Indian Cotton Farmers.

There are over 40 million garment workers globally, mostly in developing countries, which has slowly led to it being one of the lowest-paying industries worldwide. These workers are often overlooked due to the turnover of fast fashion and its trend lead features. We are slowly starting to notice the changes that have been happening since the birth of organisations fighting for workers rights, however, it is a long road and we constantly see brands still cutting corners on manufacturing and safety of workers throughout the industry to keep costs low. Yet, even with all of this discussion regarding making changes, we still know so little about the people behind the fashion industry and the many jobs that play a part in the creation of it's garments. The transparency problem in fashion has led to even brands themselves not knowing who makes their garments or the conditions of their employees. This blog post is focused on highlighting one of these areas, hopefully to build on people's knowledge of areas in the supply chain and to keep the conversation active.

One aspect of the industry that is one of the most important areas is the farming of cotton. This is possibly where the supply chain starts as, without fibres, there is nothing to create the yarn for clothing with, and because of its labour intensive aspect, it can feature many long days working in the burning sunshine. In India alone, there are 5.8 million cotton farmers, making it the country's main crop production. A good yield of cotton, like most crops, is heavily reliant on weather conditions, farmers and also pesticides to get the best out of their fields. However, in recent years, it has become apparent that the cotton farming industry has a huge suicide figure among its workers, making even more areas of fashion production effected by the pressures of the industry demand. This tragedy is often as a result of increased debt from yielding bad crops, labour costs and financial struggles. The farming industry has a huge mental distress which is caused by agricultural policies and the desire to make the best crops possible through use of GM seeds which often have to be paid for using a dodgy loan.

"Cotton’s history is tightly wound with the history of capitalism, colonialism, exploitation and industrialisation that continues to drive the fashion industry today" - Fashion Revolution.

When cotton is discussed as a fibre, the focus tends to be on how it is much better than synthetic fibres, but the labour intensity that comes hand in hand with it's production is not often mentioned. Cotton used to be part of the expanding slave trade back in the United States during the 18th-19th century, however, with the current state of cotton farming, it doesn't seem like much has changed in regards to exploitation and pressure of workers. Although slavery is not used today, farmers are still overworked and struggling daily to meet the needs of their families and business that are so heavily dependant on external factors.

Workers are also exposed to health problems due to the pesticides and toxic chemicals used in the production, causing respiratory problems, skin irritation, death or seizures. Farmers often don't wear a mask or footwear whilst using the chemicals, which are even banned in the west due to the health risks. In the long term, this has also been linked to parkinsons, cancer, asthma and mental health issues. Which leads us to question how the industry has ever allowed such practices to be used for the sake of fabric and fashion?

When buying cotton, it is important to check whether it is Organic (meaning no chemicals or GM crops are used), sustainable or just 100% cotton. Even 100% cotton comes with its own faults as this blog has explained, although it is not synthetic, there are still many issues surrounding it. Do you prefer to buy certified materials when you are choosing from sustainable clothing ranges?

izzy x