7 zoriah.net)

35

3.4 Conclusion

After analysing media coverage from a range of publications, it is clear to see that the ethical

issues are reported on much more frequently and in significantly more depth.

Perhaps the environmental issues have a tendency to hold less priority than the ethical

issues in the eyes of the media, as they don’t typically cause direct harm to other humans as

ethical problems do. Reporters may be dismissive of producing reports which focus on the

environmental impacts due to human stories being expected to sell more papers. If the

media continue to have the preconceived perception that readers care more about humanity

issues, then environmental issues will struggle to gain anywhere near to the amount of

coverage as ethical incidents. If both topics were discussed equally they would become

more accessible for the public, with information more readily available for those with an

interest around the subject.

These issues will now be put to the consumers themselves in order to determine whether the

media are right in presuming which topics they care more about, and whether these opinions

are manipulated by the images and stories they see all too often in the news.

36

37

4.0 CONSUMER KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUES

4.1 Introduction

This chapter will cover consumers’ opinions and knowledge of topics discussed in previous

chapters, both the issues themselves (environmental and ethical) and their representation in

the media. Aiming to identify how much consumers know of each issue, and to distinguish

whether there is a link with consumers’ opinions about ethical/environmental issues in

comparison with age groups. In order to best determine the answers to these questions, a

range of primary research was undertaken. The results of both focus groups and the survey

conducted will be analysed to discover the answers to these questions.

Consumers’ buying habits will be discussed first as these put the following responses into

context, followed by knowledge of environmental issues and news coverage, knowledge of

ethical issues and news coverage and whether they are more concerned about one factor

than another.

38

4.2 Buying Habits

Respondents’ buying habits were determined through three main aspects; how often they

make a clothing purchase, their favourite shops and by ranking a number of factors (Cost,

Comfort, Necessity, Ethical production and on trend) in order to understand which they

prioritise when making a clothing purchase.

The three youngest categories – under 18’s, 19-24 year olds and 25-30 year olds shop the

most frequently, ‘several times a month’ being the most common category amongst these

age groups. When asked to rank influential factors for their purchasing decisions, trend and

cost were the most highly ranked. All shops named were high street stores producing ‘fast-

fashion’, most commonly brands such as ‘Topshop, Zara, H&M and New Look.’

There is a drastic difference in the frequency of shopping habits when looking at the three

older age categories- 31-40 year olds, 41-50 year olds and aged 50+ with the most common

category chosen ‘every few months/per season’ and necessity and comfort ranking most

highly in terms of purchase priorities. Some higher end high street stores such ‘Jaegar, Kurt

Geiger and French Connection’ are named alongside the usual high street brands,

suggesting that these consumers look for quality over quantity, possibly expecting their

clothes to last more than one season.

(Fig. 8 – Under 18 year olds, Appendix one) (Fig. 9 – 41-50 year olds, Appendix five)

39

The different priorities chosen by older consumers show that these consumers have a

tendency to shop only when they need something, although this could be because they may

have less disposable income than some of the younger consumers, due to having more

financial commitments such as mortgages. These results show that the younger consumers

buy into the fast-fashion culture, naming most often the types of brands which have been

linked to engaging in questionable practices throughout their manufacturing stages,

therefore it will be interesting to see what these consumers know of such issues.

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4.3 Knowledge of environmental issues

A number of questions were put to the respondents concerning environmental awareness

within fashion manufacturing. Initially in order to understand their attitudes they were asked

to rate themselves on a scale of one to five, to determine how environmentally friendly they

find their actions.

(Fig. 10 , All responses, Appendix nine)

Answers averaged out in the middle with nearly half choosing three, according to the

diagram above respondents would consider themselves to be towards the positive end of

environmental awareness. Looking at the results in terms of individual age groups, the three

oldest categories were the most environmentally aware participants.

The question ‘What do you know about garment manufacturing’s impact on the

environment?’ was put to participants and left open ended in order to discover what they

know of the subject (if anything). The under 18’s and 41-50 year olds knew nothing at all, nor

did the 25-30 year olds who had no notable responses on the topic- despite being the

consumers who are making fashion purchases the most frequently. This question was also

proposed to the students who took part in focus group A, who again knew nothing, ‘Not a lot

to be honest not on the environment… I know that it’s an issue but I don’t know exactly what

sort of effect it has.’(A.C. Focus group A, Appendix 7) All participants were perplexed by this

question, realising that the process must obviously have bad implications but never having

considered these prior to the focus group. This could be because this isn’t a priority, when

consumers are shopping these issues aren’t brought to their attention.

Only 20% of the 19-24 year old survey respondents gave an answer other than ‘nothing’.

Two of these respondents referred to harmful chemicals and air pollution issues, ‘The

chemicals they use for dying is bad and the fumes that are being created are polluting the

air.’ (Appendix 2) These issues have been discussed heavily in recent news reports;

therefore perhaps this coverage has influenced these responses by bringing it the attention

of respondents. Another respondent stated ‘In all honesty not a lot, although with the amount

of stock produced it can't be a good thing for the environment unless everyone recycles their

clothing.’(Appendix 2) The referral to ‘amount of stock produced’ shows that this participant

41

has picked up on the over excessive production of garments brought on by on the fast

fashion trend, yet it is the younger consumers who have the most frequent purchasing

habits, therefore feeding this trend.

Only 16.6% of 31-40 year old respondents had comments to make ‘Very little. Years ago,

colour dyes polluted rivers and had detrimental effects on river life. Not heard much in recent

years though.’ (Appendix 4) This respondent has mentioned a current environmental issue

surrounding manufacturing; however seems to be under the impression that this problem

has been resolved; maybe due to lack of current media coverage. 62.5% of the over 50 year

old contributors again knew nothing; however there were a few intriguing comments made.

‘China is the worst offender for greenhouse gasses, plus all the air miles etc. involved in

transportation. I would spend a lot of time hunting for practically non-existent British

manufacturers.’ (Appendix 6) It’s interesting to see that this respondent puts the blame on

China, yet the Chinese factories are probably manufacturing for western brands. The

consumer seems to want to be more eco-friendly, however doesn’t see how to go about this

when the majority of manufacturing is done in China. Another respondent in this age

category also mentioned the difficulty in finding British manufacturers if they were to try and

support local manufacturing.

‘Many years ago I would buy a brand and pay more because it was made in the UK

e.g Marks and Spencer underwear which I knew was made in factories on Teesside

but it is impossible to find now. I wanted to support our manufacturing industry, but

also felt that it would be better regulated. The availability of very cheap clothing

encourages people to buy much more than they need so although there is recycling I

feel this must be damaging to the environment.’ (Appendix 6)

This respondent evokes concern at the fast fashion culture, noting that consumers have a

tendency to buy more than they necessarily need and understands the impact that this must

have on the planet. The participants of focus group B were slightly more knowledgeable than

focus group A, however still couldn’t go into great depth on the surrounding issues, ‘I know

quite a bit if you’re talking about the carbon footprint, there’s a massive impact.

Manufacturing the fabrics abroad bringing them into this country, also the dying and

production processes, it can’t be good?’ (C.B. Focus Group B, Appendix 8) Those

participants in either of the focus groups, or respondents to the survey who do actually have

knowledge of environmental impacts of garment manufacturing, all seem slightly unsure of

what they do know. Perhaps this is because they lack trust in their sources or because it’s

been a long time since they heard updates on the issues.

