'The True Cost' - Official Trailer

UNTOLD

23 Apr 201502:34

Summary

TLDRThe video script addresses the dark side of the fashion industry, highlighting its unsustainable business model rooted in materialism. It discusses the high human and environmental costs, including factory disasters and worker exploitation, particularly in developing countries. The script challenges the promise of globalization, questioning the industry's inability to support its workers despite massive profits. It calls for a change in the industry's focus from profit to human rights, environmental sustainability, and workers' rights, suggesting that there is a better way to operate.

Takeaways

👔 Clothing is a significant medium for self-expression and communication of identity.
🌐 The traditional fashion system has transformed into one heavily influenced by materialism.
🏭 The fashion industry has been linked to severe tragedies like factory collapses and fires.
🔥 In 2012, over 1,000 people died in a garment factory collapse, highlighting the industry's safety issues.
🚔 Clashes between garment workers and riot police in Cambodia underscore labor unrest.
💸 The promise of globalization included cheaper goods for consumers and job opportunities for workers in poorer regions.
🏛️ Despite generating huge profits, the fashion industry often fails to adequately support its workers.
♻️ The current business model is unsustainable and prioritizes profit over human rights and environmental concerns.
🌍 The concentration on profits leads to the neglect of workers' rights and environmental impacts.
💪 There is a call for a better, more sustainable, and ethical approach to the fashion industry.

Q & A

How does clothing serve as a form of communication about our identity?
-Clothing is a fundamental part of how we communicate our identity. It reflects our personal style, values, and the message we wish to convey about ourselves.
What has changed about the fashion system in relation to the fashion industry?
-The fashion system has been reinvented and is now based on materialism, which contrasts with a previous system that had nothing to do with the fashion industry.
What are the negative consequences mentioned in the script that come with the current fashion system?
-The script highlights the high price of materialism in the fashion industry, including garment factory disasters such as collapses and fires, leading to numerous deaths and injuries.
What happened in the Cambodian garment factory incident mentioned in the script?
-In November, there were clashes between garment factory workers and riot police in Cambodia, resulting in the death of 112 people.
What was the outcome of the factory fire in Bangladesh mentioned in the script?
-A major factory fire in Bangladesh led to the death of 30,000 Chinese garment workers.
What was the promise of globalization in the context of the fashion industry?
-Globalization promised a win-win situation where consumers in the rich world would get cheaper goods, and people in poorer parts of the world would get jobs, potentially lifting them out of poverty.
Why is the fashion industry criticized in the script for its business model?
-The industry is criticized for being rapacious and profit-driven, which leads to an inability to support its workers properly and sustainably.
What is suggested as the reason for the neglect of human rights and workers' rights in the fashion industry?
-The focus on making profits leads to the neglect of human rights, environmental concerns, and workers' rights within the fashion industry.
What is the call to action suggested in the script to improve the situation in the fashion industry?
-The script suggests that the current business model is unsustainable and implies a need for change to improve conditions for workers and to address the negative impacts on human rights and the environment.
What is the overall message of the script regarding consumer behavior and the fashion industry?
-The script conveys a message of consumerism that is 'want it all and now,' suggesting a need for a more responsible and sustainable approach to both consumer behavior and the fashion industry's practices.

Outlines

00:00

👔 The Dark Side of the Fashion Industry

This paragraph discusses the transformation of the fashion system from a personal expression to a materialistic industry. It highlights the negative impacts of this change, including the exploitation of workers and the environmental costs. The script mentions tragic incidents such as the garment factory collapse in Bangladesh that resulted in over 1,000 deaths, violent clashes between workers and police in Cambodia, and factory fires. It questions the sustainability of the current business model, which prioritizes profits over human rights, worker rights, and the environment. The paragraph calls for a change in the industry's approach to ensure better conditions for workers and a more sustainable future.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Clothing

Clothing is defined as garments or items worn on the body. In the context of the video, clothing is used as a medium of self-expression, communicating personal identity and style. The script suggests that clothing choices are deeply intertwined with one's self-image and the message one wishes to convey to society.

💡Fashion System

The fashion system refers to the organized set of practices, institutions, and processes that produce and disseminate fashion trends. The video script implies that the traditional fashion system has been replaced by one driven by materialism, which has significant social and environmental implications.

💡Materialism

Materialism is the belief or value system that prioritizes material possessions and physical comfort over spiritual or intangible values. The video critiques the current fashion industry for being based on materialism, suggesting that this focus on material wealth comes at the cost of ethical considerations and sustainability.

💡Garment Factory Collapse

This refers to the tragic incident where a building housing garment factories collapsed, resulting in over 1,000 deaths. The video uses this example to highlight the unsafe working conditions and the human cost of the fast fashion industry's relentless pursuit of profit.

💡Factory Fire

A factory fire is a catastrophic event that can lead to significant loss of life and property. The video mentions a factory fire that killed 112 people to underscore the dangerous conditions in which garment workers often find themselves, emphasizing the urgent need for industry reform.

💡Globalization

Globalization is the process of increasing global interconnectedness and interdependence. The video discusses the promise of globalization as a win-win situation, where consumers in wealthier countries gain access to cheaper goods, and workers in poorer countries gain employment opportunities. However, it also points out the failure of this promise in the context of the garment industry.

💡Worker Exploitation

Worker exploitation refers to the unfair treatment or overworking of employees for the benefit of employers. The script mentions how garment workers in Bangladesh and China are paying the price for cheap clothing, suggesting that they are being exploited in the name of profit maximization.

💡Business Model

A business model outlines how a company creates, delivers, and captures value. The video argues that the current business model of the fashion industry is unsustainable, as it prioritizes profit over the well-being of workers and the environment.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability refers to the ability to maintain processes or states in a long-term context without depleting resources or causing environmental harm. The video suggests that the fashion industry's current practices are unsustainable and that a change in the industry's model is necessary to ensure long-term viability.

💡Human Rights

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled. The video script criticizes the fashion industry for neglecting human rights in its pursuit of profit, highlighting the need for a more ethical approach to business practices.

💡Consumerism

Consumerism is the social and economic order and ideology that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. The video implies that consumerism drives the demand for cheap clothing, which in turn perpetuates the exploitative practices within the fashion industry.

Highlights

Clothing is a fundamental part of how we communicate our identity.

The traditional fashion system has been reinvented and is now based on materialism.

The high cost of materialism in the fashion industry.

Garment Factory collapse resulting in over 1,000 deaths.

Clashes between garment factory workers and riot police in Cambodia.

112 people killed in a major factory fire incident.

30,000 Chinese garment workers paying the price for cheap clothing.

Bangladesh garment workers facing harsh conditions for the sake of cheap clothing.

The promise of globalization was a win-win for consumers and workers.

The fashion industry's enormous profit at the expense of worker support.

The unsustainable business model of the fashion industry.

Profit concentration leading to the neglect of human rights, the environment, and workers' rights.

The call for a better alternative to the current fashion industry practices.

The desire for immediate gratification in consumer culture.

The need for a change in the fashion industry's approach to business and ethics.

The impact of the fashion industry on global poverty and worker conditions.

The urgency for a model shift in the fashion industry to ensure sustainability and fair treatment of workers.