Fair trade textiles Flashcards
What is a key issue for consumers when buying textile products?
The working conditions of the factories in which they are made
By what % has the sale of new clothes gone up by in the Uk in the last 10 years?
60%
Where are 40% of the increase in clothes sales bought from?
From value traders such as primary at very low prices
The low prices we pay for clothes from value stores has consequences. What are they?
It means the workers who make the clothes get paid very little
Comment on the workers making clothes for the UK market which supplies the low value shops
- Don’t earn a living way ( don’t earn enough money to feed themselves and their families)
Often have to work in unacceptable and dangerous conditions in factories known as sweatshops
Have to work extra unpaid hours
Are not allowed to join trade unions
Why would it be an advantage for workers to be allowed to join trade unions?
The trade unions would negotiate better working conditions and better pay
Why do you think the employers do not let the workers join the trade unions?
The employers do not want to use their profit to improve working conditions or increase wages
Who works in the sweatshops
Adults and sadly young children who are exploited
According to the charity UNICEF there is an estimated how many children working in slave labour between the ages of 5-13?
246 million
What year was the unicef figure referring to , surely hundreds of years ago.
?
2014
What is the definition of child labour?
Child labour is defines as exceeding a minimum number of hours depending on the age of the child and the type of work.
Why are some factories dangerous?
The production of the products being made give off toxic gases
How do the employers stop the workers joining the trade unions?
They sack them if they do
In the fashion industry why is TRAID so well thought of?
They produce fashion garments that are 100% recycled and unique. The garment are made from textiles that have been thrown away
If you are to care for your fabrics properly, what information should be on the label?
Accurate info on what they are made of and how they should be cleaned
Do clothes manufacturers have to tell you about the fabric and how to clean it?
Yes this has to be done by law
How will fabric info appear?
The label will show a % of each type of fibre
For example a coat which is a blend of fibres might sat 35% cotton 65% polyester
How would you Wash a garment that says it is 100% wool?
At very low temperatures or the wool will shrink.
What is the ITCLC?
International care labelling code
What is the ITCLC and what does it do
Code by which all manufacturers produce the care labels for their clothes
Where would you find the labels for clothes?
Sewn into the seams
If the fabric burns easily what should the label say?
Keep away from a naked flame
Why would a label affect the clothes that you buy?
You may prefer clothes that can be cleaned in a washing machine rather than dry cleaned
What do numbers mean on the labels?
Generally the temperature to wash something at
What does a small picture of an iron with or without a cross mean?
Either it can be ironed or it can’t be ironed
How do the labels get across the washing instructions?
Using simple pictograms linked to the washing process.