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4.4 Observation of environmental issues in news

In order to determine whether the media can in fact influence opinion on the topics

discussed, the survey asked respondents ‘How often do you see reports surrounding

environmental issues in garment manufacturing on the news?’ This question was closed,

with respondents asked to select from regularly, sometimes or never, in order to get direct

answers and be able to best compare responses between age categories.

Under 18 year olds, 25-30 year olds and 41-50 year olds have all seen nothing of this topic,

with one from both the 19-24 year old and over 50 categories selecting ‘sometimes’ to

seeing these issues on the news. When this question was proposed during both focus

groups, all participants answered ‘never’ without hesitation. The 31-40 year old category

were the most noteworthy with 33% of contributors selecting ‘sometimes,’ perhaps these

respondents watch the news/ keep most up to date with current affairs in comparison with

other age categories. It could also be due to respondents having a vested interest in

environmental awareness as, over 90% of participants in this age category selected 3 or

higher for how environmentally friendly they would rate themselves.

(Fig.11, 31-40 year olds, Appendix four)

43

It is feasible that the lack of knowledge of the environmental problems related to fashion

manufacturing, could be related to the lack of media coverage broadcasted. Looking at the

results to this question as a whole, of 102 survey contributors, only 6% ‘sometimes’ see

media reports discussing environmental issues with 0% ‘regularly’ seeing coverage. This

shows that the remaining 94% of respondents, along with 100% of focus group participants

have seen nothing at all on the topic despite the amount of news that the public are

bombarded with on a daily basis. After analysing a range of news reports and where they

are published, it is apparent that coverage on this topic mostly only appears on industry

websites rather than news platforms. Meaning that the pieces written tend to be aimed at

those inside the industry rather than the general public, who are probably the lesser

informed on the subject.

(Fig. 12, All responses, Appendix Nine)

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4.5 Knowledge of Ethical Issues

To introduce the topic of ethical issues, respondents were approached with a thought

provoking question, ‘If you knew that humans were being exploited to manufacture clothes

for your favourite shop, would you stop shopping there?’ This question aimed to get an

honest response out of participants, before going into further details on what they individually

knew of the issues concerned. The question was kept as a simple yes or no answer to

define the mind set of contributors.

Looking at the results as a whole, the response was extremely close, 53% yes against 47%

no.

(Fig. 13, All responses, Appendix Nine)

Responses from individual age groups show that respondents were very much divided over

this question; the under 18 year olds and over 50s were the least divided with a clear

majority of participants selecting ‘yes,’ that they would avoid their favourite store. 25-30 year

olds were divided, but 52% voted yes. Whilst ‘no,’ was the prevailing response from all

remaining categories; 19-24 year olds, 31-40 years and 41-50 year olds, although these

categories were also closely split with only a couple of deciding votes. Perhaps the older

45

respondents feel that since they are making purchases less frequently that their shopping

habits have less of an impact overall.

The same question was put to participants during focus group A, who all answered ‘yes/

definitely!’ They were then shown the closeness of the survey results to the same question

and asked how they felt about the results.

‘Shocking, if you knew that someone was getting hurt! That could be your family if

you think of it that way. People that you know could be hurt for something as

superficial as what you want to wear.’ (A.C. Focus Group A, Appendix 7)

All participants of focus group A would fall into the under 18s category of the survey,

therefore their undivided response to this question agrees with the response noted by their

peers. Going by these results it would appear that the youngest consumers are the most

compassionate in terms of the conditions in which their garments are produced. This could

be due to the subject being taught to students in schools nowadays; therefore, perhaps the

younger respondents know more about the topics due to it being fresh in their minds.

(Fig. 14, Under 18 year olds, Appendix One) (Fig. 15, 31-40 year olds, Appendix Four)

46

Following this introduction to the topic, the survey then asked respondents ‘What do you

know about sweatshop labour?’ This question was again open-ended in the same format as

the question about environmental issues, in order to determine what respondents knew, in

comparison to what they knew about environmental issues.

There were significantly more responses to this question from across all age categories. Of

the under 18’s and 19-24 year olds, most knew at least enough to make a statement on the

topic, however usually not in great detail, ‘Not a lot - more common in third world countries,

certain major retailers produce clothing this way, people are paid very little money for long,

laborious days in a hot factory.’ (Appendix 2)The same general points seemed to be picked

up on by respondents in these two categories, ‘People in third world countries being made to

work very long hours for a very small amount of money, usually making clothes for the

western world’s fashion brands.’(Appendix 1) These points could be picked up on the most

due to being the facts which are reported on most frequently in news coverage of the issues.

Many of them know of the topic and what it surrounds, but some were inaccurate when

referring to who they thought the issues involved, ‘I’m quite oblivious to it. I know it goes on

but I am under the impression it is generally associated with smaller and lesser known

brands.’ (Appendix 1) This respondent makes the presumption that only ‘lesser known

brands’ engage in these sorts of practices, even though it has been widely noted that brands

from high end and high street alike have been known to use sweatshop labour and the lack

of knowledge of the topic allows this to continue. ‘It's a cheap and easy way to make fake

copies of main brands, for example, Primark I'd expect to run sweat shops, because they're

copies of main brand, for a fraction of the price.’(Appendix 2) This respondent is under the

impression that only cheaper high street brands, using Primark as an example, are the ones

who would be using sweatshop labour. Another participant from the 25-30 year old category

labels Primark as a negative example, ‘Primark have been linked to sweatshops - very

cheap labour and poor working conditions in underprivileged countries’ (Appendix 3) The

fact that respondents recurrently refer to Primark could show that they are unaware of the

scale of the problem, or that maybe the Media prefer to vilify specific brands rather than

reveal the extent of the issues surrounding manufacturing.

Respondents in the age groups 31-40 and 41-50 years old made the least comments on the

topic, one 41-50 year old stated, ‘I obviously don’t know enough going by my previous

answers.’ (Appendix 5) This response suggests that perhaps the subject has never crossed

their mind prior to the survey, although maybe it would be something they would think about

in future. Whilst one 31-40 year old respondent claimed ‘Only what you hear on the news

about the poor conditions and pay.’ (Appendix 4) This response backs up the theory that 31-

47

40 year olds perhaps kept the most up to date with news/current affairs; this respondent

feels that this is a topic which is gaining news coverage.

A number of over 50s also referred to the coverage of this topic ‘What is reported on the

news’ and ‘Just what is in the media’ (Appendix 6) These responses show that this topic has

already caught the attention of these respondents through its portrayal in the media, another

participant referred to specific events, ‘They have poor wages and working conditions.

Recent news events showing collapse of factories.’ It is probable that this respondent refers

to the Rana Plaza factory collapse in May 2013 which briefly plunged sweatshop conditions

into the spotlight with an abundance of reports.

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4.6 Observation of ethical issues in the news

To best be able to compare coverage of environmental issues with coverage of ethical

issues, respondents were asked the question in the same format as during the previous

section ‘How often have you seen incidents surrounding ethical issues in garment

manufacturing in the news?’ Respondents were asked to choose between regularly,

sometimes and never, these responses will then be compared between age categories and

against coverage of environmental issues to determine which gain more media coverage.

