Ethics in the Fashion Industry
Author: V. Ann Paulins, Julie L. Hiller
ISBN: 9781563675331
To teach university-level fashion student about sustainability in the fashion industry is complicated. Not so much because of the topic itself, but rather because there are so many facets to it, that it is challenging to come up with a ‘red thread’ that touches of even just the most relevant aspects in the usually very limited time given.
This present book is only 1 of 2 books created specifically for teaching – the other one being the Sustainable Fashion: A Handbook for Educators, although there are exists a limited set of other resources created by Labour Behind the Label.
In 10 chapters, that reach from ‘ethics in everyday life‘ over ‘responsibilities and liabilities in a complex industry‘ to ‘self-promotion and career search‘, Ethics in the Fashion Industry has managed to choose its own ‘red thread’ across the sustainability-cum-fashion landscape. The book comes further equipped with a CD that features a thorough overview of the text, and includes activities, quizzes, case studies, and resources for each of the chapters.
The 10 chapters of the book carry the following titles:
- Ethics in Everyday Life: Introduces a definition of ‘ethics’ and shows where ethical decisions and behaviours have a place in our everyday life. Different classes of ethics are introduced also – a novelty to this author – and then the application to fashion and apparel is introduced.
- Corporate Culture: Aspects of corporate culture that are part of a company’s ethics – from diversity to environmental vision – are introduced. The link to vendor behaviour and relationships is made.
- Management, Supervision, and Workplace Issues: Here the link of ethics with corporate codes of behaviour and conduct is made. Also, the chapter points out how contemporary issues – such as sexual harassment or bullying – fit into this picture. An important role is given to the role of managers in promoting ethical behaviour.
- Processes and Pitfalls in Fashion Design and Product Development: This chapter deals with issues inherent to the industry: styles that seem identical but at hugely diverse prices levels. Intellectual property and the industry’s tendency to copy-cat and the different legal frameworks that exists in this realm are covered in relative depth including newspaper headlines and resulting potential reputational damage is discussed.
- Ethics in Manufacturing and Sourcing Fashion Products: The fashion supply chain and the different opportunities are discussed. They reach from ‘good will activities’ (% of sales to charitable causes) to recycling, legislation, consumer requirements, fair trade, and product labelling.
- Responsibilities and Liabilities in a Complex Industry: The heavy weight of this chapter lies on ethical trade. The chapter starts off with a brief look into the past in the history of factories and industrialisation (in Europe and the US, that is). Within that context, the role of unions is explained, followed by the shift to low-wage overseas manufacturing. Maybe the most interesting section in this chapter is the one entitled ‘Benefits of Socially Conscious Manufacturing’ which aims to make a business case out of the reputational damage created by non-compliance when hitting the newspaper headlines. Last but not least the question is discussed of who really carries the responsibility for ethical manufacturing and sourcing: brand or consumer?
- Advertising and Promotion: While maybe encapsulating the most commonly known material already, the chapter aims at summing up the dos and don’ts around greenwashing and (un)ethical advertising. Examples from brands (e.g. Calvin Klein) and issues (thin models) are discussed in relative depth.
- Selling: Decisions, Practices, and Professional Ethics: The whole range and breadth of issues is raised. From stereo-typing to qualities for effective sales, including data collection (=> Big data) at the point of sales.
- Ethical Consumer Decisions: Here consumer expectations and responsibilities, as well as the responsibility of shop retail staff is being discussed.
- Self-Promotion and Career Search: This chapter touches on a surprisingly touchy topic – the fact that most people embellish their CV in one way or another when hunting for jobs. The chapter hence discusses where, roughly, the thin red line is that can be walked, and where ’embellishing’ turns into plain fraud. In my eyes, this is one of the most relevant chapters in this book for several reasons. One, because the workings of the industry trigger this type of behaviour in applicants – otherwise they won’t stand a chance. Yet, it also makes it clear that there should be a severe backlash onto people – applicants as well as referees that support them – that overdo it and don’t take it too seriously with the facts but claim just about anything that would be useful for their success no matter what.
What is interesting about this book – and different most other class room materials I have so far encountered – is that they actually do keep to educational best practise: Each chapter starts of with a small boxed text outlining the objectives (conceptual as well as operational) of the chapter.
Each chapter further ends with ‘Questions for discussion’ which aim to trigger the students’ self-reflection and application of the read/heard material to their own, very specific situation.
In between there are numerous examples of actual brands and how they implement their ‘ethical approach’ into their operations, as well as case studies and even templates of ‘activist letters’ that could be sent to brands to push them to change.
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This book is available from your nearest book store as well as online from Amazon.
