True Cost Documentary Trailer
A few nights ago I watched a documentary called The True Cost which is all about what is called Fast Fashion and the affects it has on the workers and the environment. It's a must see for all of us. The way workers are treated by the fashion industry has been something that I've always been concerned about. I remember the first time I went into Forever 21 right after the first stores started appearing and everything was so cheap and it did bring out a side of me as well as I think other women that maybe we aren't so proud of looking back on it. It was like you could easily buy everything in the store for under $20. As I got older and had a better understanding of all of it I've done my best to try to buy clothes that don't come from sweatshops, but have often felt frustrated by how hard it can be.
For a long time I thought that if I just bought more expensive clothes that would ensure the workers were paid more, but I soon realized that wasn't the case. For instance I bought this really pretty cocktail dress online that was probably about $35. I then remember going to BeBe and seeing the same exact dress, same color, same quality which means it might've been made in the same location and even by the same person for over $80. The only difference between the dresses was that one had the BeBe label and the other didn't. I remember thinking okay my initial idea of shopping at places like BeBe that are more expensive isn't necessarily going to ensure that the workers get more money. This made me feel really frustrated. I love fashion, and it can absolutely be a way to help lift women out of poverty if it's done in a responsible manner, but I don't want my love for clothes to hurt anyone.
When it came to creating The Positive Karma Show I've done my best to get as many clothes as possible featured in the series from places in the U.S. There are sweatshops here, but it's much more likely they aren't coming from those places if they're made in the U.S. I also decided early on that I wouldn't name where I got the clothes from. The reason for this is because I was trying to showcase fashion in a way that is all about creativity & empowerment rather than just consumption like in a lot of the haul videos that are so popular. I've often felt like I was walking a very thin line with all of this. I'm not sure if I succeeded. There is no reason fashion should hurt anyone. It should be used to help empower the women who create it, as well as the women who buy and wear it. I'm all for a new way of doing all of this that ensures that companies must uphold workers rights, women's rights, and environmental rights. Any company that is found exploiting any of those should be prosecuted. We also need more transparency for buyers. There's been far too many times where companies have misled consumers and told them they were buying something that came from workers who were paid well only to find out that the company lied about it. I hope this documentary changes all of this. If you have an hour and a half definitely check it out, it's on Netflix!