At least one respondent in each category had regularly seen reports on ethical issues, with

two participants from the over 50s. The three youngest age groups had the most

respondents who had ‘never’ seen any coverage. 47% of under 18s had ‘never’ seen

coverage on the topic along with 47% who ‘sometimes’ had, whereas 62.5% of the 19-24

year old and 66.6% of the 25-30 year old participants voted ‘never’ to seeing reports on the

issues.

(Fig. 16, All Responses, Appendix nine)

One 19-24 year old participant stated ‘It’s never really voiced about in the news or the

magazines that I read so I'm quite oblivious to it even happening if I'm honest.’ (Appendix2)

49

Perhaps these participants would be better informed of the issues if different publications

chose to provide coverage on the subject. They may feel it is not of interest to the readers,

but if it is to be brought to their attention then these issues must be discussed in the

publications which they read.

When this question was put to Focus Group A one participant stated ‘Occasionally there’s

like a big story about it, if something’s happened then there’s a load of attention and then it

just dies down.’(AC Focus Group A, Appendix 7)This observation was also made by a

respondent in the 25-30 year old category ‘Not very much but it tends to get in the news only

when there's a disaster or a panorama style report on bad conditions/cheap labour etc…’

(Appendix 3) These respondents have picked up on the fact that news coverage amplifies

briefly as soon as there is an incident, but quickly dies away giving people the impression

that the issue itself has also disappeared. This concern was also picked up on by a

participant in Focus Group B, ‘Once when there was the big collapse over in India of one of

the sweatshops yeah but that’s the only recent one.’ (RT, Focus Group B, Appendix 8) This

shows that it is not just opinion of the younger respondents, but that contributors across the

age groups have noticed that issues only seem to gain coverage when a devastating

incident occurs.

Of the three older age categories the percentages of those who had ‘never’ seen ethical

issues in the news were much lower, with only 25% of the 31-40 year olds, 20% of the 41-50

and 12.5% of the 50+ categories. This could show that these age groups watch more of, or

pay more attention to the news.

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4.7 FINDINGS

4.7 i Which issues gain more coverage?

During the Focus Groups, participants were asked ‘Do you feel like one (people or planet)

issue is talked about in the media more and why?’ In Focus Group A, respondents were

unanimous that the human issues gained more media attention

‘I think they definitely focus on people’ (MW, Focus Group A, Appendix 7)

‘I think because you’re more likely to emphasise with them sort of thing. You put yourself

in that position, whereas when it’s the environment you don’t feel that way about it

because you feel like it doesn’t affect you in a long term sense.’ (AC, Focus Group A,

Appendix 7)

These respondents have noticed that the ethical issues gain more coverage, and raise the

point that this could be because they don’t personally see the effects that manufacturing is

having on the environment, in the way that they can see images of humans in poor

conditions on the news. Respondents of Focus Group B also agree that the ethical issues

gain more coverage;

‘People more than planet, definitely mainly because we are all human beings.’ (RT,

Focus Group B, Appendix 8)

‘Mainly because human beings are very selfish and they want to know about themselves

and they’re not bothered about animals and the environment, it’s what they can wear and

the trends and that type of thing I think.’ (CB, Focus Group B, Appendix 8)

The point raised that consumers are selfish and prioritise superficial aspects such as

appearance has been backed up by certain results found throughout this survey.

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4.7 ii Which issues concern them more?

The final question asked by the survey was ‘Would it bother you more to know that the

production of your clothes was hurting people, or the planet? Why?’ This question was

proposed to determine which factor respondents personally were more concerned about, in

order to see if the media were right in focussing on one more than another.

Two of the younger categories, under 18s and 25-30 year olds were swayed towards being

most concerned for people, ‘People. I’m more concerned with the here and now, rather than

the future of the planet. I’d rather look after the people than the environment.’ (Appendix 1)

Contributors tend to view the issues surrounding humans as current, as opposed to the

environmental issues which can wait to be resolved. Another respondent in this age group

stated ‘People - the impact is happening now to people, whereas the impact on the planet

will only have severe effects in many years to come.’(Appendix 3) The attitude that effects

on the planet aren’t currently serious could be due to the lack of media coverage, lacking the

sense of urgency around the topic that has started to build around the ethical issues.

19-24 year olds responded with mixed answers, pointing out arguments to defend both

issues.

One respondent picked up on an interesting note about environmental issues, ‘Planet.

Because the planet is in a pretty bad state at the moment, and we're not making it any

better. Plus people need the planet to live on, regardless of whether they're been treated in

an ethical manner.’(Appendix 2) This point was also raised by a participant in Focus Group

B,

‘Both equally, although I wouldn’t like to see humans suffering especially not children

if you’re talking about child labour. So probably more humans, but still the impact on

the environment if we don’t watch that neither we’re not going to be able to survive,

because it impacts on us as well anyway as human beings.’ (CB, Focus Group B,

Appendix 8)

The respondent is swayed towards the ethical issues, however picks up on the fact that

these won’t actually matter unless people start to consider their environmental impacts.

Results from the three older categories were mixed between ethical and environmental

issues, one 41-50 year old discussed the necessity of media coverage in order to educate

people on the topics.

52

‘A bit of both, we all should be aware of industry effect on Global warming and after

answering these questions maybe the plight of those people that are being exploited

should be given a larger portion of news time to educate those of us that aren't that

aware at what actually goes on and which manufacturers are responsible.’(Appendix

5)

This respondent agrees that with more emphasis placed on these issues by the media,

people would start to understand the scale of the problem and those involved in such

practices. Another mixed response answer was given by a respondent from the 50+

category ‘It would stop me wearing that brand of clothes if I knew people were being hurt

during the manufacturing. But it also bothers me about the future of our planet for the next

generations.’ (Appendix 6) The environmental issues seem hit harder with older respondents

who recognise the need for a change, in order to protect the planet for the future. This

attitude is lacking from younger respondents who don’t view environmental issues as ‘here

and now’ problems.

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4.8 Conclusion

After analysing the results from both the survey responses and focus groups conducted, it

would appear that the media do in fact place more emphasis on the ethical issues than

environmental issues. 49% of respondents sometimes see coverage of ethical issues,

compared to only 6% who have sometimes seen reports on environmental issues. The

observation of more ethical issues corresponds with the fact that respondents had largely

more knowledge about these in comparison with the environmental problems. This proves

that the media can influence and increase consumer awareness on a subject if they choose

to report on it.

After asking the consumers which issues actually do concern them more, it appears that

they find the extent of both topics equally alarming. Therefore, the media’s decision to

discuss ethical issues in more depth than the environmental problems, conflicts with the

desire of consumers, who would like to see both issues treated with the same sense of

urgency. Looking at responses in comparison with age; the youngest and oldest groups of

respondents appear to be the most concerned about the issues in question, with the 19-24

year olds, 25-30 year olds and 31-40 year olds lacking the most empathy. The youngest

respondents could be most concerned due to being educated on environmental awareness

and human rights at school; therefore they may have the most knowledge on the problems.

Many of the oldest respondents have the attitude that the planet needs protecting for future

generations; therefore they tended to be more concerned about environmental issues than

ethical ones.

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55

5.0 CONCLUSION The case study has discussed a vast range of issues which surround manufacturing in the

fashion industry, since there are constant developments in this area new issues will always

arise. However, it should be noted that improvements are beginning to occur more

frequently, with initiatives and schemes being set up across the globe to improve on both

environmental and ethical credentials.

