Retailers and consumers are still feeling the heat more than a month after the horrific collapse of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh that killed over 1,000 factory workers, but it looks like change is on the horizon. Not only are the fast-fashion companies pledging to provide support and looking into their respective processes to prevent future incidents, consumers are also taking labels more seriously. Well, it's about time, people.
According to a study by Harris Interactive, a Rochester, New York-based research firm, two in five Americans who are aware of the Rana Plaza collapse are less likely to purchase clothes made in Bangladesh. From the pool of 2,052 American adults surveyed, 39 percent said they were less likely to buy items made in Bangladesh. However, a whopping 52 percent said the collapse had no effect on their shopping habits. It's slightly surprising that only 39 percent of those surveyed said they'd change their shopping habits, but we can see why it'd be hard to resist a trendy $10 dress to wear once on a night out. We get it — people are creatures of habit and habits are hard to change, but changes need to be made, nonetheless.
Get the ball rolling, educate yourselves about ethical initiatives like Green Carpet Challenge, the Clean Clothes Campaign, or Labour Behind The Label, and most importantly, spread the word. (Harris Interactive)
Photo: Via The NYTimes.