Behind the Seams: Fast Fashion’s Cost to Children’s Rights

Jasmine Arsenault - Awareness Content Reporter

Rogerson, C. (2020). TEXTILE MOUNTAIN - The Hidden Burden of our Fashion Waste. [Photograph]. https://www.textilemountainfilm.com/gallery-1

Up to 100 billion new garments are made every year (UNDP). Individuals are able to purchase so much of these articles of clothing in part due to their low costs. But how have we been able to keep up with this growing demand for cheap, trendy clothing? This is fast fashion—defined as a “a business model based on offering consumers frequent novelty in the form of low-priced, trend-led products” (Niinimäki et al., 2020). Unfortunately, fast-fashion companies will often sell their products in aesthetic storefronts, while concealing a much more sinister supply chain.

Evidence of child labour in production chains

Fast fashion is so prolific because the industry relies on child labour and other forms of forced labour–as do many other industries. It is estimated that around 138 million children are engaged in child labour around the world (UNICEF). The International Labour Organization (ILO) has defined child labour as "work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.” If a child is forced to work at such a young age, this impedes on their ability to play, a fundamental right enshrined in Article 31 of the UN Convention for the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In the fast-fashion industry, this exploitation is present at every stage of production. Child labour is used for cotton-picking, material-dyeing, and sewing. Children’s rights to safety and protection are compromised by the unsafe working environments (UNCRC, 1989). Fast fashion companies will often take advantage of the voicelessness and docility of children to further their agendas. This is due to the intense competitiveness of the fast-fashion industry. There is a so-called “race to the bottom,” a motivation to drive the cost of production increasingly lower, while keeping profits egregiously high (James, 2022). Therefore, when garments appear inexpensive, it is often because the company compensates for low retail prices by reducing labor costs, frequently through the exploitation of child labor. This goes against children’s protection from harmful work stated in the UNCRC (1989).

Environmental considerations

It is estimated that 92 million tonnes of waste are produced from the fashion industry every year (Ignini, 2023). To put things into perspective, this means that the equivalent of a garbage truck full of clothes is dumped in landfills every second (Igini, 2023). Consumers’ urge to follow trends relentlessly has made clothing become more disposable over the recent years—many items are only worn seven to ten times before being thrown out (Igini, 2023). These consumerist practices are severely detrimental to ecosystems due to the extreme quantities of water used during production, the waste it creates, and the lack of recycling of clothing. The UNCRC clearly states that children must have access to clean water, healthy food, and a clean and safe environment to live in. Continued overconsumption will exacerbate the environmental damage caused by the textile industry, ultimately undermining children’s rights. In addition to the long-term impacts of the fast-fashion industry, most clothes are made from cotton, which is considered to be the most water-intensive crop. Between 7,000 and 29,000 litres of water are required to produce only one kilogram of cotton (UNDP). Children should devote their formative years to play, education, and social development, rather than bearing the burden of climate crises.

What can we do?

While addressing this issue ultimately requires systemic change, individual consumers still have an important role to play. Choosing to buy second-hand clothing, repair garments, or recycle old items helps reduce the demand for new production each year. At the same time, fast-fashion companies must be held accountable for their exploitation and disregard of children’s rights. Organizations such as UNICEF and the ILO continue to work tirelessly to eliminate child labour across all industries, but lasting progress depends on collective awareness and stronger global regulation.

Sources

Igini, M. (2024, May 30). 10 concerning fast fashion waste statistics. Earth.Org. https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/

International Labour Organization.. (2025, November 7). Child Labour. International Labour Organization. https://www.ilo.org/topics-and-sectors/child-labour

James, M. A. (2022). Child Labor in Your Closet: Efficacy of Disclosure legislation and a new way Forward to fight child labor in fast fashion Supply Chains. The Journal of Gender, Race, and Justice, 25(1), 245.

Mikolajczak, C. (2019, September 27). Six things you didn’t know about the true cost of fast fashion. UNDP. https://www.undp.org/blog/six-things-you-didnt-know-about-true-cost-fast-fashion

Niinimäki, K., Peters, G., Dahlbo, H., Perry, P., Rissanen, T., & Gwilt, A. (2020). The environmental price of fast fashion. Nature reviews earth & environment, 1(4), 189-200.

Peters, G., Li, M., & Lenzen, M. (2021). The need to decelerate fast fashion in a hot climate - A global sustainability perspective on the garment industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 295, Article 126390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126390

Rogerson, C. (2020). TEXTILE MOUNTAIN - The Hidden Burden of our Fashion Waste. [Photograph]. https://www.textilemountainfilm.com/gallery-1

Unicef.(2025, June 10). Despite progress, child labour still affects 138 million children globally – ILO, UNICEF. Unicef - For Every Child. [Press Conference]. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/despite-progress-child-labour-still-affects-138-million-children-globally-ilo-unicef

United Nations (1989, November 20). Convention on the Rights of the Child. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child