‘Shoppers need to take more responsibility in buying clothes’

WE NEED TO STOP BUYING THROWAWAY FASHION – CALL

A FASHION expert has called on shoppers to take more responsibil- ity in choosing the clothes they buy.

Shirley Yanez, who runs a preloved shop and also sells new clothes made in Leicester, spoke out after police and government anti-slavery officials launched an investigation into working conditions at clothing factories in the city.

The probe followed reports some workers in the trade were paid as little as £3.50 an hour.

“People as consumers have to take some degree of personal responsibility in this matter,” she said.

“Shoppers need to think long and hard about how a top or a pair of leggings that costs them a few pounds can be made for that very low price.

“Surely they must know there is a possibility that someone somewhere has suffered or been exploited in some way to produce the item, for that price.

“That is what fast fashion gives the consumer – very cheap throwaway clothes that cost very little but at what human price?

“We need people to make a change. We need them to stop buying cheap, throwaway clothes which only end up in a landfill.”

Shirley is the boss of Venus Cow Ltd and runs her pre-loved designer label clothing shop in Francis Street, Stoneygate, and sells newly-made clothes online.

“We have our leggings and other cotton staple products manufactured ethically in Saffron Lane in Leicester,” she said.

“We are proud to say our Perfect Black Leggings cost £8 to produce and we sell them for £30.

“There needs to be more transparency like this in the business. Proper honest accountability.

“We need the same sort of movement in fashion that we have seen in the food industry.

“There, consumers rightly demanded to know who has produced their food and where it has been produced.”

The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) said it has found no evidence of modern slavery in visits it has made to Leicester textile firms in the past week.

It said it has been working to ensure regulations are being followed in some of the more than 1,000 textiles factories in Leicester during the pandemic.

A spokesperson said: “It follows concerns about how some businesses in the city have been operating before and during the localised lockdown introduced by the government at the end of June.

The GLAA said no enforcement has been used during the visits and officers have not identified any offences under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) said it will “pursue offenders and protect victims” in its investigation into modern slavery in Leicester’s textile trade.

“We can confirm it has received information regarding allegations of modern slavery and exploitation in the textile industry in Leicester,” an NCA spokesman said.

“Tackling modern slavery is one of our highest priorities and we are committed to working with partners across law enforcement, the private, public and charity sector to pursue offenders and protect victims wherever they may be.”

The Health and Safety Eexcutive has said it issued an improvement notice to a factory found not to be working in Covid-secure conditions and is investigating two others.