Clothing Consciousness

Recent news shows that many child laborers in Bangladesh are not being paid despite making clothing items for various large clothing companies. Keep in mind these are children who should be in school ,but they are making clothes in hopes of making some money to relieve some of the financial burdens of their families. The children work in awful conditions and get paid pennies for their work. There are many petitions online fighting for those laborers to get paid for their hard work which they rightfully deserve so I urge you to go sign those. 

If you've already done that, there are other things you can do at home that can help. They are little things and to some it may seem fairly obvious, but I am here to bring awareness to those who may not understand. In addition to signing petitions and donating what you can to those in need, be conscious of what's in your wardrobe. If you pay attention to pop culture, you will see the big role it plays in our purchases. Fast fashion is so common with hundreds of copies of something a celebrity wore being made weekly , most likely being made by children in Bangladesh. This is one of the various reasons why the clothing industry is unsustainable and very wasteful/ unethical. The first thing you can do is educate yourself on the negative impacts the mass production of clothing goods has on not only the environment but the people who have to make them. The next step is creating smart purchasing habits. Look into the brands you purchase from. I know a concern is that sometimes people can't afford to purchase from brands that don't benefit off of third world poverty and I understand that dilemma. Fast-fashion is so conveniently cheap and easily accessible. To that I say, try to make purchases that aren't  hasty and buy things you need and will wear more than once. Don't throw your clothes away, find ways to reuse them and if they are in good condition, please donate them to people who are less fortunate. When I say reuse your old clothes, I mean if a cotton shirt gets torn, cut it up and use it as a rag or save it as a towel to try your hair in. Thrifting is always a good way to shop and it's also quite cheap depending on where you go. 

I am in no way shaming people for shopping from brands and companies that benefit off of child labor and fast fashion. This blog post is made just to bring more awareness to the reason why many young children from my motherland aren't getting an education. Oftentimes we see our small everyday actions like buying stuff as insignificant. The truth is every action has some sort of value and weight to it. Taking the initiative to learn more and do good is one step closer to a  better Earth.