ABLE CLOTHING CONTROVERSY

Over the years, the fashion industry witnessed transformation as the transient nature of fast fashion and short-lived trendy clothing gave way to the sustainability. The Millennial and Gen Z are more concerned about ethical priorities and environmental factors associated with the fashion industry. The social impact is another factor that has contributed to changing priorities of the people at large particularly the young people who have rejected the exploitative practices in the fashion industry. The inclination to sustainable fashion gave boost to the brands which have a list of fashion products with ethical and sustainable considerations.

FASHION INDUSTRY AND EXPLOITATIVE PRACTICES 

The clothing was better when it was just a necessity not a fashion and was limited to tailor shops or in most cases, dresses were prepared at home by the women. The aspect of self-expression was only meant for the elite and the royalty. Following the industrial revolution in Europe, the clothing became a complete industry and the history stood witness to many exploitative practices across the globe particularly in Asia and Africa. The cotton fields required cheap labor and the large communities in Africa were raided and the people were rounded up to be loaded like sheep and goats in the ships to be transported to the American cotton fields. They were the bonded laborers and the cotton slaves. They worked in the cotton fields in the pathetic conditions having no rights even they were squarely given two meals. In India, Dhaka muslin was the finest cloth prepared at a large scale. The exploitative forces chopped the arms of the skilled workers so that they could not prepare the muslin and the cloth prepared by the fashion industry could be transported to the region. Moreover, the raw material grown in India was plundered to feed the fashion industry in Europe. Only recently, the incident of Rana Plaza in Dhaka shows that exploitative practices are still going on in certain forms and manifestations. The finely-contrived and well-embroidered dresses prepared by the rural women in remote areas became a trendy fashion when displayed in the affluent boutiques and fashion squares but those who prepared these clothes were paid only peanuts.     

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY OF ABLE?

ABLE, founded in 2010, has the aim of brushing aside the blots of environmental hazards and exploitative practices associated with the fashion industry. The founders of the ABLE, Barret and Rachel Ward, wanted to establish an entity within the domain of fashion to give due reward to the workforce particularly the women workers from Ethiopia. It was observed that the women workers wanted to have respectful opportunities and graceful reward for their diligence rather than disgraceful charity. This demand from the vulnerable working communities led to establish FashionABLE, a non-profit organization which was made a for-profit organization but the basic theme remained intact.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Since its inception, ABLE had an aim to provide women with employment opportunities and give them justifiable remuneration for their work. It believes that women empowerment with employment opportunities is the key to sustainability of the business and wellbeing of the employees. At first the ABLE partnered with the Ethiopian women who made handmade scarves. Now the company has global manufacturing partners in Ethiopia, Mexico, Peru, Brazil etc.,    

In Nashville, Tennessee, where ABLE headquarters, it works with the vulnerable communities to ameliorate their suffering by uplifting women who have overcome substance addiction and it developed partnership with them for producing line of in-house jewelry. The women empowerment becomes necessary for sustainability of fashion brands because women account for 80 percent of fashion working force. Usually, companies in the fashion industry are judged on the basis of workers wage benchmark, level of women workers wellbeing and quality of products. ABLE takes the lead in this regard as 96 percent of its employees are women.

MOVE FASHION FORWARD

Fashion industry at global level has become $2.5 trillion industry and in the same way one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions and also plays its role in climate change. ABLE in this context also focusses on leaving better future for the planet and its inhabitants. Knowing well about the harms done by the fast fashion, ABLE has drawn itself away and is aimed at producing environment-friendly products. It has developed a strategy to make better choice for material procurement and ensure high standard of quality and thus has made it possible for the fashion industry to be beneficial for buyers, sellers and the planet.   

WORKERS WAGES DISCLOSURE

The ABLE took a bold step as it has made the wages it pays to its workers public with an aim to protect and empower its workers particularly the women who account for 80 percent of ABLE workforce at its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. The move is part of ABLE mission to address the poverty coming from generation to generation by empowering the women. Another aspect of this move is more important that it provides an instrument to the consumers to know who has made the clothes they are selecting for themselves and who has been paid to the workers. The ABLE website reads, “Our mission is that in 10 years or sooner, publishing wages will be as common as nutritional facts labelled on your food.”

WHO MADE MY CLOTHES

Following the Rana Plaza tragedy in Dhaka, a strong vibe ran through the civil society across the globe and #WhoMadeMyClothes was launched to encourage the consumers to hold the companies accountable for the exploitative practices and to bring transparency, justice and fairness in the fashion industry. By leveraging the consumers to ask who made the clothes, the movement provides an instrument to the public that is a sure way to bring transparency in the fashion supply chain.  The movement offers a robust platform to the fashion workers who could share their concerns for the people’s awareness that is also an important factor of accountability and sustainability.

WHAT IS CONTROVERSY ABOUT ABLE?

The radical and revolutionary steps always meet with controversies, reactions and even retaliations. The new approach in the strict conventional environment is hardly accepted and a lot of uproar and resistance is put in the way to make the things difficult to emerge on the horizon. The ABLE also met the same reaction since its inception and some controversies may be discussed as under;

• ABLE was hailed in the beginning for its positive and ethical approach for women empowerment through partnering with them in making fashion products, however, this initiative has been facing verification issues as claims have never been authenticated with facts.
• The ABLE also came under radar because of its business model and sustainability preference as it has been criticized for its financial strategy, pricing mechanism and material selections.
• The membership program and promotional pricing forced the ABLE to declare itself bankrupt in 2015. The financial pressure and constraints due to extended sizing were quoted as reason behind the bankruptcy.
• The ABLE claims to using eco-friendly material in its products like cotton, linen and others but it uses material obtained from animals like leather, wool etc.,
• The durability and sustainability of the ABLE products have come into question by the customers.
• The sale and promotional centered sale strategy often causes financial issues for ABLE.
• CONCLUSION

The ABLE vision to bring transparency in fashion supply chain and woman workers empowerment and #WhoMadeMyClothes movement to have ethical approach regarding the working environment for fashion industry labor are only small tips of a huge iceberg that is marred with black stains of long exploitation and poor working conditions. A long journey has to be covered on the road to bring real change in the fashion industry where all the brands and businesses follow the ethical approach to ensure transparency, justice and level playing field for all those involved in the long chain of the fashion industry. A lot of work has to be done to ensure sustainability in this ever-growing industry however, it is encouraging that at least beginning to this end has been kickstarted and time is not far when improved awareness would bring transparency in the fashion world.

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