Change Your Clothes
Written by Jesse Ludema
The clothing industry is one of the most unchecked sources of modern injustice; and unless you have been actively fighting against the corruption of this industry, you’re likely fueling it.
I accidently stumbled upon clothing injustice while deciding on a research focus for my pastoral ministry capstone project. I never thought that ministry had much to do with the clothing industry. I was wrong. Our way of using money always has social implications. How we save or spend our money is not an isolated act that impacts our life alone. When we spend money, it affects the companies we purchase from and the people they employ. So, what happens when our understanding of the Gospel--which has much to say on the just treatment of workers and how our finances are to be used--collides with the way we purchase our clothing?
With that in mind, I became obsessed with trying to understand the problem of the modern fashion industry and what I could do about it. I found a lot of information on the problem, but far less insights about a satisfying solution. Today, I don’t have all the answers. But I think I may have a few suggestions that can lead to more wholeness.
Perhaps the best place to start is to realize there’s a problem, and to learn that we have the power to combat the injustice of the clothing industry in a way that creates meaningful change.
There is a Problem
There are currently 40 million garment workers in the world.
They work an average of 10-14 hours/day.
They earn an average of $3/day.
The fashion industry is the second largest pollutant in the world after the oil industry.
Garment workers in Bangladesh earn $56/month, which is 1/4 of a livable wage.
Furthermore, the fashion industry is notorious for horrendous working conditions which place garment workers in danger. The city of Kanpur, India, for example, is the largest leather exporter in the world; the factories in this city pollute the Ganges River with 50 million liters of chemicals per year. These chemicals have been linked to severe health issues such as incurable stomach ailments, cancer and jaundice.
In 2013, the Rana Plaza in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed, killing 1,134 people, and injuring 2,500. The collapse came after years of repeated violations and unheeded warnings from officials that the building was in immediate danger of collapsing. Unfortunately, the lack of attention to health and safety for garment workers has been largely justified by clothing companies and manufacturers who say the costs of employee care are too high, cutting into profits.
This is Our Problem
These garment laborers are working for us. Americans purchase an average of 68 garments and seven pairs of shoes per year. Ninety-seven percent of this clothing comes from foreign countries. The vast majority of this clothing is from sweatshops. Why? Sweatshops allow for cheaper clothing, and more money for the fashion industry. Of course, the detriment in this is the employment of slave labor, excessive pollution, and systemic injustice.
Here is how it works: consider what happens when Old Navy sells a shirt for $10 and H&M sells a shirt for $9. They will drive each other’s prices down. Then, the only way the clothing manufacturers can continue to stay in business is if they cut wages, safety costs, and building repairs to meet retailer expectations.
Today, the fashion industry is a 1.5 trillion dollar industry, and the average price of clothing has been consistently going down over the last few decades while our consumption has gone up. The world buys over 80 billion pieces of clothing every year; that is a 60% increase from ten years ago, and a 400% increase from 20 years ago. Again, WE are buying this clothing.
In the western world, this increase in consumption has largely been due to a shift in the way we perceive clothing. While clothing was once thought of as a commodity we use (similar to a home, a car, a bed, or anything we seek to repair if it breaks), clothing is now generally thought of as something we use up (similar to food, hygiene/beauty products, tickets to events). We consume our clothing and then we dispose of it. Cheaper clothing prices, and clever well-funded advertising campaigns have fed this perception shift dramatically. Doctor of Psychology, Tim Kasser, offers this insight to us:
The consumption of a product is tied to the motto: your needs will be satisfied. The message is the same: the way to solve the problems in your life is through consumption. We have bought the lie of the media that more materialism equals more happiness. It just so happens that in our pursuit of happiness, we have managed to consume 80 billion pieces of clothing annually. (Morgan)
We Must Change
Combating oppression is still the business of the Church. If we stand idly by while this problem persists, we have either not understood the word of Christ, lived in ignorance, or rejected his word. The call to justice in the biblical narrative is one we cannot ignore. It is part of the deep fabric of the Christian faith. The Old Testament law called the people of Israel to justice (Deuteronomy 16:20; Deuteronomy 27:19; Deuteronomy 32:4) The Psalmists praise God for being a God of Justice and his regard for the afflicted (Psalm 82:3). Old Testament prophets spoke out against the abuse of wealth, and the oppression of the poor (Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:8; Isaiah 1:17). Jesus came to bring justice to our world (Luke 4:18), and Jesus will come again to recreate all things and root out all oppression (Revelation 21-22). So, we too must do justice.
Do These Five Things Today!
1. Make a List of the Clothing Items You Need
And stick to it! Refuse to give in to impulse buys that you don’t really need. This will help shift your perception of clothing from an item you consume to an item you use and cherish. This will also help you to save money.
2. Commit to Buying Better Clothing
Today, make a mental commitment to yourself that you will buy clothing that is sustainable and ethical. If it’s a big enough priority, you will usually find a way to do it! I’ve done it, and while I expected it to be exceedingly difficult, it has become a very natural part of my life with some trial and error. I made a clothing purchase guide for myself (see below) which has been incredibly helpful. The clothing you buy will be more expensive per item, but if you buy less, or if you supplement with buying some used items, the price will be about the same on average. You can do it!
