sewing now
Many laws and practices have changed since the boom of the sewing industry, but workers in the underdeveloped world, particularly women, continue to face exploitation through sweated labor.
Fast Fashion
The fast fashion industry creates cheap clothes at breakneck speeds to meet rising demand. Many of these industries have moved to Asia, as they are drawn to their high unemployment rates and low wages. With this business model comes exploitation of workers, as they are forced to work long hours without breaks, and for many women, gender-based discrimination is commonplace.
COVID Pandemic
The garment industry in Asia has been severely impacted by the pandemic. Large corporations cancelled orders and abandoned workers as industry came to a halt. Workers have been left with no income or social support, unable to provide their families with proper healthcare or food.
To combat these systemic issues, unions and organizations have risen up across the world. In partnership with the International Labor Organization, women workers adopted the International Labor Organization Violence and Harassment Convention. This outlines the rights of all workers to be free from harassment and violence in the workplace.