Professional guide

Ethics and culture

This is what they don’t tell you in design school. But as a consequence of the fact that we have moved so much of the textile sector to China, India and other countries with cheaper manpower; it is important to have in mind a few other things than social responsibility, based on different mind-sets and cultural values.

It is often said that there is no inspector or no certificate that cannot be bought in many of these production countries. Some would go so far as to claim that you cannot trust any of the certificates which originate from China, India or many of the other neighbouring countries. “There will never be enough inspectors to control the business highway,” according to Law professor Joel Bakan from the University of British Colombia. 

We would suggest that you study the Code of Conduct under "Resources" that Nordic Fashion Association has launched; but also the tools you find in the introduction to this section - which give very basic and understandable guide-lines. Within modern CSR one talks more and more about how only when the understanding why human rights and workers' rights are important and make good economic sense within the local structure; there will be real change. Until this is locally embedded, we will continue fighting wind-mills. But another set of cultural stumbling-blocks are often not mentioned.

Mistakes are repeated over and over again

The word “no” may not exist. For several reasons: The fear of not getting the next order, not wanting to lose face, or just plainly because one always says “yes”. But then the order just doesn’t appear when it’s supposed to. If ever. Or not in the quality that was agreed on, since a sub-contractor has been the only one capable of meeting the deadline. And your buyers may just end up slapping you with a costly fine for not delivering according to the deal, or cancelling the entire order.

Another cultural difference is the inability to admit failure. While we in the West are used to fail and then go on, and even (hopefully) learning from our failures; one just does not fail in several other cultures. Consequently lessons are not learned… and mistakes are repeated over and over again. So before you decide to move production to low-cost countries just because it’s a lot cheaper, be forewarned that you may be bargaining for some extra “costs”.

An increasing problem in some of the production countries is energy. Both the cost and power-shortages. In Pakistan the Sui National Gas Company recently issued a directive to suspend gas to 250 textile mills for five months. Factories are relying on wood-burning to make up for the lack of electricity and gas, adding to deforestation and the emission of greenhouse gases. As a result of the power shortages, a week's delay in shipment isn't even considered a delay any more. But since Chinese finished garments have seen a 10 % price increase and there is an upward pressure on the price of Indian garments as well, the Pakistani industry remains optimistic that it will be able to compete - if the political climate stabilizes. In August 2009, Pakistan's textile and apparel imports to the US declined 20.6 %, according to WWD.

One reason for the Chinese price hike, is that factories face more government scrutiny on water usage and treatment, energy consumption and recycling, and new labor agreements that have given workers more rights and protections. Those looking for lower prices, are going to countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam, where guidelines are less stringent. But as the apparel industry is looking at increasing its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility, the debate of whether sustainability is important to corporations is long gone.