During my first semester at Ohio State, I attended a screening of the documentary The True Cost. The film starts off with the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, which killed more than 1,100 workers. The film then goes on exposing the poor clothing factory conditions in other parts of the world and includes interviews with designers, cotton farmers, factory workers, activists, and experts in the fields of sustainability, consumption, and economic development. I found this very interesting because, at that time, I was taking an EEDS class that dealt with economics, sustainability, and development, thus, many of the topics mentioned in the film directly related to topics we had discussed in class.
One individual’s actions that stuck with me from this film were Livia Firth’s, the creative director of a sustainability brand consulting agency called Eco-Age. I found it refreshing that Eco-Age teams assess all aspects of the supply chain for businesses they work with. This involves visiting their clients’ suppliers, thus, experiencing the conditions and environments of the workers. This allows individuals to see what actually happens in these factories and to make sure that ethical and moral principles are being used in the treatment of workers and in the development of a sustainable product.
Before viewing this documentary, I did not focus (too much) on where my clothing came from. However, I now pay close attention to labels and brands as I try my best to be a smart and sustainable consumer. I believe that this film has increased my awareness about an issue that is not talked about often. Awareness is the first step to implementing change, thus, I believe that everyone should be educated about this issue and about other issues that many people are unaware of.