We often asked ourselves throughout our research, “ Who bears the burden and who benefits?”

According to the 8th principle of the Environmental Justice Movement, all workers have the right “to a safe and healthy work environment without being forced to choose between an unsafe livelihood and unemployment.” Unfortunately, many factory workers around the world are still forced to choose between the two.

Organizations like the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety and OSHA  advocate for worker empowerment, employee training, and workplace inspections so that workers will no longer be forced to work in perilous environments. However, global factory safety is far from accomplished, since the underlying problem is the unceasing demand of human greed.

As American consumers and retailers continue to demand bargain prices for fashion, factory owners will be under increasing pressure to balance safe working conditions and labor fees with international business; garment workers in Bangladesh an other third world countries will still be forced to sacrifice their health for our convenience.

Though the flames of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire dissipated over one hundred years ago, its tragedy echoes in the fashion industry today. The devastation that fast, cheap fashion causes across the globe is more crucial than we can comprehend in the checkout line. What will you do about it?