True Cost of Fashion

We've all been pulled into the fashion trap. It's uncomfortable to admit, but we've been sold the idea that staying "on trend" means constantly buying and discarding clothes. We know the quality is cheap, yet we keep replacing instead of repairing because it feels easier.

But behind those racks of fast fashion lies something far darker.

The New York Times first coined the term "fast fashion" in the 1980s, describing Zara's then groundbreaking 15 day turnaround from design to store shelves.

But behind this efficiency is an ugly reality: women carry the heaviest burden.

Around 85% of garment workers are women between 18 and 24, most earning less than $3 a day. The industry thrives on the underpaid labor of women. Many of them are young and are working in grueling, unsafe conditions. Their work is undervalued, their rights are ignored and their voices are silenced so the cycle of disposable fashion can continue.

What feels like a harmless bargain to us often comes at the cost of someone else's dignity.

To lower the costs, companies move production to countries with weak labor laws, where women have to endure long hours, unsafe environments, and constant pressure. Many are even fired if they become pregnant. Others are forced into 14-16 hour shifts during peak seasons and get exposed to toxic chemicals without protection thus leaving lasting damage to their health.

The exploitation doesn’t end there. Even when work like embroidery is outsourced to women at home in the name of "flexibility", it strips them of legal protections and recognition as workers. The 2013 Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, which killed over 1,100 garment workers, remains the deadliest reminder of such risks.

Yet over a decade later, little has changed.

Millions of women are still underpaid, overworked, and kept invisible so the fashion machine can keep turning. For many of these women, the danger begins before the workday does. On their way to the factories, they face harassment which they cannot report, silenced by the fear of shame and retaliation. And once inside, the situation does not improve. Many of these women report experiencing intimidation, threats, and even assault in their workplaces, leading them to feel unsafe in the very environment that provides their income.

These stories are not distant headlines; they are lived realities.

They remind us that the cost of fashion is not measured in price tags, but in the dignity and safety stolen from the women who make our clothes.The garment industry is built on weak labor laws and poor enforcement, giving global brands free rein to exploit workers without consequence.

Women bear the brunt of this system. They make up about 75% of garment workers, most aged between 18 and 35, and for many, stitching clothes comes at the cost of their dignity and safety.

Behind the polished image of the fashion industry lies a truth few of us stop to see. Women whose lives are marked by exploitation and silence often stitch the clothes we wear. With little public awareness of their suffering, brands continue to profit, keeping the abuse hidden firmly behind locked doors.

As consumers, we're part of this cycle. Every bargain we grab, every trend we chase, fuels a system built on exploitation. Awareness matters but action matters more. Choosing quality over quantity, repairing instead of tossing, and supporting brands that treat workers fairly are small steps that can make a real difference.

In the factories of the global south, gender discrimination is routine. Women face verbal humiliation, physical abuse, and sexual harassment, often in unregulated workplaces where violence goes unchecked and accountability is absent.

Behind every fast-fashion purchase lies this hidden reality. The clothes we wear are too often paid for with the suffering of women denied the right to work with dignity as fashion comes and goes but dignity always lasts.