#QuickQuestion Why do sustainable fashion advocates hold brands responsible for paying garment workers a living wage when most brands don't own the factories that produce their clothes? Isn't it the responsibility of the factory to pay its employee's fair wages? 🤔 It's true; most fashion brands are not manufacturers — they are buyers. Brands typically don't own the factories where their clothing is made. Instead, they outsource production to independent manufacturers in developing countries. However, while brands may not be directly responsible for paying garment workers salaries, the deep-rooted structural power imbalance between brands and manufacturers creates a system of exploitation. The demands by brands for a high volume of products made at the lowest cost possible pushes prices down and directly affect the wages and working conditions of garment workers. “Brands hold what's known as ‘monopsony power’ over suppliers, meaning there are too few brands and too many suppliers,” said Elizabeth Cline, journalist and Director of Advocacy and Policy at Remake. “[This] creates a power imbalance [where] brands are able to dictate abusive commercial practices that erode human rights as a result. The only way to fix this imbalance is through structural changes.” As the primary profit-makers in the value chain, advocates believe that brands have a moral responsibility to ensure a positive impact on wage development, giving workers and their families access to better livelihoods. In terms of sustainability, brands often talk about the importance of “people and planet,” yet their commitments tend to focus on environmentally-driven initiatives like reducing carbon emissions, lessening water, switching to renewable energy in their HQ, etc. The truth: the fashion industry says it wants fair wages throughout its supply chain, but many aren’t willing to pay for products at the rate required to ensure fair wages. #linkinbio to read more. We ran out of space in the caption. 😂🤷🏾‍♀️ #FashionHorrorStories 🕷️🕸️🧟‍♀️