Would you buy a t-shirt for under $3? Most people would say they would, but many people in Berlin who were given the chance bounced on the opportunity, as they were shown images of the shirt’s production.
A vending machine was installed in Berlin, offering 2 Euro t-shirts ($2.25 USD), as part of the Fashion Revolution Day. The machine was painted with an alluring turquoise and black pattern, and set in the center of Berlin’s main shopping district, Alexanderplatz. However, there was a catch.
As potential customers put in a 2 Euro coin, instead of giving out the t-shirt, the machine showed shoppers images of sweat shops around the world, featuring the women and children who could have made the t-shirt in question. The disturbing and very real images were paired with statistics about inhuman working conditions, like how they have 16 hour work days, and how they make unlivable wages of 13 cents an hour.
Would you want a t-shirt like that? Most people wouldn’t, when they were asked if they still want the t-shirt, or if they’d rather donate the 2 Euro to help make a change, giving to a charity that helps people working in these conditions.
Cheap clothes seem extremely appealing, but think about one thing – if something is really cheaper than it should be, them someone’s not getting paid properly for it – and very likely, someone’s abused; usually children and women. Here’s a very engaging video from John Oliver on the same issue: