H&M is a fashion brand that is known for its affordable prices and high-quality clothing. However, some people are concerned about the ethical implications of the brand’s pricing strategy. Is H&M’s affordable pricing more important than its ethical values? And if so, is this an acceptable trade-off? To answer these questions, we’ll need to look at H&M’s history and see how it has evolved over time. ..
Is H&M more Sustainable than its Ethical?
H&M is a Swedish multinational clothing brand that is also a fast-fashion brand and the biggest competitor to renowned brands like Zara and Gap for its higher inventory of new and existing products. But this second-largest fashion retailer, the budget-friendly brand, is not Eco-friendly. The business model of H&M promotes disposable fashion.
The clothing industry is a major contributor to climate change and water pollution. Low-quality clothes produce more toxins and gases than high-quality clothes, which harms the environment and the health of workers. The manufacturing process of H&M includes the use of toxic dyes, which is responsible for higher carbon emissions and water pollution. Therefore, these tempting cheap price tags are nothing but a hazardous warning for low-quality clothes and down standards of the company.
Labor Law violation in H&M
In 2018, shareholders of H&M promised to pay living wages to its 850,000 garment workers but failed miserably in meeting the promise and turned a blind eye to the plight of these workers who had to suffer from harsh working conditions, leading to the death of more than a hundred people. The average wage that the brand’s supply chain provides is still far from a living wage for a worker. In Bangladesh, factory owners have reported that H&M buyers negotiate to lower the prices aggressively and make it difficult to raise the wages of garment workers. Even after working for more than 13 hours a day and six days a week, workers cannot pay their rent and afford daily necessities for their families and children. ..
Workers of H&M clothing in Bangladesh live in poverty and get punished for demanding higher wages. It is high time for the shareholders to steer H&M in the right direction and propose a living wage fund for its garment workers. Why would the workers only crumble in poverty when the company making enough profit to pay twice the living-wage amount to all its workers?
H&M has been caught red-handed multiple times over the years with phony claims and little to no action. The company has failed to take concrete steps to improve labor conditions in Bangladesh and other supplier countries, such as by organizing Clean Clothing Campaigns. In fact, campaigners have demanded a more transparent wage distribution plan that would be more reliable and accurate than the current system. H&M has only scored 71% on the Fashion Transparency Index, which is lower than any other brand. This makes it difficult for consumers to trust the company when it comes to labor conditions, especially given its past history of making bogus claims.
Gender Inequality and Sexual Harassment of Women in H&M
H&M is the world’s largest buyer of garments from Bangladesh, and around 80% of its workforce are women. In 2018, Global Labor Justice released reports alleging that H&M was responsible for the abuse of female garment workers in Bangladesh. The reports claimed that many female workers got assaulted physically and sexually. Women who are desperate for a job are taken advantage of and become prey to violence in numerous ways. ..
It is high time for H&M to turn around and revamp its wage structure to fulfill the promises it made to its workers. It should start donating its unsold clothes rather than burning them and increasing carbon emissions. As customers, we must stop supporting this fast-fashion industry and start looking out for more sustainable clothing brands instead. We need to analyze that these cheap clothes lead to the growth of textile waste, land pollution, and depletion of natural resources. Issues like Human Rights violations are also raising with the popularity of this industry. Therefore, start shopping from the brands that are ethical and friendly to Mama Earth.
A1) A Fast Fashion brand is a retailer that specializes in fast-moving, low-cost clothing. H&M is a Fast Fashion brand. ..
A2) Yes, H&M is a high-quality brand. A high-quality brand produces clothes that are of good quality and are worth the price they charge. It helps consumers in finding clothes that they can wear and feel good about.
There are a few key things to look for when identifying a Fast Fashion brand. First, the clothing must be of high quality and be affordable. Second, the clothing must be stylish and trendy, and also have a modern, sleek design. Finally, the clothing must be made in countries that are known for their fashion industry.
A2) Cheap prices and a surplus collection of updated designs every month are indicators of a Fast Fashion brand. But they must be avoided at all costs, for they are harmful to the environment and the laborers making them.
