The True Cost (Documentary - 2015)

This documentary is a good and painless way of expanding anyone's knowledge of the changing clothing/garment industry.  Most of the same themes that were detailed in the previously reviewed book,  Over-Dressed the Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion were explored in this documentary.

The following points were made in this documentary.  Up until the 1960s the USA made 75% of their clothes.  Now we make only 3%.  Worldwide the fashion industry is a $3 trillion industry and 1 of 6 people work in the industry.  The most profitable year in Bangladesh history was the same year as their infamous tragedies (2015 as mentioned in previous posts). 

I already knew about the benefits of eating organic food but I never gave any thought to organic clothing.  I've already had my concerns about big monopoly seed/chemical companies like Monsanto who are also involved in seeds of cotton.  It might not just be in the wearing of the clothing that could be a problem but it could be causing illness among the farmers not to mention when we get tired of the clothing it sits on landfills. Did you know that each one of us throws out 82 pounds of textile waste annually?  These textiles are not bio-degradable and will be sitting in land fields for 200 years releasing these chemicals.   India has been introducing these seeds and chemical farming techniques which aren't cheap.  These farmers have ended up owing these big conglomerates and end up loosing their land.  There are 250,000 recorded farmer suicides in India alone from these chemical companies taking over their land.

Leather for shoes and clothing that are being treated in India is polluting their waterways and people are suffering from diseases as a result. 

Surprising fact...did you know that fashion is the #2 polluting industry in the world?  (Oil is #1.)

As I have been learning about the fast fashion industry I've noticed how interconnected some of the issues I've been concerned about for years -  food industry, worker safety, fair pay, declining manufacturing in the USA and environmental waste.  My hope is I'll be armed with the knowledge to make responsible and informed purchases in the future. There is still so much more to examine.  In future posts I'll be reviewing how to identify a well made product,  exploring places to purchase from (and I'll be sharing my experiences in making purchases), a review of these feel good companies and if they are truly effective (you know those companies who offer to give away one shoe for one shoe purchased).

More information about this documentary can be found at http://truecostmovie.com/ Currently this documentary is being show on Netflix.