Lovely clothes but at what cost?

[WaltzingBetty]

A bit of a heavy thread for style and beauty but I think it's important to be informed

Reports coming out of China are suggesting mass internment, rape and genocide of Uighur women. 83 high street and luxury goods companies including Gap and H&M (and thus presumable &OS, cos etc) use cotton produced in forced labour factories where these women are held.

Sadly, by buying from these companies we are indirectly supporting racial abuse and torture of women.

The links below have more info, be warned the BBC report is deeply uncomfortable. But please don't turn away. Please contact these companies if you are a customer and ask for their policies on cotton sourcing and ask them to boycott China. Please.

https://www.saveuighur.org/83-companies-linked-to-uighur-forced-labor/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-55794071

God, it's all so fucking hideous. For the past year or so I've bought a big chunk of my clothes secondhand. But I'll try and increase that even more.

@Lampan I guess that's the best compromise we can come to. It's shocking to me. I used to make all my own clothes when a student and was first in work ( suits, trousers, coats) but as time reduced I now buy pretty much everything. I've never been one for high fashion or for much high street clothing except for Mark's and Spencer, fatface, white stuff, & jigsaw I guess but this has still shocked me,

It's worth checking ethical consumer if you're buying anything new - I can't always afford the most ethical choice, but I try and get the most ethical I can for the money I have. Usually means you're getting better quality too, as longevity is part of what they score.

Thank you for the post.
I try and buy from M and S, Baujken, Seasalt, People Tree etc
But sometimes I weaken and really want something more fashionable/current from high street brands
This will make me think again.
Is there a list of mid range price shops that have more ethical practices ?

Bumping this thread.

I was considering contacting H&M (as I like all their brands) to see if they might confirm the current status of their links with these factories. But on their website they have a big document talking about the progress they’re making on ethical and environmental issues (more than most companies do tbh) which is from 2018-19. So I assume there’s no way a website customer service representative will be able to give me any more information than what’s already there. And on the Good on You app they’re only rated 3/5. A bit disappointing.