You may not have heard of the Rana Plaza catastrophe, but it was one of the deadliest accidents in India that killing around 1,134 workers in the garment industry on April 24th, 2013. Bangladesh is a city in India that plays a huge part in how we obtain our clothes right here in America. As a civilized nation, it is a necessity to wear clothes in public, and if you do not it is typically illegal. This article is not to say buying clothes is bad, but being unaware of the conditions can lead to more catastrophes due to our ignorance. Instead, I will inform you about ways to shop smarter to support other clothing industries that do not support what is happening overseas.

Sweatshops are not good at all. Here in Indiana, the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour while in India it is $0.22. People who are working in these factories are living off of the equivalent of $32.89 a month. Let that sink in. The workers in these factories work long, hard hours. Many workers begin their shifts that start at 7am and end at 3am the following day in very inhumane and dangerous conditions. There are a boatload of people in these factories, and there have been plenty of accidents such as fires, buildings collapsing, and thousands of injuries. 85% of these workers are women, and women have babies. In addition to these working conditions, there is also the issue that women are denied a leave once they have had their child. While it is a norm to wear clothes in this society it is our duty to help those who are in poverty around, we can still find ways to combat these unfortunate evils.

There are is the a way we can get around this, but still be able to buy clothes and look fashionable, which is very important to many people. One way we can do this is by using second hand stores, such as thrift stores, to buy clothes and gadgets that we need. By using second hand stores, we are still getting our clothes from overseas but we are not supporting the conditions. Instead, we are supporting local businesses. If you are among those who are not too into thrift stores, you also have the alternative of buying eco friendly clothes on Etsy. Etsy is a store that people can sell things that they make by hand most of the time. It is a big business made up of tons of small businesses. Although eco friendly clothes on Etsy is a great alternative, this may take more money out of the pocket, but it is worth it. Together we can help make a change for those who live in poverty.