After investigating the media coverage and their portrayal of the issues discussed, it is clear

that the media do in fact focus on the ethical issues in much more depth than the

environmental problems. There is a definite link between the lack of media reports

discussing environmental issues, and the lack of public knowledge of these problems, which

was proved in the results discussed in chapter four. After analysing the results from both the

survey responses and focus groups conducted it is obvious that the media do influence

public knowledge on the issues. 49% of respondents sometimes see coverage of ethical

issues, compared to only 6% who have sometimes seen reports on environmental issues.

92% of respondents had seen nothing at all of environmental issues compared to the 44%

who have never seen ethical issues.

The media build a sense of urgency around the ethical issues, perhaps feeling that the

ethical or ‘human’ issues are the ones that people are more concerned with. However, after

putting this question to the public themselves it is apparent that they are equally concerned

about both sets of issues. The theory that both issues impact upon each other was raised by

a number of respondents who feel that improvements can’t be made on ethical issues

without also being made on the environmental problems.

Taking into consideration age whilst looking at responses, the respondents aged between19-

40 seemed to have the least concern for the issues. It is surprising to see that the youngest

and oldest respondents seem to be the most empathic towards both the ethical concerns

and the environmental impacts. For the youngest respondents, perhaps this could be linked

to these issues being treated with more importance during their education nowadays. The

oldest respondents had particular concern for the sake of future generations, however in this

category there is a divide in the conclusion of accountability, since many respondents seem

to feel that they make fewer purchases therefore have less of an impact. The knowledge

shown by the under 18 year old respondents is promising for future developments, they are

keen to drive improvements on the issues all round. If young people continue to be educated

on the issues in question, the fashion industry can continue to strive to reduce it’s impacts.

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57

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Business Ethics. Kluwer Academic Publishers. P223-232

Rugman, J. (2013) Exclusive:Inside the sweatshops of Bangladesh. Retrieved 27/12/13 on

http://www.channel4.com/news/bangladesh-inside-one-of-h-ms-biggest-clothing-factories

Turner, C. (2012) The future of fashion fabrics- Reducing environmental impact. The Ethical

Fashion Forum. Retrieved 24/01/14 on http://source.ethicalfashionforum.com/article/the-

future-of-fashion-fabrics-reducing-environmental-impact

CHAPTER 3

Environmental

Fangqing, W. (2013) Green garments: Sustainable practices in Asia. Retrieved 28/12/13 on

http://www.just-style.com/management-briefing/sustainable-practices-in-asia_id118586.aspx

Greer, B. (2013) The truth about the clothes we wear: How fashion impacts health and the

environment. Retrieved 28/12/13 on http://www.huffingtonpost.com/beth-greer/fashion-

environment_b_3527049.html

IPEA Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (2012) Pollution Blind spot in Chinese

garment sector. Retrieved 29/12/13 on http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-

news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=116684

Preuss, S. (2013) China, the garment king: A portrait. Retrieved 27/12/13 on

http://www.fashionunited.co.uk/fashion-news/fashion/china-the-garment-king-a-portrait-

2013102318813

Thomasson, E. (2014) H&M says fashion can be cheap and ethical. CBN News. Retrieved

30/01/14 on http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/01/30/14/hm-says-fashion-can-be-cheap-

and-ethical

59

Ethical

Aulakh, R. (2013) I got hired at a Bangladesh sweatshop. Meet my 9 year old boss.

Retrieved 27/12/13 on

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/clothesonyourback/2013/10/11/i_got_hired_at_a_bangla

desh_sweatshop_meet_my_9yearold_boss.html

Jones, D., Sorrell, L. (2012) Sweatshop horror exposed. Retrieved 27/12/13 on

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4192900/Sweatshop-horror-exposed.html

Maher, S. (2012) Press release: Human rights trial hears fashion worker woes. Retrieved

22/12/13 on http://www.labourbehindthelabel.org/news/item/1099-india-wage-tribunal

Rugman, J. (2013) Exclusive:Inside the sweatshops of Bangladesh. Retrieved 27/12/13 on

http://www.channel4.com/news/bangladesh-inside-one-of-h-ms-biggest-clothing-factories

60

6.1 FIGURES

FRONT COVER- http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/asia/article3747431.ece

Fig. 1.- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9157237/More-

High-Street-shops-to-close-as-shoppers-move-online.html

Fig. 2 - http://www.ecouterre.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/manufacture-new-york-4-

537x402.jpg

Fig. 3 - http://www.ecouterre.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/redress-hong-kong-miele-

2011-1-537x402.jpg

Fig. 4 - http://www.iamgreeny.com/conventional-dyeing-vs-eco-friendly-dyeing/

Fig. 5 - http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-03-18/will-walmart-move-manufacturing-

out-of-bangladesh

Fig. 6 -

http://www.theecologist.org/blogs_and_comments/commentators/other_comments/1053117/

stop_making_china_suffer_toxic_pollution_for_western_fashion.html

Fig. 7 - http://www.zoriah.net/blog/2009/04/guest-photographerphotojournalist-gmb-akash-

child-labor-part-2/comments/page/2/

Fig. 8 – Frequency of fashion purchases, Appendix One

Fig. 9 – Frequency of fashion purchases, Appendix Five

Fig. 10 – Environmental friendliness, Appendix Nine

Fig. 11 – Environmental issues in the news, Appendix Four

Fig. 12 – Observation of environmental issues in the news, Appendix Nine

Fig. 13 – Whether or not consumers would boycott their favourite shop if they people were

being exploited, Appendix Nine

Fig. 14 – Whether or not consumers would boycott their favourite shop if they people were

being exploited, Appendix One

Fig. 15 - Whether or not consumers would boycott their favourite shop if they people were

being exploited, Appendix Four

Fig. 16 – Observation of environmental issues in the news, Appendix Nine

61

6.2 BIBLIOGRAPHY

CHAPTER TWO

Arbuthnot, J.J. (1997) Identifying ethical problems confronting small retail buyers during the

merchandise buying process. Journal of Business Ethics. P745-755

Bhardway, V., Fairhurst, A. (2009) Fast Fashion: Response to changes in the Fashion

Industry. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research 20:1.

P165-173

Bruce, M. Daly, L. (2002) Lean or Agile: A solution for supply chain management in the

textiles and clothing industry? International Journal of Operations and Production

Management. p151-170.

Christopher, M., Lowson, R., Peck, H (2004) Creating Agile Supply Chains in the Fashion

Industry. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Volume 32, Issue 8.

Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. P367-376

Dafydd Beard, N.(2008) The Branding of Ethical Fashion and the Consumer: A Luxury Niche

or Mass-market Reality? Fashion Theory, Volume 12, Issue 4. P447-468

Dickson, M.A. (2001) Utility of no sweat labels for apparel consumers: Profiling label used

and predicting their purchases. The Journal of Consumer Affairs, Volume 35. P96-102

Goworek, H., Fisher, T., Cooper, T., Woodward, S., Hiller, A. (2012) The sustainable clothing

market: an evaluation of potential strategies for UK retailers. International Journal of Retail

and Distribution Management, Volume 40, Issue 12. P 935-955

Joergens, C. (2006) Ethical fashion: Myth or Future trend? Journal of Fashion Marketing and

Management, Volume 10. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. P360-371

Joy, A. Sherry, J. Venkatesh, A. Wang, J. and Chan, R. (2012) Fast Fashion, Sustainability

and the Ethical Appeal of Luxury Brands. Fashion Theory, Volume 16. Bloomsbury

Publishers. p273-296.

