What’s All the Shady Stuff Happening in the Fast Fashion Industry?

The world of fast fashion is extremely problematic.

Whilst it favours its consumers with its cheaper prices, these companies produce an excess of pollution, waste, low wages, unsafe working conditions and ultimately take advantage of those in the industry.

Boohoo Warehouse was recently called a “prison”.

An undercover journalist who worked in a Boohoo warehouse for a month published alleged acts of abusive working conditions for employees in their fast fashion factory.

With rules apparently being allowed to take a maximum of two toilet breaks within a twelve-hour shift, and movements being tracked, it’s no wonder employees are reporting being unhappy.

The journalist even went on to show the notes left by previous employees. Scribblings and markings on the walls and floors write “DO NOT WORK HERE” and “PRISON”.

With an indoor temperature of 32 degrees Celsius, the warehouse allegedly refused to let the workers have the aircon turned on.

There are multiple racism and sexual harassment claims made by past employees towards the company. Boohoo responded with the statement, “We want to ensure that the actions of a few do not continue to undermine the excellent work of many suppliers in the area...”, as told in the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre.

Lovisa is also getting some flack.

Sydney woman Marissa Tukuafu published a TikTok revealing her miserable experiences working for the jewellery brand Lovisa.

Lovisa is an Aussie staple and has more than 600 shops around the world.

But Miss Tukuafu shared her experiences working eight hours over time and not getting paid, being refused lunch breaks, and getting asked on days off to come in and not get paid for it.

She called it an overall “abusive and toxic workplace”.

Other TikTok users joined the discussion, saying “working at Lovisa was the worst four years of my life”.

Some users even said in the comments that they were hospitalised and had to be given heart monitors for the heart palpitations due to stress and intensity caused by working conditions.

A legal firm has now started a class action against the brand for its underpayment of staff.

Yikes.