How Cheap Is It, Really?

Fast fashion has transformed the garment industry (see "The High Cost of Fast Fashion"). The low wages of overseas workers have made it possible for Americans to buy a lot of trendy clothes at very low prices from H&M, Forever 21, and other retail stores. But those bargain prices have hidden costs, especially for the 75 million people, most in developing countries, who make the clothing. While the garment industry has helped lift some workers out of poverty, they still toil in dangerous conditions that would be illegal in the United States.

This cartoon was published shortly after a horrific clothing factory collapse in Bangladesh that killed 1,100 workers in 2013. Study it, then answer the questions.

1. Why are sweat and blood listed on the shirt’s label?

2. What is significant about where the shirt was made?

3. What does the shopper’s reaction to the tag seem to be?

4. What overall point might the cartoonist be making?

What responsibility do you have for knowing where and how the clothing you buy was made? Under what circumstances would you refuse to buy something? Explain.