Traceability is probably the last thing, if at all, that crosses our minds when we shop for clothing. The most we know about a piece of cloth in terms of traceability is where it is made in, as it is labelled on the tag. Even if we, as consumers, want to find out more about the story behind the clothing we bought, there is no way to do so. There should be a way.

The article Managing the Unmeasurable in Apparel Industry reminds me of a video clip I watched in class that shows the true cost of fast fashion. Specifically, it shows the poor working conditions in apparel factories in the developing world, and how workers are forced to accept low wages and work in buildings that can collapse anytime. Over the years, there have been accidents where factories collapse because of lack of funds for building maintenance and upgrade, causing death of thousands of workers. Surprisingly, what is behind these factories are not small brands that can not afford to provide workers with better working conditions, but large clothing brands like Zara and H&M. What is more surprising to me is Zara’s cold-blooded reply when asked for the brand’s opinion on the factory accidents: “They could’ve been working in worse conditions in other jobs like mining.”

The video had some considerable influence on my shopping behaviour. Now, every time I walk into a Zara store, I feel uncomfortable. When I see the piece of cloth I picked up is made in a developing country, I hesitated. I wish I were able to find out more behind the price tags and account for those behind-the-scene factors in my purchase decision.

The article casts some light on improving the traceability of clothing and making apparel supply chain more sustainable. It has suggested several areas where traceability of the industry can be improved through collective actions, as well as several technology options that can support traceability. On top of the areas mentioned in the article, I think consumer behaviour can also be an influential factor in driving traceability. If the public start to demand for information on how the clothing is made, it will force brands to disclose and improve their supply chain.