Koskela, M., Vinnari, M. (2009). Consumer Values and Eco-Fashion in the Future. Future of

the Consumer Society. p125-134.

Kozlowski, A., Bardecki, M., Searcy, C. (2012) Environmental Impacts in the Fashion Industry. Journal of Corporate Citizenship, Issue 45. P17-36

Morgan, R.L., Birtwistle, G. (2009) An investigation of young fashion consumers’ disposal

habits. International Journal of Consumer Studies, Volume 22. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

P190-198

Perry, P., Towers, N. (2009) Determining the antecedents for a strategy of corporate social

responsibility by small- and medium- sized enterprises in the UK fashion apparel industry.

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Volume 16. P377-385

62

Shaw, D. & Tomolillo D.A.C. (2004) Undressing the ethical issues in fashion: a consumer

perspective. International Retail Marketing. Chapter 8, p141-151.

Shaw, D., Shui, E., Hogg, G., Wilson, E., Hassan, L. . (2006). Fashion Victim: The impact of

fair trade concerns on clothing choice. Journal of Strategic Marketing Volume 14. p427-440.

Taylor and Francis.

Valor, C. (2007) The influence of information about labour abuses on consumer choice of

clothes: a grounded theory approach. Journal of Marketing Management, Volume 23.

Westburn Publishers Ltd. P 675-695

CHAPTER THREE

Environmental

Gould, H. (2014) Upcycling: turning textiles waste into sustainable fashion. Retrieved

05/02/14 on http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/water-scarcity-fashion-

industry

Kamlani, T. (2013) Made in Bangladesh. Retrieved 28/12/13 on

http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/episodes/2013-2014/made-in-bangladesh

Mishra, A. (2013) Environment friendly fashion. Retrieved 28/12/13 on

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/326841/environment-friendly-fashion.html

Ravasio, P. (2012) How can we stop water from becoming a fashion victim. Retrieved

25/01/14 on http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/water-scarcity-fashion-

industry

Ethical

Buncombe, A. (2013) Bangladeshi factory disasters: Leading retailers shun summit on

sweatshops. Retrieved 27/12/13 on

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/bangladeshi-factory-disasters-leading-

retailers-shun-summit-on-sweatshops-8815720.html

Deith, J. (2013) Dhaka factory collapse: No compensation without DNA identification.

Retrieved 22/12/13 on http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24080579

Manik, J. A., Yardley, J. (2013) Building collapse in Bangladesh leaves scores dead.

Retrieved 22/12/13 on http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/world/asia/bangladesh-building-

collapse.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Phelan, H. (2013) Bangladesh garment exports rise 16% even as Human rights’ violations

persist. Retrieved 27/12/13 on http://fashionista.com/2013/07/bangladesh-garment-exports-

rise-16-percent-even-as-human-rights-violations-persist/

63

7.0 APPENDICES APPENDIX ONE - <18 RESPONSES

2. Which fashion brands do you shop at the most?

Topshop ASOS River Island Zara H&M Primark New Look Missguided Urban Outfitters Ted Baker Dorothy

Perkins H! by Henry Holland Peacocks Cos

All high street brands with the exceptions of Ted Baker, Henry Holland and Cos being high

end high street. This shows that these consumers very much buy into fast fashion culture.

3. How regularly do you make new fashion purchases?

4. What factors do you consider when making a clothing purchase? (Rank in order of

most important at the top).

64

5. Do you ever consider where your clothes were made/ the conditions for the people

who made them?

6. If you knew that humans were being exploited to make clothes for your favourite

shop, would you stop shopping there?

65

7. How concerned are you with being environmentally friendly?

8. What do you know about sweatshop labour?

Very little

Guessing it's the ladies that work for nothing and have targets and have to make a certain amount of garments in

a certain amount of time

Yes.

Not much

A variety of shops use it, including designer. So price doesn't necessarily reflect the conditions of the worker.

Not much

It's not good

that they use little kids.

Not a lot

Nothing.

Nothing

Little artcles from the news

Hear occasional things on the news

People in third world countries being made to work very long hours for a very small amount of money usually

making clothes for the Western worlds fashion brands.

Im quite oblivious to it. I know it goes on but I am under the impression it is generally associated with smaller and

lesser known brands

Not a lot, but know of it.

Underpaid over worked

Not much

Not much

66

9. How often have you seen incidents surrounding ethical issues in garment

manufacturing in the news?

10. What do you know about garment manufacturing’s impact on the environment?

Every respondent said ‘Nothing/ nothing at all.’

11. How often have you seen incidents surrounding environmental issues in garment

manufacturing on the news?

67

12. Would it bother you more to know that the production of your clothes was hurting

people, or the planet? Why?

Yes, it would make me consider before shopping in certain shops or buying certain brands of clothing.

Both, if I had to chose it would bother me to know that it was hurting the planet as I wouldn't like animal habitats

to become damaged and animals to go extinct

People I think.

People. Im more concerned with the here and now, rather than the future of the planet. Id rather look after the

people rather than the environment.

Yes, as there are other ways around it

People

hurting people. because people make the world go round

People (make an excuse for me cos I don't know hahahaha)

No.

Yes.

Yes

Yes because I would rather pay more for my clothes and know that people did not have to suffer to make them

It would bother me more to know the production of clothes were hurting people as everyone should have human

rights

Yes because I wouldn't want to 'promote' the destruction. I would change my buying habits immediately.

Yes, it's unfair treatment and why should they be hurt to make over priced clothes they barely see a penny of.

Yes, because it isn't necessary

Yes because people shouldnt be getting treated poorly just so they can make clothes at a cheaper price

Yes

68

APPENDIX TWO - 19-24 RESPONSES

2. Which fashion brands do you shop at the most?

River Island Topshop Miss selfridge Dorothy Perkins Warehouse Urban Outfitters ASOS New Look Primark

F and F Clothing H&M Missguided Vintage stores ASOS Marketplace Zara TK Maxx Boohoo Forever 21

In this age group we start to see some vintage/ second hand clothing stores along with

individual boutiques being mentioned by a handful of consumers who try to avoid fast

fashion found in the other high street stores.

3. How regularly do you make new fashion purchases?

4. What factors do you consider when making a clothing purchase? (Rank in order of most

important at the top).

69

5. Do you ever consider where your clothes were made/ the conditions for the people who

made them?

6. If you knew that humans were being exploited to make clothes for your favourite shop,

would you stop shopping there?

70

7. How concerned are you with being environmentally friendly?

8. What do you know about sweatshop labour?

Not a lot - more common in third world countries, certain major retailers produce clothing this way, people are

paid very little money for long, laborious days in a hot factory..

It's abroad

A very little - not enough to go into detail.

Usually long working hours in a hot factory with little pay, very little pay

Yes, hence choosing to buy vintage rather than retail clothing.

children given away for working for little money if not any

long hours

dangerous conditions

no health care

they sometimes sleep in their work shops becuase they have no where else to go

It happens for a lot of high street brands unfortunately, and even designer brands get the clothing made

elsewhere as it is cheaper for manufacturing

Poor conditions, Very low pay, often in third world or developing countries

Hardly anything! I should know more but its never really voiced about in the news or the magazines that I read so

I'm quite oblivious to it even happening if i'm honest.

