Over
1100 people have died after the Bangladesh garment factory collapsed
and we all feel horrible about it, but do we feel bad enough to stop
supporting the garment lines that continue to make their clothing this
way? Are we willing to stop buying those $5 tank tops in Wal-mart,
those $10 t-shirts at Target and all those insanely low priced fashions
in Forever 21? What about the high end designers sewing their lines in
these shops like Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Benetton?
Each time I
come across a cheap garment hanging in any store, I immediately look at
where it was made and do the math in my head. See, I own a garment line
that ONLY manufactures in the United States. We buy our fabric from
the few mills left in the US and all our trims, elastics and buttons
from US companies as well. So, let me break this down for you.
If you see a
garment retailing for $5.00 in a store, the retailer probably paid $2.00
for it. That means that the fabric used to make the garment, any
elastic or trims, shipping the garments, and the sewing of the actual
garment must be covered in that $2.00 cost. For some perspective, it is
close to impossible to purchase any fabric made in the US for less than
$4.00 a yard. So tell me, if a wholesaler is receiving $2.00 per
garment, what is that wholesaler paying their people who sew it in
China, Bangladesh and other countries after they pay for all the other
expenses that go into making that one garment? Most importantly, where
does the wholesaler cut his expenses so he can make his profit?
We all must consciously consider these things every time we shop.
Anytime we see that $5.00 tank top or even a $30 dress, we have to do
the math in our heads. We must consider the true cost of labor for each
and every "cheap" garment and consider how that wholesaler who sells
these to Target, Wal-mart and large designers makes his money. The
truth is, these wholesalers barely pay their sewing operators and they
don't even give them safe working conditions. They have literally
sacrificed their workers' safety for fashion!
Doesn't that make that
$5.00 tank top feel a lot more expensive?
Germaine Caprio
Founder/Owner of Majamas, Nixilu and Eliseo Fashion
