Ask Prof. Cricket: How our clothes affect workers and the world

By Naomi Yaeger

I love learning about why styles and fabrics received their names because my mother sewed most of our clothing. Mom’s sewing skills were a financial asset. Nowadays, sewing costs more than clothes from a store because labor and fabric have become so cheap.

Besides preventing you from being naked, keeping you warm, and looking fashionable, here are some other reasons you should care about your clothes:

Christians should know about our clothing because it impacts the environment. As we observe Labor Day, we should “see” the hands that produce our clothes.

Here are some points to ponder:

Labor

The clothing industry is behind only sex trafficking and agriculture in the use of forced labor (slaves).

According to FashionUnited. Approximately 40 million people around the world are living in modern slavery, 71 percent of them female -- and the fashion industry is the second biggest contributor to this situation, according to the 2018 Global Slavery Index, published by nonprofit organization Walk Free Foundation. The study was based on data from 167 countries and face-to-face interviews with more than 71,000 people in 52 languages.

Pollution

Toxic chemicals are used in the dying of textiles which is the biggest contributor to water pollution.

Plastic

Polyester is a form of plastic. Between 1980 and 2007, the amount of polyester produced annually increased from 5.8 million tons to 34 million tons. By 2025, that number is projected to nearly triple to 99.8 million tons.

When your polyester clothes reach the end of their life, they take much more time to decompose than natural fibers.

Sheer Amount

People buy 60% more clothes than 15 years ago!

We are producing ever-increasing amounts while wearing clothes for a shorter amount of time and trashing them sooner.

As I write, I’m wearing a polyester shirt, pants, and socks, so I understand our love affair with polyester.

Five things you can do now

1. Ask questions: #whomademyclothes?

2. Wear/repair what you have

3. Build a personal style; use accessories you already own, a signature color, or an accessory like a belt, tie, scarf, or even shoelaces. You don’t have to purchase as many new clothes if your accessory is your signature.

4. Find alternative ways to be fashionable, be proud of what you already own, and be comfortable with what you have.

5. Support ethical producers

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Pull out Bible verse: Therefore honor God with your bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:20

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Alternative Bible verse:

those who work deserve their pay.

Luke 10:7b

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(Naomi Yaeger is a commissioned United Methodist Earthkeeper. Contact her at sun_dog_press@yahoo.com, phone or text (218) 591-5277. For more information, visit https://umcmission.org/EarthKeepers/)

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For further reading:

Links on forced labor

https://www.walkfree.org/

http://www.invisiblehandsmovie.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Human-Trafficking-Around-World-Hidden/dp/023116145X

https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/fast-fashion

https://www.walkfree.org/making-modern-slavery-socially-unacceptable/

https://progressive.org/op-eds/questions-to-ask-clothing-brands-kashyap-190501/

https://progressive.org/latest/disposable-fashion-is-growing-exponentially-190315/

https://www.unboundnow.org/blog/fast-fashion-amp-labor-trafficking

https://fashionunited.uk/news/business/fashion-is-one-of-the-key-industries-contributing-to-modern-slavery/2018072730992