"Social Impact of Fashion"- the broader lens

When we talk about environment it comprises of both natural as well as social environment and production process involves exploitation of both natural and social environment.

Social impact of textile and fashion industries includes:

Globalisation, volatile employment opportunities in the developing countries:

Garments sold in the developed countries under brand names originate from all around the world, often from developing countries. The global trade can lead to improved economies, and creates employment for many people - often women - providing them with financial stability and a chance to escape poverty. But the process is not perfect, with recession, low wages, poor worker‟s rights (inadequate health and safety, long hours, no contracts) and child labour apparent in some countries

Growing feminization of the workforce

The proportion of female labour in the total workforce has increased. In absolute terms, the number has increased from an average number of female workers to large number of female workers in this sector. This is due to the segmentation of the workforce along the gender & age lines. Women are preferred as International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies (IJIMS), 2015, Vol 2, No.3, 22 -35. 30 cheap labour, for their docility, lesser bargaining power and easy retrenchibility. Women predominate low paying, monotonous lower level positions where as all significant position of power and perquisites are enjoyed by men.

Segmented Labour Market

The labour market is highly segmented with women & children confined to a specific set of jobs in which men predominate. There is no discrimination in wage rates against women within the job type. Women are employed predominantly in the lesser paying jobs. Demand has become more Seasonal in the movement of uncertain & flexible Global Market. It is, therefore, imperative for capital to flexibilize the workforce to adjust the quantum of labour employed to production requirements.

Mode of Wage Payment

During the initial phase of exports, when quality requirements were low, payment of wages moved to piece-rate system from the time-rate system. It was felt that under the piece rate system, workers were not paying sufficient attention to the quality of stitching & that the piece rate system was detrimental for production in the new segment. The wages do not constitute a „living wage‟, is clear from the fact that most worker households tend to send more than 1 member to work in the industry.

Workers rights

Under the Indian Factories Act of 1948, the Shops & Establishment Act, workers ought not to work for more than 48 hrs per week. Given the importance of sticking the delivery schedule, workers during peak season are found to work intensively for lengthy periods. In tailoring units, workers including child workers tend to work for 36 hrs at a stretch when there is a high overseas export orders. They often work in unhealthy working conditions devoid of proper drinking water and toilet facilities. Much of the manufacture of garments employs unskilled - or low skilled – mostly women workers who lack of knowledge of rights, or are prevented from joining together in trade unions. These women are often exposed to sexual harassment, physical torture, poor working environment, low wages and long working hours.

Health and Safety

Workshops in developing countries can have less stringent restrictions through regulations than those in the developed nations. Where working conditions are poor, workers‟ health do suffer with the health hazards like of backache, varicose vein, asthma, miscarriage, acidity, eyestrain, burns and other injuries. There are even reports of restricted allowance of toilet breaks, leaving workers with severe kidney problem and when long hours (up to 16 hour a day) in some countries are factored in, fatigue can compound the likelihood of accidents

Sexual harassment

Predominance of women workers in the factory premises and their relative powerlessness in terms of their near absence in the higher managerial position and challenged socio-economic background, often make them sexually vulnerable. Incidents of sexual harassment both in terms of physical and verbal violence are very high in garment factory premises. Although some redressal mechanism do exists, but their justice dispensing capacity to the victim is really questionable.

Children

Even though the elimination of child labour is one of the goals of the International Labour Organization (ILO) it remains a challenge in the clothing and textiles industry mostly due to the difficulty of monitoring subcontractors, indirect workers and home workers.

Apart from the above mentioned high social impact of industry on its workers there are other impacts with far reaching consequences. They are:

Cultivation techniques: Crop cultivation can also impact on health. Pesticides used on cotton farms have been known to poison workers out in fields applying it to crops all day, and operating machinery always carries inherent risks.

Animal Welfare: With materials such as wool, leather and fur farming and handling of animals is an integral part of the production process. Poor farming practice can lead to neglect or mistreatment of animals, with malnutrition, infections and illness are potential symptoms. Some countries have much less restrictive regulations to protect animal welfare, particularly in respect of transportation and Slaughter