High street brands that are taking some steps towards producing all their clothes ethically are frequently criticised and exposed in media reports regardless, partly because such steps require a progressive approach and will not transform workers’ rights overnight, and partly because their public communication often overstates the impact of the commitments they have made.
Perspectives on the future of ethical consumerism
15. From the above it appears that the demand for ethical consumerism has not so far achieved a significant improvement in workers' rights throughout the fashion industry. This would seem to be because, a) much of that demand has been met by small niche initiatives, which are unregulated and whose learning has not been passed on to the mainstream, and b) where the high street has responded, there is a mismatch between the kinds of interventions that provide an easily-marketable solution to meet consumer demand, and those kinds that actually would raise working conditions for workers throughout supply chains.
The question that remains is whether this state of affairs will continue or change: can ethical consumerism deliver an ethical industry?