In 2013, the Guardian newspaper reported that the Rana Plaza Factory collapsed killing 1,130 fast fashion workers and injuring an additional 2,500 (Burke, 2013). This collapse was a disaster unlike anything the fashion industry had previously seen. As officials investigated the factory collapse, one thing became abundantly clear: it was preventable.
According to National Geographic, the upper four floors of the eight story building were built without permits. Additionally, a day before the factory collapse, the media reported seeing cracks in the walls of the building (Than, 2013). Despite this, the factory owner forced garment workers to continue their work.
Unfortunately, the Rana Plaza Factory collapse is not the only disaster caused by poor working conditions in fast fashion. In 2012, factory fires in Pakistan killed almost 300 fast fashion workers (Rehman et al., 2012).
The large death toll in this case was, again, preventable. According to the New York Times, every exit to the factory had been locked to prevent workers from leaving early (Rehman et al., 2012). This lead to workers dying from smoke inhalation and the flames. Some workers were left with no choice but to jump out of the window, as it was their only escape route.
If you want to support garment workers, sign this petition demanding that fast fashion companies be held accountable for treatment of garment workers.
Sources
Burke, J. (2013). The Shirt on Your Back. The Guardian.
Than, K. 2012. Bangladesh Building Collapse Due to Shoddy Construction. National Geographic News.
Rehman, Z., Walsh, D., Masood, S. More Than 300 Killed in Pakistani Factory Fires. The New York Times.
The New York Times. April 15, 2014. Rana Plaza Collapse Documentary: The Deadly Cost of Fashion.