People are paid low wages in other countries to make clothes

It's a cheap and easy way to make fake copies of main brands, for example, Primark I'd expect to run sweat

shops, because they're copies of main brand, for a fraction of the price.

That the majority of the time children are exploited and are made to work numerous hours a day/ week for very

little pay, in horrendous conditions.

Very cramped, poor conditions, long hours and bad pay and treatment.

Nothing, occasionally have heard it mentioned on tv

A bit due to uni work

The other 9 respondents claimed to know ‘nothing’ on the subject.

71

9. How often have you seen incidents surrounding ethical issues in garment manufacturing

in the news?

10. What do you know about garment manufacturing’s impact on the environment?

It harms the environment and the social structure and the lives of the families who work in those conditions

Not much although don't agree with the way that retail stores go about making and selling their clothing, often

made cheap and sold above what they are worth, with only the higher up in the company benefitting.

cutting down forests

the chemicals they use for dying is bad and the fumes that are being created are polluting the air

In all honesty not a lot, although with the amount of stock produced it can't be a good thing for the environment

unless everyone recycles their clothing

In some places probably quite polluting, (dyes etc released into water courses) shipping and transport of the

materials and finished products will have an impact on greenhouse gases and fuel crisis

All 18 other respondents answered ‘Nothing’ to this question.

72

11. How often have you seen incidents surrounding environmental issues in garment

manufacturing on the news?

12. Would it bother you more to know that the production of your clothes was hurting people,

or the planet? Why?

Yes - Wouldn't like to think I was being exploited to produce clothes for people living in more affluent countries.

Yes - why should something I wear affect someones life in a bad way. I would much prefer to buy clothes that do

not have an impact on the environment or the lives of the people who make them.

Yes id like to know what conditions people are working in. Id hate to think people were being made to work in

poor conditions.

Probably not

I want to say yes cause I sound awful but if I am honest probably not no . What you don't know can't hurt you I

guess

People (make an excuse for me cos I don't know hahahaha)

Yes, because it's unethical. Not so much the planet, but definitely more so to other people.

It would because no one should suffer like that for me to wear a pair of jeans

Yes . Because is effects everyone

Yes, businesses are more concerned with their own profits rather than how it is affecting environment/people

73

making the garments.

Yes

don't really know how to answer that question.. as they both effect each other and both of equal importance.

Yes it would, no one wants to wear anything or even promote anything that could be made by exploiting innocent

people. There isn't enough awareness about it and brands need to make their manufacturing process a lot

clearer, there seems to be a lot of grey areas and loop holes for them to get away with it and keep their

manufacturing costs down and profit up.

planet. Because the planet is in a pretty bad state at the moment, and we're not making it any better. Plus people

need the planet to live on, regardless of whether they're been treated in an ethical manner. Even though I

disagree with sweatshop labour; I don't feel we can just walk away from brands that use such workforces -

because then those people would have no source of income at all.

Yes I think if I knew exactly what happened to the individuals that make the clothes that I buy, I would probably

shop around a bit more and discover shops that didnt have their clothes made in certatin conditions. This would

probably be because I'd feel guilty for wearing them as much as i do!

Yes, I didn't realise it was so bad. I'd hate to think that people in today's world are suffering for no reason other

than to make clothes I wear. I'd prefer to know and wear clothes that are properly manufactured in a safe

environment in fair conditions.

Yes because I think that customers are being deceived and lied to by companies as we aren't told the

circumstances that our clothes are made

Yes - but it seems like it's hard to find clothes that don't harm animals/humans/planet.

eg, hard to find shoes not made with animal produce.

No, because, If I don't buy it, it's only one less person, unless it's on a large scale to make an actual difference,

well everyone else will still buy them.

Yes, as I would feel bad for buying clothes which people have made in bad conditions.

Both equally

Yes, everybody should have a right to a good and safe working environment. Clothes are a necessity and if there

is a way of manufacturing them without being detrimental to the environment this should take place , however it

would depend on if it would increase the price of clothing by a large amount. It would bother me more to know

about people risking their lives than the environment.

Hurting people

74

APPENDIX THREE - 25-30 RESPONSES

2. Which fashion brands do you shop at the most?

New Look Dorothy Perkins Primark Next H&M River Island Missguided ASOS Zara Topshop Miss Selfridge

Vintage/market All Saints Levi Next George Urban Outfitters Ebay Bank

3. How regularly do you make new fashion purchases?

4. What factors do you consider when making a clothing purchase? (Rank in order of most

important at the top).

75

5. Do you ever consider where your clothes were made/ the conditions for the people who

made them?

6. If you knew that humans were being exploited to make clothes for your favourite shop,

would you stop shopping there?

76

7. How concerned are you with being environmentally friendly?

8. What do you know about sweatshop labour?

not very much but tends to get in the news only when there's a disaster or a panorama style report on bad

conditions/cheap labour etc

That people are exploited, poor conditions and also not paid fairly for their work

Its usually abroad in poorer overcrowded countrys

I know young kids work to make clothing with little or without pay

Nothing if I'm honest, never heard of it.

primark have been linked to sweatshop - very cheap labour and poor working conditions in underprivileged

countries

Hard work, long hours and bad pay!

minimal information.

Working long hours for little pay in bad conditions

The other 12 respondents also claimed to know ‘Nothing at all’ on the topic.

9. How often have you seen incidents surrounding ethical issues in garment manufacturing

in the news?

77

10. What do you know about garment manufacturing’s impact on the environment?

Not very much but I assume the cost of transporting them to Britain is unenvironmentally friendly

Not something i am aware of

There must be a significant impact. For example discarded things being sent to landfill.

It is probably quite bad

Again, the other 17 respondents knew of nothing to note on this issue.

11. How often have you seen incidents surrounding environmental issues in garment

manufacturing on the news?

12. Would it bother you more to know that the production of your clothes was hurting people,

or the planet? Why?

Yes, I would not want to purchase products that I knew were hurting people or the planet. I would rather purchase

things that had limited effect on the plant and that did not exploit people.

Almost every type of manufacturing has some environmental impact but it depends on whether than impact is

excessive.

Yes

78

Yes i would as everyone deserves to be treated fairly and we need to save our planet.

Yes of course but its not something that's commonly known, neither do people speak of it

Yes, moral reasons

Not sure

No

Yes

I would like to know more about it because. But it isn't something I've thought about.

It would bother me.

people - the impact is happening now to people, whereas the impact on the planet will only have severe effects in

many years to come

Yes, I'm a scientist. The planet is suffering due to our supply and demand.

Yes, because that's unfair

Yes. As a fairly ignorant person, who is oblivious to a lot of things around them, I would like to know more about

the issues if it meant that someone else was suffering as a result of my own actions.

Yes, because I am concious of the effects my behaviour has on others and the planet and would expect

organisations to be too.

Yes. It would bother me if I knew

Yes. There is no need for people to be hurt over production. We must come together to balance things out but it

is very hard to do this when there is powerful mega rich businessmen at the top of the food chain. I don't know

enough about the subject to be honest.

No, the more knowledgeable I am the more care I can take on where to shop and what damages the planet more

Yes! I wouldn't want vanity/fashion to be having a negative impact for other people around the world-there are far

more important issues!

