Title: TASK: Toxic fashion – and its alternatives
Course: GG 22/23 Leuphana-Copy > Section: 2.4 Fashion // Toxic

How can we localize some of the sustainability challenges connected to the garment industry? One important aspect that can increase our understanding of this topic is how people and businesses have reacted to incidents like the Rana Plaza collapse. In this task you have two options: Investigate the reactions to the Rana Plaza collapse, or investigate a lesser known incident that shocked the City of New York more than 100 years ago.

Use the resources below to complete your research and consult additional resources if necessary.

OPTION 1 Reactions to the Rana Plaza collapse

The Rana Plaza collapse was such a dramatic event that many Western media as well as politicians and businesses widely reacted to it. In the aftermath of the collapse, businesses in the garment industry were confronted with the ethical question of taking responsibility for grievances of these garment workers' situation. An interesting reaction came from the Walt Disney Company (source 1).

1. Read the report about Walt Disney's decision (source 1).

- What did the Walt Disney Company do in reaction to the Rana Plaza collapse?
- What reasons does the company give for its decision?

2. Read these comments on Disney's strategy (source 2).

- What are the different arguments mentioned in the text?
- With which arguments do you agree or disagree? Why?

3. Finally, discuss your results critically in the FORUM: Case study discussion Fashion // Toxic.

OPTION 2 The Triangle Waist Company factory fire

When most people think of the garment industry and workers rights violations, developing or less industrialized countries come to their mind. However, in 2011 the city of New York commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Waist Company factory fire,

a tragedy in Lower Manhattan that claimed the lives of 146 people, all but 23 of whom were young women. One of the landmark disasters in American history, it eventually inspired important shifts in the nation's laws, particularly those protecting the rights of workers and the safety of buildings.

— The New York Times

1. Read the text about the incident (source 3).

- What happened on that day?
- Who was affected and why?
- What lead to the accident?

2. What is the legacy of the Triangle fire? Take a look at the following links and source 4 and see what has changed in the last hundred years. What impact did the fire have on

- women’s history and rights,
- workers’ rights ,
- workplace safety ,
- fire codes ,
- and immigrant issues?

3 Document your findings (choose one option):

a. Discuss your results critically in the FORUM: Case study discussion Fashion // Toxic.

b. You could also work together to create an annotated, illustrated timeline. You can use the web-tool timeglider to do this task and upload or link your result to the FORUM: Case study discussion Fashion // Toxic.

[fa-files-o] Materials and resources:

Reactions to the Rana Plaza collapse

Text
1. The New York Times: Some Retailers Rethink Role in Bangladesh (May 1, 2013)

Text
2. The New York Times: When Does Corporate Responsibility Mean Abandoning Ship? (May 2, 2013)

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

Audio Transcript
4. NPR News: 100 Years After Triangle Fire, Are Workers Safer? (March 24, 2011)