2023-09-30 10:59:00
With a few words, a rapper criticized the practices of the clothing store chain. In addition to a few activists, environmentalist MEP Saskia Bricmont also spoke.
The Fair Fashion collective set up this action in response to the publication of a survey carried out by the NGO Changing Markets. This highlighted “greenwashing” (or “greenwashing”, a marketing process allowing a company to give itself a misleading image of responsibility towards the environment) of the used clothing take-back systems that promote certain brands. The latter thus promise to offer a second life to old clothes, either by giving them to people in need, or by recycling them. However, the NGO’s survey shows that the reality is very different: 76% of clothes are in fact destroyed or abandoned.
According to activists, H&M is a brand particularly representative of this environmentally destructive market. In addition to “greenwashing” practices, activists also accuse the brand of having fired employees during their pregnancy, of charging wages below a decent standard of living and of overproducing textiles in its factories.
“The work rates are hellish. One employee even declared that she fell ill once a month on average, that she didn’t eat enough… ‘We can’t even stop to go to the toilet, we sometimes go back to the factory to finish the job…'”, relayed one of the members of the Fair Fashion collective on Saturday, quoting a worker at an H&M factory in Cambodia. “I have two words that come to mind: shame!”, she said.
“These textile workers – because 85% of these little hands at H&M are women – deserve better,” continued the activist. “In fact, all of you deserve better than dirty, exploitative clothing produced from polluting fibers that will end up in fish’s throats. And you know who doesn’t deserve better? The Persson family, who owns H&M and maintains this machine hell which destroys textile workers and the environment.”
Green MEP Saskia Bricmont also spoke in the center of the circle formed by activists and observers in the middle of Rue Neuve. She said she was in favor of policies that would put an end to “fast fashion” and change “the economic model”.
“Europe is working on it,” she said. “We are negotiating with our governments to have an ambitious policy in this area and to adopt laws on corporate social responsibility.” She also encouraged everyone to adopt more responsible consumption behaviors. “Modern slaves making our clothes must stop now. We all have the power to make this happen, so let’s mobilize and continue to buy differently.”
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