Australian Fashion Report 2015

Behind the Bar Code

The Australian Fashion Report recently released by Baptist World Aid points to the increased risk of child and forced labour in the garment industry because most local companies are unable to trace or fail to monitor their supply chains.

Gershon Nimbalker co-author of the report said while there had been improvements at the final stages of production in the two years since the organisation’s first audit of the fashion industry, very little had been done to address working conditions earlier in the supply chain, where some of the worst abuses often occur.

“Most of us are at risk of being connected to slavery in the cotton fields because companies who we’re buying from haven’t traced their cotton to make sure that there is no forced labour and child labour,” he said. “We don’t want to see another Rana Plaza equivalent deeper in the supply chain before fashion companies start taking action.”

Download a copy of the Australian Fashion Report 2015 and become informed about the garments you are purchasing.  Use your consumer power to help prevent the exploitation of workers in the garment industry.