Own Your Power

Someone, somewhere stitched your clothing, and their life has value.

In my last post I promised to share more knowledge about the ethics of the fashion and garment industry with you. I am going to dive right in by sharing a few personal accounts that are close to my heart.

We have a seamstress who works at Gift of Hope that has lived in the poorest slum of Haiti(and the Western Hemisphere) with her husband and in-laws for her entire adult life. She is now in her late fifties. She had worked for a nearby factory, putting in long hours for incredibly small pay. Her wages were enough for her to go to work and eat, but despite both her and her husband being employed, they could never earn their way out of the slum, or into their own home. The living wage she is earning at Gift of Hope is changing all of that. For the first time in her life she has started a savings account, her dream of living in her own home with her husband is almost a reality, and she has had the opportunity to financially bless others in need. Her skill never changed, but her wages and treatment as an employee did, allowing her to dream and live with deep joy and dignity.

We have a nanny who works for our malnourished baby home, but used to work in a nearby garment factory. She was demanded sexual favors by her managers in order to keep her position. Broken, she quit her job because she chose to risk unemployment over selling herself to keep her position.  

Stories like these are not unique. They are replayed over and over for millions of fashion industry workers. Their stories cannot be justified by the price of cheap clothing. Their lives are worth so much more than a $5 bargain shirt.

Charlotte Instone, founder of the ethical clothing business Know The Origin said, “We don’t value our clothes because we don’t know how they’ve been made or the amount of work that’s been involved, we have robbed ourselves of the value of that connection.” Let’s not rob ourselves, or the makers of our clothing anymore.

Here are a few facts and resources to get us started:

1. The average person buys 60% more items of clothing and keeps them for about half as long as 15 years ago. (Greenpeace 2017)

2. 4% of what Australians spend on clothing goes to the wages of workers in garment factories across the globe.(Oxfam 2017)

3. Over 50% of workers within the fashion industry are not paid the minimum wage in countries like India and the Philippines. (Global Fashion Agenda 2017)

4. In Pakistan’s garment sector, 87% of women are paid less than the minimum wage. (Global Fashion Agenda 2017)

I do not want this post to immobilize you with a problem and not offer a solution. I am sharing this with because you are part of the solution! We all are. When purchasing your next piece of apparel, you get to choose to care about the people who made it.  You get to choose to support and empower the makers of your clothing and their families by choosing where you shop. If we join and take a stand for ethical fashion, we could revolutionize the garment industry and protect of garment employees.

I remember one day years back when I was driving in Michigan, just cruising around with the windows down, listening to our local Christian radio station and Matthew West’s, “Do Something”, came on the radio. I could hardly believe my ears. It was like he had been reading my journal when he wrote these lyrics. I had been going through a season of processing so many injustices I saw daily in Haiti. I was crying out to God asking, “How can you allow all of this pain and suffering and not do something to end it?” God had led me to the same answer that Matthew West sings about. We are the plan. There is no plan B. As Christians have been called to love God and love others. Our hearts are supposed to break for the things that break His. We are called to care about, and protect all people, especially the most vulnerable. We have this power. Check out Matthew West’s inspiring lyrics:

“I woke up this morning
Saw a world full of trouble now
I thought, "How'd we ever get so far down?"
And "How's it ever gonna turn around?"
So, I turned my eyes to Heaven,
I thought, "God, why don't You do something?"

Well, I just couldn't bear the thought of
People living in poverty,
Children sold into slavery.
The thought disgusted me.
So, I shook my fist at Heaven,
I said, "God, why don't You do something?"
He said, "I did." Yeah. "I created you."

If not us, then who?
If not me and you?
Right now.
Well, it's time for us to do something.
If not now, then when?
Will we see an end
To all this pain?
It's not enough to do nothing.
It's time for us to do something.

I'm so tired of talking
About how we are God's hands and feet.
But it's easier to say than to be.
Live like angels of apathy
Who tell ourselves,
"It's alright: somebody else will do something."

Well, I don't know about you,
But I'm sick and tired
Of life with no desire.
I don't want a flame, I want a fire.
I wanna be the one who stands up and says,
"I'm gonna do something."

If not us, then who?
If not me and you?
Right now.
It's time for us to do something.
Yes, it is. Come on.
If not now, then when?
Will we see an end
To all this pain?
Well, it's not enough to do nothing.
It's time for us to do something.”

Friends, it’s time. Are you ready to do something? What are some things you could begin doing today? I’m so glad you asked!

1. Purchase from ethical fashion brands. As the demand for ethical practices increases, so will the number of ethical brands in the marketplace.  

2. Write to your favorite global brands to express your concern for the makers of your clothing. Tell them that you love their brand, but do not want to wear someone else’s poverty. Business plans for global brands revolve around securing loyal customers. If their customers care about the makers of their clothes, so will they.  

3. Check tags. See where clothing was made and know the top countries where workers are the least protected. (Made in the USA? Great! Our workers are among the most protected in the world.)  

4. Write your congressman to say you care about vulnerable people working in the garment industry, asking them to set policies to protect international workers who are making products for you to buy. 

If we all realize the power our money has when we choose to spend it on products that were ethically made, our world could truly change. Knowledge is power! Will you help share the power?

His Kingdom come, His will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.