This story originally appeared on the Daily Dot.
Analysis
“What do you think about the impact of these clothes on the environment?” a woman says, reading a comment she received in a TikTok live from clothing brand Nowrain (@nr_girly_uk). “I have to stay neutral on that because this is my job, so.”
The clip comes from a compilation video from @bylaurencastrothefairedit, a TikTok account that posts about sustainability and fashion. And the Nowrain brand rep isn’t alone in dodging questions about the ethics of clothing brands’ employment practices, labor practices, and sustainability: @thefairedit’s video shows reps from LaLa Fit UK, Pupagal, Go.G.G.Fashion, and Glamify avoiding probing inquiries made via comments on TikTok live advertisements from the brands.
The aforementioned brands are “fast fashion,” meaning they produce cheap clothing items to meet market and trend demands at a rapid pace. And this process comes with a huge cost: fast fashion brands have been accused of overworking and underpaying their employees, possibly in unsafe environments.
