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Fair wares

The Fair Wear Foundation wants to stimulate companies to create humane working conditions in the clothing industry. This Dutch alliance of action groups, unions and representatives from the business community has come up with a social code of conduct that is independently monitored, and in March it will reveal the first ten companies to sign up. With support from social groups in Europe, the foundation hopes to become a continent-wide organization. Below is an interview with chairman Frans Papma.

Why would a clothing company become a participant in the Fair Wear Foundation?
“A lot of people working in the clothing industry are concerned. Their sector has gotten a bad name – with good reason, because working conditions are generally not favorable. But it is often difficult to get a finger on the problem. Clothing companies make business agreements with a supplier, and you can’t go looking over the other guy’s shoulder all the time. We offer a plan that integrates independent monitoring of suppliers and contracting parties and provides the expertise needed to improve the situation.”

A shop or a brand can use it to make a good impression.
“That can be a consideration. Companies are vulnerable to criticism from action groups and the media and want to distinguish themselves in a positive way.”

But clothing labels won’t carry your quality mark for good behavior.
“That’s correct. Good behavior should be integrated into the company, not its clothes. After all, doesn’t corporate social responsibility have to do with the company and not a shirt or a pair of jeans?”

Isn’t it expensive to participate in your project?
‘The costs are not high in proportion to the revenues of clothing companies. What takes effort is the cultural shift a company must undergo in adjusting to the idea that they have some responsibility for production and not just for selling the end product.”

Cotton cultivation and the bleaching and dyeing processes create substantial environmental damage, yet this part of the chain is not included in your code of conduct. Why?
“That was a practical choice. We limited ourselves to the people involved in cutting, sewing, embroidering, knitting, ironing, finishing, labeling, packaging and other procedures required for finished clothing. This is already quite extensive. We’d like to expand our monitoring more deeply into the chain and work to improve things, but we wanted to start with manageable goals.”

Will retail prices increase for the products of Fair Wear Foundation participants?
“I think the price of all clothing, including that made by our participants, should be much higher. More to the point, major improvements in working conditions can be achieved at a marginal cost. Ultimately, labor costs represent only a small portion of the retail price. And let’s not forget that a favorable working environment and a well-organized factory mean less absenteeism, less stress and more effort on the part of workers.”