The greedy sweatshops paying just €3 an hour created by our love of fast fashion
and pays them the minimum wage. He said: “Retailers threaten, ‘If you can’t do it we will find someone else’. I say, ‘How does that work?’ If I can’t do it, how can anyone else?’”
Another manufacturer said: “I used to make £1.50 to £2 profit per garment. Now it might be 10p.”
Two weeks ago the Commons Environmental Audit Committee heard evidence about sustainability in the fashion industry.
Investigative journalist Sarah O’connor told MPS: “If you go around Mirror’s Nick in talk with illegal
SUNNY ILLEGAL FACTORY WORKER FROM INDIA
the high street you will be amazed to see how many dresses say “Made in the UK” but cost £5, £6, £7.
“I wondered, ‘How on earth is this possible?’ The answer is that basically, in a huge chunk of Leicester’s garment industry, labour law does not apply.”
DISCLOSING
Some retailers have joined the Ethical Trading Initiative where factories undergo stricter audits, but others have not.
Sarah O’connor said: “One of the biggest would be Boohoo. They source an awful lot in Leicester.
“They are not members of the ETI.”
Sarah Ditty, of Fashion Revolution, told MPS: “There are a lot of brands that are not really disclosing any information about what they are doing.”
MPS have called on five leading online-only fashion retailers – Boohoo, Amazon, Asos, Prettylittlething and Missguided – to give evidence as part of their inquiry into the industry.
Boohoo told the Sunday Mirror it insists on suppliers “acknowledging responsibility” for paying a living wage
There is no suggestion that the outfits pictured here or seen by the Sunday Mirror online are made using illegal labour on below minimum wages, nor that the celebrities pictured on this spread endorse them. and conducts third-party audits. It also denied fining for late deliveries or returning unsold items and said it pays suppliers within 30 days. Missguided said: “We’re proud of what we’ve been doing through our membership of the ETI to address industry issues.” ASOS declined to comment but there is no suggestion it does not adhere to industry rules. nick.sommerlad@mirror.co.uk