Consumption without child labor:
Fashion and home textiles
Child labor is widespread in the production of clothing and home textiles: children pick cotton , for example in India, Uzbekistan and Egypt. girls like slaves in cotton mills in Tamil Nadu in South Indian and have to work for hunger wages at any time of the day. The cotton yarn produced there are processed into clothing and home textiles (bed linen, curtains, table linen). Other home textiles made by children are hand -linked carpets from Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Iran, Turkey and Morocco.
Progress has been in seamstresses since the 1990s, and the use of children worldwide has decreased significantly. After high pressure from public campaigns by children's rights organizations, fashion brands and trading companies have obliged their suppliers not to stop children and still examine this obligation today. The implementation of compulsory schooling, such as in Thailand and India, has also significantly reduced the number of child workers in factories.
The textile industry stands for massive injuries to basic human and labor rights : hunger wages and missing or inadequate social security of workers in the textile supply chain; Uncertain and crowded buildings without fire protection and escape routes; Diligent treatment and sexual harassment by pioneers and colleagues; Extremely many and regular overtime; Contact with toxic substances (pesticides, fungicides and chemicals to color and equip fabrics) and dust (in spinning and sewing); Working in great heat and noise; Forced labor in prisons and camps.
For many developing and emerging countries, the textile industry is an important industry , because it is labor-intensive, which means that it creates many jobs for unskilled forces. worldwide work in the textile and clothing industry . Workplaces in seamstresses for unskilled women are often the only way to make money independently. Because the textile and clothing industry is so important for the economy in developing and emerging countries, its lobby is strong: Often there is hardly or only very weak state regulation and supervision for the companies, but disabilities of unions and intimidation of workers.
Half of the textiles produced worldwide is made of cotton. The extension causes high environmental damage because cotton consumes a lot of water, flows out soils and is susceptible to pests. Cotton grows to 2.5 percent of global acreage, but consumes 25 percent of the pesticides used worldwide. Conventionally grown cotton is sprayed up to 20 times a season. Almost the entire conventionally grown cotton has been genetically modified. The high water requirement is also problematic: depending on the variety and growing region, a kilo of cotton needs between 7,000 and 29,000 liters of water.
The coloring and equipping of fabrics is responsible for a fifth of global water pollution. The textile industry emits about eight percent of greenhouse gases - this is more than air traffic and shipping together. According to the science magazine Quark , the production of ten jeans causes as much CO2 as a flight from Berlin to Munich. People in Germany never wear 20 percent of their clothes. On average, consumers in Germany buy 60 clothes per year.
Germany introduced textiles and clothing worth 50.11 billion euros in 2020, the list of imported countries leads China, Bangladesh and Turkey. Most sales made the Otto Group, H&M and C&A in Germany.
Alternatives for consumers
If you want to avoid child labor, buy textiles and home textiles that are certified with a reputable seal. A high price or a brand say nothing about the manufacturing conditions: the cotton in an expensive brand T-shirt can also have been picked by children. Sustainable consumption means buying less: pay attention to durability and quality when shopping. Buy second hand, join the exchange rings or upcycled used pieces.
These seals exclude child labor:
Since 2005, Fairtrade has certified clothing and home textiles made of cotton and mixed tissue and checks the entire supply chain from the cotton field to sewing. It is primarily about fair prices and compliance with labor rights, but also about basic environmental standards. The website offers product and dealer finders and detailed information on individual product groups.
The Fair Wear Foundation has developed a high standard for textiles and supports its members in gradual implementation in the suppliers. Fair Wear does not extend to the cotton field, but concentrates on existence-grown wages, good working conditions and social security in factories that produce textiles. 128 companies are members. Information on the standard and company find can be found on the homepage .
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
The GOTS seal identifies products that contain at least 70 percent biologically generated natural fibers according to the EU Eco Ordinance. All processing companies must also meet social minimum criteria in the entire supply chain such as the ban on child labor and take concrete steps to pay existence securing wages. GOTS according to their own statements reaches three million workers in 10,388 operated in 72 countries.
The green button is a state seal for textiles and was launched in 2019 by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. It checks both the manufacturing conditions of the individual product as well as the trading company with regard to the environment and social standards, such as the ban on child labor. Products with the green button are currently available from 61 companies. The green button is a so-called meta seal, which means that it recognizes social and environmental seals. The green button also plays a role in public procurement: for example, the Free State of Bavaria and the church associations Diakonie and Caritas have committed to only obtaining textiles that are certified with the green button (for example for old people's and nursing homes). Ten Bundesliga clubs offer fan clothing with the green button.
The cotton initiative promotes the more sustainable cultivation and thus campaigns for better working and living conditions of small farmers and workers in decorative companies. CMIA is turning to small builders, which are otherwise hardly achieved by seal initiatives. CMIA Schult farmers, promotes women's cooperatives and supports municipalities in the construction of basic infrastructure such as schools or safe drinking water supply. CMIA, according to its own statements, reaches 900,000 small farmers in various African countries.
Goodweave certified hand -knotted carpets from India, Nepal and Afghanistan. The companies undertake not to employ children under the age of 14 and to pay at least statutory minimum wages. GoodWeave finances primary schools and health stations in the communities of carpet jackets. According to its own statements, Goodweave reaches 93,339 workers in 350 companies and has released 7,906 children from exploitative work.
The step seal is awarded to trade and manufacturers, which produce all of their hand-linked carpets according to the Fair trade standard from Step. Step works in India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Morocco. The municipalities of the carpet jackers can finance necessary infrastructure with the fair trade surcharge, such as school or health centers.