Yes

79

APPENDIX FOUR - 31-40 RESPONSES 2. Which fashion brands do you shop at the most?

Lotus pod Witchery Boden Fat face French Connection Julien MacDonald Debenhams Simply Be New Look

River Island Topshop Primark H&M Vivienne Westwood

A noticeable amount more independent brands and boutiques were noted by this age group.

3. How regularly do you make new fashion purchases?

4. What factors do you consider when making a clothing purchase? (Rank in order of most

important at the top).

80

5. Do you ever consider where your clothes were made/ the conditions for the people who

made them?

6. If you knew that humans were being exploited to make clothes for your favourite shop,

would you stop shopping there?

81

7. How concerned are you with being environmentally friendly?

8. What do you know about sweatshop labour?

Not enough but that it is a major part of the fashion industry and major brands use sweatshops

Worker are exploited. They work in appalling conditions for very little pay/reward.

It's in 3rd world countries poor conditions for little if any money. It ca be young children also

Not much really, expect what I see on the telly, Iv not looked into it personally

Only what's reported on the news

Only what you hear on the news poor conditions & pay

9. How often have you seen incidents surrounding ethical issues in garment manufacturing

in the news?

82

10. What do you know about garment manufacturing’s impact on the environment?

It can have a big impact and it can also be done in a sustainable way

Very little. Years ago, colour dyes polluted rivers and had detrimental effect on river life. Not heard much in

recent years

All other respondents knew ‘nothing’ on this topic.

11. How often have you seen incidents surrounding environmental issues in garment

manufacturing on the news?

12.

Yes. As the environment and planet is becoming more vulnerable I think it's important that we think about the

impact we have in everything we do.

Yes, so then I could make an informed decision about my next clothing purchases.

Yes, Need to know full facts to make informed decision

People yes this would concern me.

No not really

Never really thought about it think it would depend on the extent of the problem

83

APPENDIX FIVE - 41-50 RESPONSES

2. Which fashion brands do you shop at the most?

New Look Primark River Island Dorothy Perkins Next Debenhams Marks and Spencer Phase Eight Mint

Velvet Next French Connection Kurt Geiger

3. How regularly do you make new fashion purchases?

4. What factors do you consider when making a clothing purchase? (Rank in order of most

important at the top).

84

5. Do you ever consider where your clothes were made/ the conditions for the people who

made them?

6. If you knew that humans were being exploited to make clothes for your favourite shop,

would you stop shopping there?

85

7. How concerned are you with being environmentally friendly?

8. What do you know about sweatshop labour?

People working long hours in poor conditions for little money.

Obviously not enough by my previous answers

All other respondents knew ‘little/nothing’ of this topic.

9. How often have you seen incidents surrounding ethical issues in garment manufacturing

in the news?

10. What do you know about garment manufacturing’s impact on the environment?

Respondents knew nothing at all on this topic.

86

11. How often have you seen incidents surrounding environmental issues in garment

manufacturing on the news?

12. Would it bother you more to know that the production of your clothes was hurting people,

or the planet? Why?

I would think anout shopping ther

Yes

Because of the risk to people

A bit of both, we all should be aware of industry effect on Global warming and after answering these questions

maybe the plight of those people that are being exploited should be given a larger portion of news time to

educate those of us that aren't that aware at what actually goes on and which manufacturers are responsible.

Yes I think it would because I don't like hurting people :(

87

APPENDIX SIX - 50+ RESPONSES

1. Which fashion brands do you shop at the most?

White Stuff East M&S Massimo Dutti Zara Banana Republic QVC Secret Sales Ideal World Next Wallis Hobbs

Debenhams BHS Per Una Viyella Country Casuals Alexon Dash La Redoute Jaegar Long Tall Sally

Longer list, larger range, less concerned with fast fashion/ trendiest shops

2. How regularly do you make new fashion purchases?

3. What factors do you consider when making a clothing purchase? (Rank in order of

most important at the top).

88

4. Do you ever consider where your clothes were made/ the conditions for the people

who made them?

5. If you knew that humans were being exploited to make clothes for your favourite

shop, would you stop shopping there?

89

6. How concerned are you with being environmentally friendly?

7. What do you know about sweatshop labour?

I know its common in places like Bangladesh and India but that Britain isn't exempt either. I know the places

where people are often badly built and maintained and not properly monitored by the authorities and that the

women who work there work long hours for poor pay.

only what I read online

What is reported on the news

No too much really only what's broadcasted on t v

That it has been linked with some brands like Primark

Poor wages and working conditions. Child labour and recent news events showing collapse of factories

Young children are used and abused.

Prevalent in India, Pakistan and china

Extremely bad conditions. Poor wages. Child exploitation.

That young children are used working long hours for very little pay

Quite a bit

Just what is in the media

cheap labour ,long hours,made in third world countries,

The other 3 respondents knew ‘nothing’ on this topic.

90

8. How often have you seen incidents surrounding ethical issues in garment

manufacturing in the news?

9. What do you know about garment manufacturing’s impact on the environment?

Not a great deal although I know the use of cotton requires a considerable amount of water and growing it means

food crops aren't being grown where the cotton is planted.

only what I read online

Only what's televised

Not a lot. Many years ago I would buy a brand and pay more because it was made in the UK e.g M and S

underwear which I knew was made in factories on Teeside but it is impossible to find now.I wanted to support our

manufacturing industry but also felt that it would be better regulated.

The availability of very cheap clothing encourages people to buy much more than they need so although there is

recycling I feel this must be damaging.

cotton is not environmentally friendly

China worst offender for greenhouse gasses, plus air miles etc. would spend a lot of time hunting for Practically

non-existent British manufacturers.

The other 10 respondents knew ‘nothing/little’ on manufacturing’s environmental impact.

91

10. How often have you seen incidents surrounding environmental issues in garment

manufacturing on the news?

11. Would it bother you more to know that the production of your clothes was hurting

people, or the planet? Why?

I don't understand the last question. I know clothes production is damaging to some people and the planet and

yes, it concerns me.

I'd rather it didn't

Yes

Yes, because it is unnecessary.

We can all make do with less and respect each other and the planet more.

Awareness of exploitation can change mindset.

People will always get exploited

Yes it would bother me but quite ignorant on this front really unless I am told

I would be very likely to stop using a brand if I thought it was hurting people. Evidence to support damaging the

planet would be more subjective, scientists seem to disagree a lot on climate change so this would concern me

less.

It would effect the cost of clothes and we don't see the effect on the environment enough to worry about it

Probably - if there was greater awareness

92

Yes. I don't like the thought of any human being hurt or animals. Since I read an article on how Angora rabbits

are treated in China for their fur I would never buy anything made with Angora again.

Yes, moral issue

Yes. The legacy we leave for our grandchildren, great grandchildren and future generations.

Yes

It's one of those things I know about but prefer to turn a blind eye! I've been on this planet long enough and got

involved in too many battles in the past to know there is fek all I can do to change things like this - I prefer to keep

in my own little bubble these days!

It would stop me wearing that brand of clothes if I knew people were being hurt during the manufacturing. But it

also bothers me about the future of our planet for the next generations

yes. Would make me consider where and what i buy.

