Authorities near one of the world's fashion capitals have arrested a shop owner who subjected workers to horrible conditions after a worker reported his employer for breaking his hand.
What's happening?
As reported by the South China Morning Post, Italian police arrested a Chinese national and shuttered their Milan-area workshop after the reported hand injury led to an investigation.
While reporting his hand injury, the worker said he needed 45 days of treatment and was missing €10,000 (around $11,400) in wages that he expected his employer to pay.
The Carabinieri police from the Milan labor protection unit got to work and closed the workshop May 13 after identifying 10 Chinese workers who were victims of exploitation, forced to work up to 90 hours per week without a day off for €4 (about $4.50) per hour. Carabinieri authorities discovered branded clothing products at the now-shuttered shop.
"The workers slept in rooms illegally set up inside the factory, which appeared to be a sort of dormitory with terrible hygiene and sanitary conditions," the police said in a statement.
Why is this important?
While Italian authorities didn't reveal which brands they found, this isn't the first investigation in which they have uncovered exploitation in the fashion and luxury supply chain.
On May 15, Reuters reported that a court had put Valentino under judicial administration for one year after finding evidence of worker abuse in the luxury brand's supply chain. The Milan court had recently placed three other luxury brands under administration for similar issues.
Italy accounts for up to 55% of luxury goods production worldwide, per the report. However, the abuse cases paint a worrying picture of an industry often perceived as more ethical than fast fashion.
Fast-fashion companies rapidly produce garments that mirror the latest trends seen from high-end designers. They generally rely on low-quality materials and cheap, exploitative labor to maximize their profits while keeping upfront costs low for consumers.
When the low-quality apparel wears out quickly, consumers are lured back to purchase time and again. This business model also exacts a significant environmental toll. According to Earth.org, the equivalent of a garbage truck full of clothes goes to a landfill every single second.
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Definitely 👍 What can be done about this?
If consumers suspect a brand is engaging in questionable labor practices or greenwashing to hide its environmentally unfriendly ways, they can vote with their wallets.
And many are doing just that by ditching fast fashion, shopping secondhand, and using ethical marketplaces like DoneGood to support brands that align with their values.
Meanwhile, in Italy, the fight continues against exploitation in the luxury supply chain. As the SCMP noted, a Milan court introduced a proposal last summer for luxury firms to shore up their checks on suppliers and ensure they adhere to labor laws.
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