3. Find Resources to Help You Understand and Combat the Problem
Knowledge is power. I would highly recommend watching The True Cost, a phenomenal documentary available on a variety of streaming services.
I also recommend utilizing the knowledge of Fashion Revolution. They have a huge variety of beneficial resources, including a fashion transparency index that grades companies based on the quality of their ethical practices. Follow “Fashion Revolution” on Facebook, or on their website.
4. Contact Any Brand You Commonly Buy and Inquire About Their Ethical Practices
You are the consumer, and you have a lot of control over clothing companies. They respond to your wallet. Your voice matters significantly. E-mail or message them on Facebook, Instagram, or their customer support page. You could say something like this: “Hello, it is important to me that the clothing I buy is manufactured in a sustainable and ethical manner. Could you please tell me what [company name] is doing to ensure that your clothing is sustainably sourced and manufactured ethically?”
Clothing Purchase Guide:
Lastly, here is a step-by-step guide you can use when you buy clothing. Again, I use this myself, and have found it to be both simple and useful:
1. Ask Yourself These Questions:
Do I really need this? Or, am I buying this to try to fulfill an emotional need?
Can I fix what I already own?
Can I rent or borrow?
Can I buy used?
Can I make this myself, or do I know someone who might make this/help me learn how?
2. Research Ethical Stores/Brands
Pin-point exactly what item(s) you are looking for.
Do an online search using this format. For example:
o “Ethical T-shirts”
o “Fair trade Jeans”
o “Eco-friendly boots”
If you are looking for in-person stores, just tag the name of your city on the end of the search:
o “Eco-friendly clothing stores in Indianapolis”
o “Sustainable clothing near me”
3. Review the Company’s Website for Ethical Responsibility
Look for an unmissable commitment to ethical manufacturing processes and materials. You should be able to find this within 15 seconds if it is legitimately part of the company’s DNA.
Look for transparency and specific information about their factories, wages, materials, policies, procedures, and ethical initiatives.
Look for prices that reflect an ethical product. The reality is, ethically produced clothing costs about twice as much as the standard-market unethical price.
4. Keep Your Eyes Peeled, Wait, and Pray
Resist the lie that “I need this clothing now” or, “I need this clothing to be happy.” Wait. If you can’t find what you want today, give it a week or two. Pray about the clothing you need. I realize this is a completely foreign thought for those of us who live in an abundance culture. Know that God will provide for you and care for you just as he cares for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28).
5. Buy
Buy only what you need and love. Ask yourself if you are going to wear this item 30 times. If the answer is no, then you probably don’t need and/or love it. Something better will come along!
6. Cherish!
This is the best step. Now that you have what you love, treat it with care. Repair it if it rips. Wear it with pride. Make the mental connection between the shirt you are wearing and the good it is doing in the world. Give thanks for the gift of that clothing item.
I hope you will join me in this commitment to buying clothing ethically and (in your way of relating with your possessions) promoting justice in our world.
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Jesse Ludema is currently a pastor of Young Adults at Restoration Christian Fellowship in Aurora, Colorado. Additionally, Jesse works as the Warehouse Director for Denver Rescue Mission. Jesse’s greatest inspiration is his wife, Emma Ludema, and he loves nothing more than spending time with her and his daughter, Heidi Ludema.
Sources:
· Would You Still Buy That Dress After Watching This? Journeyman Pictures, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_mA9L1DSr8
· Appelbaum, Rich, and Nelson Lichtenstein. "An Accident in History." New Labor Forum (Sage Publications Inc.)23, no. 3 (September 2014): 58-65. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed February 14, 2016).
· Morgan, Andrew. The True Cost. Film. Directed by Stella McCartney and Vandana Shiva. Life is My Movie Entertainment , 2015.
· Dean, Christina. You are what you wear. DVD. Hong Kong: TEDx Talks, 2014.
· Cline, Elizabeth. "THE CLOTHES MAKE THE MOVEMENT." Nation 297, no. 5/6 (August 5, 2013): 20-22. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed February 14, 2016).
· Carrier, James G. "Protecting the Environment the Natural Way: Ethical Consumption and Commodity Fetishism." Antipode 42, no. 3 (June 2010): 672-689. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed February 14, 2016).
· Bounds, Christopher. "The Marks of the Church." Indiana Wesleyan University. Marion, IN. 14 Apr. 2014. Lecture.
· The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV). 2011 ed. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014. 1655
· Arnett, Lisa. "8 Ways To Lead A Slow-Fashion Life." Crain's Chicago Business 39.2 (2016): 0025. Corporate ResourceNet. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.
· Fashion Revolution. "How to be a Fashion Revolutionary." Accessed December 3, 2016. http://fashionrevolution.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/HowToBeAFashionRevolutionary.pdf.
· O'Cass, Aron, and Craig C. Julian. "Fashion clothing consumption: studying the effects of materialistic values, self-image/product-image congruency relationships, gender and age on fashion clothing involvement." Massey University Press. http://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1388&context=comm_pubs.