Editing Clothing (section)

===Working conditions in the garments industry===
{{Further|Clothing industry}}
[[File:Garments Factory in Bangladesh.JPG|thumb|Garments factory in [[Bangladesh]]]]
[[File:Safety garb for women workers. The uniform at the left, complete with the plastic "bra" on the right, will prevent... - NARA - 522882.jpg|thumb|upright|Safety garb for women was designed to prevent occupational accidents among war workers, Los Angeles display ({{Circa|1943}}).]]

Although [[mechanization]] transformed most aspects of human [[clothing industry]], by the mid-twentieth century, garment workers have continued to labor under challenging conditions that demand repetitive manual labor. Often, [[mass-produced]] clothing is made in what are considered by some to be [[sweatshops]], typified by long work hours, lack of benefits, and lack of worker representation. While most examples of such conditions are found in [[developing countries]], clothes made in [[industrialized nation]]s may also be manufactured under similar conditions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hendriksz |first=Vivian |date=2017-11-09 |title='Made in Europe' label linked to European sweatshops |url=https://fashionunited.uk/news/business/made-in-europe-label-linked-to-european-sweatshops/2017110926692 |access-date=2022-05-03 |website=FashionUnited |language=en |archive-date=2022-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730071915/https://fashionunited.uk/news/business/made-in-europe-label-linked-to-european-sweatshops/2017110926692 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Coalitions of NGOs, designers (including Katharine Hamnett, [[American Apparel]], [[Veja Sneakers|Veja]], [[Quiksilver]], eVocal, and Edun), and campaign groups such as the [[Clean Clothes Campaign]] (CCC) and the [[Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights]] as well as [[textile and clothing trade unions]] have sought to improve these conditions by sponsoring awareness-raising events, which draw the attention of both the media and the general public to the plight of the workers.

Outsourcing production to low wage countries such as [[Bangladesh]], China, India, [[Indonesia]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Sri Lanka]] became possible when the [[Multi Fibre Agreement]] (MFA) was abolished. The MFA, which placed quotas on textiles imports, was deemed a [[protectionist]] measure.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Employment conditions in the clothing manufacturing sector |url=https://pehnavakart.com/employment-conditions-in-the-clothing-manufacturing-sector/ |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=Pehnava Kart |date=5 April 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405163734/https://pehnavakart.com/employment-conditions-in-the-clothing-manufacturing-sector/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Although many countries recognize treaties such as the [[International Labour Organization]], which attempt to set standards for worker safety and rights, many countries have made exceptions to certain parts of the treaties or failed to thoroughly enforce them. India for example has not ratified sections 87 and 92 of the treaty.

The [[textile industry|production of textiles]] has functioned as a consistent industry for developing nations, providing work and wages, whether construed as exploitative or not, to millions of people.<ref>European Parliamentary Research Service. "[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/EPRS/140841REV1-Workers-conditions-in-the-textile-and-clothing-sector-just-an-Asian-affair-FINAL.pdf Workers' Conditions in the Textile and Clothing Sector: Just an Asian Affair?]" ''European Parliament'', Aug. 2014. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212053033/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/EPRS/140841REV1-Workers-conditions-in-the-textile-and-clothing-sector-just-an-Asian-affair-FINAL.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/EPRS/140841REV1-Workers-conditions-in-the-textile-and-clothing-sector-just-an-Asian-affair-FINAL.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |date=2020-02-12 }}</ref>