Consumers do not trust the claims made by Australian fashion brands regarding the treatment of garment workers in their overseas supply chains, according to a recent survey by the charity Oxfam Australia. This is not surprising, considering that the industry is expected to make staggering $2 billion in profits and that Bangladeshi garment workers are struggling for a living wage.
The survey found that more than 80 percent of Australian consumers believe fashion companies should be more transparent about how much they pay and how they treat workers across their supply chain.
Almost three quarters (71 percent) of Australian consumers believe clothing brands in Australia exaggerate or mislead them (intentionally or unintentionally) when it comes to how garment workers in their overseas supply chain are treated .
Consumers are willing to pay more for living wages
Just over three-quarters of them (76%) said they would be willing to pay more for clothing if they knew the money would go toward paying garment workers a living wage.
On average, Australian consumers believe that 17 percent of the cost of a typical garment should go as part of the wages to the garment workers who make the garment, although the statement does not elaborate on how they arrive at this figure arrived. Previous research has found that, on average, only 4 percent of the cost of a garment is passed on to workers.
As consumers around the world begin their Christmas shopping, Oxfam Australia has created its own wish list, calling on brands to step up their efforts when it comes to ensuring living wages.
What brands can do
Three measures are key for all brands: greater transparency through the publication of factory lists (Oxfam calls on The Just Group, Modibodi and Zara in particular), a credible commitment to paying a living wage (Jeans West) and improved purchasing practices (Best & Less, Jeans West and Uniqlo).
“This survey proves what we have known for a long time: ethical considerations are playing an increasingly important role in consumers’ purchasing decisions. Therefore, it is not only in the interests of workers, but also in the interests of companies to act now,” Oxfam Australia chief executive Lyn Morgain said in a statement.
“Ultimately, brands have the power and responsibility to provide a better life for the workers who make their clothes – including by paying them a living wage – but they are still failing to do so. Oxfam’s call for transparency and urgent action reflects the feelings of concerned consumers who want to support garment workers in their efforts to break free from the cycle of poverty. We are united in our demands and envision a future where fashion is fair,” adds Morgain.
Earlier this month, the Bangladesh government announced a new minimum wage for garment workers, which will be 12,500 taka (around 114 US dollars) from December 2023 instead of the previous 8,000 taka (68 US dollars). Despite this 56 percent increase, Bangladesh remains at the bottom when it comes to minimum wages paid in garment-producing countries such as Cambodia, China, India and Vietnam.
Garment workers in Bangladesh had therefore demanded 23,000 taka (209 US dollars) to make ends meet and cover their minimum costs for food, rent, school fees and medicine.