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APPENDIX SEVEN - FOCUS GROUP A

Ages: Abby 17 Millie 17 Sophie 17 Ruby 18 Parveen 18

Shopping habits

1. How often do you go shopping, do you shop high street/vintage etc..?

S - Mostly High Street

M- I get vintage as well as high street and probably like a couple of..

R- Like once a month or something, when I can afford it

A- I’m probably a little bit less than once a month, more like once every 2 months or

something

M- I don’t really have like a set time when I go shopping, just if I’ve got like enough

money for a blouse or something

P- If there’s a sale on

A- Yeah if there’s a sale I generally go to sales

Ethical concerns

2. What do you know about where your clothes were manufactured / do you ever think

about this?

Few head shakes

M- Not much

A- I don’t really think about it to be honest, I mean you just don’t think about where it

comes from like you’re aware of it there but it just doesn’t pass your mind when you

buy something

3. If you knew that people were being hurt to make clothes for your favourite shop would

you stop shopping there?

All- Yes

M- Definitely

So if I told you that I conducted a survey with nearly 100 people-many around your age,

and asked them the same question, but more than half of those said no they would

continue to shop there does this shock you?

All shocked

R-What!

A- Yeah loads, if you knew that someone was getting hurt! Like that could be your family

if you think of it that way. People that you know could be hurt for something as

superficial as what you want to wear.

S- That’s a bit ridiculous.

M- Chances are you’d be able to find an alternative or something similar somewhere

else. Then again they could be made in the same conditions… you’d have to look into it.

4. Do you see many images/ stories about human exploitation in manufacturing in the

news?

S- Not a lot to be honest

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A- Occasionally there’s like a big story about it if like something’s happened then there’s

a load of attention and then it just dies down.

P- Rarely yeah.

Environmental Concerns

5. What do you know about the environmental impact of manufacturing clothes?

A- Not a lot to be honest not on the environment… I know that it’s an issue but I don’t

know exactly what sort of effect it has

M- Transportation has a bad impact, surely?

R- Not much, no.

6. So do you see much about this in the news?(Environmental issues)

Head shakes

S- Nothing

M- No nothing at all

7. Do you feel like the media talk about one more than another and why do you think they

do this?

M-I think they definitely focus on people

A- I think because you’re more likely to emphasise with them sort of thing. Like you put

yourself in that position whereas when it’s the environment you don’t feel that way

about it because you feel like it doesn’t affect you in a long term sense.

8. Would you care more to think that fashion was hurting people or the environment?

All- People

M- Without question

9. Do you think that if it got more media attention the issues would move forwards more?

A- Possibly, it’d have some impact but I don’t think it’d be massive due to the fact that

most people have the attitude that by the time the issues which are hurting the earth

start to actually take it’s toll, like have an affect on the earth we won’t be here

anymore.

M- Everyone seems to have that attitude

S- Yeah it doesn’t affect them directly

M- It’ll get fixed somewhere down the line but I don’t wanna be a part of it sort of thing.

R- Someone else will sort that one out

M- But then I suppose if everyone has that attitude it’ll never get resolved…

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APPENDIX EIGHT - FOCUS GROUP B

Carey- 52 Rosie- 46 Allison- 54

Shopping habits

1. How often do you shop, do you shop high street/ vintage etc…?

C- I shop every week, mainly for my daughter though now.. Not for me! My daughter’s

15, erm and a little bit of both vintage and high street I buy

A- I’m every few months I’d say, not particularly regularly

Ethical Concerns

2. What do you know about where your clothes were manufactured, do you ever think

about this?

C- Er occasionally, but no it’s not the first thing I look at. I look at the fabric and how to

wash it.

R- Steer clear of ‘hand wash only’! yeah there are more important things than where it’s

made.

3. If you knew that people were being hurt to manufacture clothes for your favourite shop

would you stop shopping there?

C-Probably, yes.

R- Oh definitey, surely everyone would?

4. Do you see many images/ stories about human exploitation in manufacturing in the

news?

R- Occasionally

C- Once when there was the big collapse over in India of one of the sweatshops yeah

but that’s the only recent one.

A- You don‘t see many

Environmental concerns

5. What do you know about the environmental impact of manufacturing clothes?

R- A little bit

C- Quite a bit, if you’re talking about the carbon footprint! And then manufacturing the

fabrics abroad bringing them into this country and suing them to develop and make

clothes, also the dying and production, it can’t be good?

A- Well it depends where you’re getting them made and how far they have to be brought

doesn’t it, it’s whole life cycle has an impact.

6. So do you see much about this in the news?(Environmental issues)

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All- No.

R- Nothing at all

7. Do you feel like the media talk about one more than another and why do you think they

do this?

R- People more than planet, definitely mainly because we are all human beings.

C- Actually the two impact on each other a lot but they never tend to mention the

animals that are getting killed for the furs, although there have been quite a few

documentaries recently on that. Why are tigers becoming extinct, because people

are actually hunting it for the skin to make clothes and fabrics. So you get it that way

a little but although it’s not there in the eye on the news, mainly because human

beings are very selfish and they want to know about themselves and they’re not

bothered about animals and the environment it’s what they can wear and the trends

and that type of thing I think.

8. Would you care more to think that fashion was hurting people or the environment?

C- Both equally, although I wouldn’t like to see humans suffering especially not children

if you’re talking about child labour. Erm so yes probably more humans, but still the

impact on the environment if we don’t watch that neither we’re not going to be able to

survive because it impacts on us as well anyway as human beings.

9. Do you think that if it got more media attention the issues would move forwards more?

A- I think it would make a difference.

C- It would make at least the small minority think and then you would hope that those

people would then, the way that they bring up their own children or when you go

shopping you’re aware of that so it would take a long time.

R- I think some people will always choose to ignore it, but now you’ve brought my

attention to that I think I would look at where things are made now.

10. Do you think that people are becoming more or less aware of the issues?

C- I’d say more aware, I’m more aware now and I think that the younger people are

taught more about environmental awareness, recycling etc. thinking about the

environment, thinking about fair trade and how it impacts on other populations around

the globe so there is awareness that perhaps we didn’t have 10 years ago.

R- It was all about manufacturing and manufacturing in bulk, so we didn’t think about

other people certainly.

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APPENDIX NINE - ALL RESPONSES

This survey was completed by 102 women ranging from age 15-75, the responses have

been looked at as a whole and then more closely examined in terms of age groups to gain

an understanding of the different attitudes generations have towards the topic.

1. Please select your age category

2. Which fashion brands do you shop at the most?

(Responses will be grouped in terms of age group for this question.)

3. How regularly do you make new fashion purchases?

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4. What factors do you consider when making a clothing purchase? (Rank in order of

most important at the top)

5. Do you ever consider where your clothes were made/ the conditions for the people

who made them?

99

6. If you knew that humans were being exploited to make clothes for your favourite

shop, would you stop shopping there?

7. How concerned are you with being environmentally friendly?

8. What do you know about sweatshop labour?

(Responses will be grouped in terms of age group for this question.)

100

9. How often have you seen incidents surrounding ethical issues in garment

manufacturing in the news?

10. What do you know about garment manufacturing’s impact on the environment?

(Responses will be grouped in terms of age group for this question.)

101

11. How often have you seen incidents surrounding environmental issues in garment

manufacturing on the news?

12. Would it bother you more to know that the production of your clothes was hurting

people, or the planet? Why?

(Responses will be grouped in terms of age group for this question.)

102