OK, we’re usually gushing over Zara’s latest arrivals but we have unsavory news for you: our reliable fashion go-to brand is currently under fire for not paying their garment workers. By leaving tags inside the clothes, garment workers are desperately reaching out to the consumers to pressure Zara into paying them. One of the tags stated: “I made this item you are going to buy, but I didn’t get paid for it”.
The garment workers were working in the Bravo Tekstil factory in Istanbul, which reportedly closed down overnight. According to an Associated Press article, Zara still owes them three months of pay along with severance allowance.
Since then, their parent company Inditex has responded to say: “Inditex has met all its contractual obligations to Bravo Tekstil and is currently working on a proposal…to establish a hardship fund for the workers affected by the fraudulent disappearance of the Bravo factory’s owner.”
The Bravo factory has been closed since July 2016, but Inditex has yet to transfer any money to the workers. We can only wait to see what happens next. Knowing that Inditex not only owns Zara, but also popular retail brands like Mango and Next, it seems like our next shopping trip will be tainted and we’ll be searching every piece for a plea for help.
Many other fashion giants have also been under fire for labour exploitation – we’re not naming any but your favourite pair of sneakers were once made under harsh sweatshop conditions. Well, since most have made a step into the right direction towards fair wages, sustainability campaigns, and ethical working conditions, we can only hope that Zara does too.
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