The Ethical Calculator: How Much Does It Really Cost?

Capitalism and consumerism are by their very nature, exploitive. The majority of us are both subject to and guilty of it, from purchasing a multi pack of socks from Primark or bulk buys online. They may not be costing us much, but this in turn means that somewhere down the line it is costing someone.

Without meaning to urinate over anyones chips, when we succumb (and I have done, I hold up my hands) to these oh-my-god-that's-such-a-great-deal-i'm-buying-one-in-every-colour moments, someone else that has played their part in creating this wondrous garment for you is ultimately paying the price.

It may not be the first thing that pops into our minds when we find a good bargain, but how can it possible for a t-shirt or dress to cost less than a cup of coffee? When you really take into consideration the amount of people that are actually involved in it's production; from the cotton growers to the shipping workers.

Having there been a multi-billion year deal just agreed in the export of uzbek cotton, it is now more than ever that some attempt to change the mind frame we hold as consumers needs to be made. Uzbeck cotton is to be exported from Bangladesh and produced using forced adult and child labour. The cotton industry is massive, valued at $32 billion every year, and the production of it should ideally be improving people lives. However, this material (also known as 'white gold') often brings misery to those who have no other choice but to work in an area that exploits their basic human rights, all so we can get more bang for our buck.

There are some canaries down the mine; such as the EJF (Enviromental Justice Foundation) who are trying to raise awareness through their cotton campaign (I urge you all to submit into 'asking your retailer to action', come ON TopShop), and the work of eco troopers such as Lily Cole helps to remind us all that the battle is not lost yet. Having returned earlier in the year from India, where Cole followed a supply of a sustainably produced t-shirt, from the hand cultivation of organic cotton right through to the factory built out of recycled materials. It's encouraging to read comments from an international model such as "why should we buy 20 items, and pay them next to nothing, when we could buy one or two and pay them fairly?" which she so delicately quoted to the Guardian in a recent interview. Lily's optimism is endearing yet sadly lost in a society that is more willing to spend £20 on a round of jeagerbombs, than paying the fair price for a pair of jeans.

Cole is not the only one, you can read more on the ethical diamonds of the fashion sector here, informing you of those who are carrying us through this long, slow but worthy slog.